49 TAFCS Research Journal 12(1), 2025had to a) be between the ages of 5 and 15 years, b) be able to speak and read in Spanish or English, c) reside within one of the eleven counties serviced by the CBFB, d) be willing to complete all provided surveys or have a parent or guardian willing to complete surveys on behalf of child, e) not be related to or have a friendship with anyone employed by the CBFB, and f) either receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, or be SNAPeligible. To be deemed SNAP-eligible, participants must have answered “yes” to at least one of the statements: “within the past 4 months, someone in the household received SNAP benefits,” “within the past four months, someone in the household has been worried whether the food supply in the home would run out before receiving any more money for food,” or “within the past four months, the food in the household that was purchased did not last, and there was not enough money to purchase more.”If the parents’ or guardians’ child(ren) were eligible, the CRD would inform the parents or guardians of the study, emphasizing that participation was voluntary. Children could still enroll in the program, even if their parent or guardian did not wish to have them participate in the pilot study. Whether the child participated in the study or not, they were required to complete a registration packet created by the CBFB. If the parents or guardians were interested in participating in the pilot study, they were then asked to sign a consent form. Their child(ren) were then asked to sign, with the assistance of their parent or guardian if applicable, an ageappropriate assent form. Of the 132 inquiries collected from interested individuals, 101 were deemed eligible for participation in the pilot study. Ninety-two children agreed to participate in the pilot study; however, data collection was completed from only 49 participants by the end of the study. Parental Satisfaction Surveys were collected from all 38 parents or guardians of the 49
50 TAFCS Research Journal 12(1), 2025participants. Participants were assigned unidentifiable identification numbers, each beginning with “CBFB_P1_” followed by a number, indicating “Coastal Bend Food Bank Pilot Study 1.”Culinary Kits for Kids Pilot ProgramThe CKK consisted of eight bi-weekly culinary kits and produce bag distributions. Participants had the option of picking up their culinary kit and produce bag from the CBFB or having them delivered to their home. Each culinary kit was equipped with pre-portioned ingredients to execute two recipes, both of which contained fruits and/or vegetables, along with an educational handout. Recipes were chosen due to their cultural appropriateness and the availability of ingredients at all retail stores in Nueces County, Texas, the location of the CBFB. Participants were informed that they would need to supply their salt, pepper, and oil, as these are staples in most households. Each produce bag came with 7-8 different fruits and vegetables, depending on seasonality and availability at a local major-chain grocery store. The recipes were selected based on multiple factors, including produce distributed by the CBFB during distributions, local grocery retailer availability, recipe affordability, and cultural appropriateness(see Table 1 for the provided recipes). Table 1 Culinary kit recipes are provided by the week, and the produce usedWeek Recipe Produce Items1 • Pesto Pasta with Green Beans• Baked Parmesan Yellow Squash CoinsGreen beans and summer squash2 • Breakfast Sweet Potato• Loaded Smashed Baby PotatoesSweet potato, green apple, baby potatoes, green onion
51 TAFCS Research Journal 12(1), 20253 • Veggie Noodle Soup• Roasted Chickpeas with Red OnionYellow onion, celery, carrot, corn, red onion4 • Zucchini Pizza Boats• Fruit PizzaZucchini, grapes, Mandarin oranges, banana, blueberries5 • Sweet Potato & Kale Hash with Egg• Zucchini Corn FrittersSweet potato, kale, corn, zucchini, green onion6 • Roasted Eggplant Pasta• Zucchini Banana MuffinsEggplant, zucchini, banana7 • Breakfast Pizza• Cucumber, Tomato & Red Onion SaladSpinach, cucumber, Roma tomato, red onion8 • Mexican Street Corn Salad• Tangy Fruit SaladCorn, red bell pepper, green onion, red apple, banana, Mandarin orangesNote: Produce items refer to the specific fruits and/or vegetables mentioned in each recipe.Each week, the program focuses on a different topic related to fruits and vegetables, starting with week one, which introduces participants to basic cutting skills, cooking terminology, and measurement conversions. Each topic was introduced via educational tear-tab pages, an activity book, a bookmark from GetVisualz, and a waterproof cooking tip card from Fresh Baby, all of which are online nutrition education resources. A list of the educational materials used, organized by title, is presented in Table 2. Alongside weekly educational handouts, follow-along YouTube demonstration videos showed the nutrition team at the CBFB executing each recipe within the corresponding culinary kit.
52 TAFCS Research Journal 12(1), 2025Table 2 Educational materials provided to participants by week, title, and source of purchaseWeek Title of Educational Material Purchasing Source1 “Cooking w/ Kids & Kitchen Basics” Tip Card Fresh Baby2 “Fruit and Veggie Challenge” Bookmark GetVisualz3 “Why Eat Fruits and Veggies” Tear Tab Handout GetVisualz4 “Good Nutrition Starts with MyPlate” Activity Book GetVisualz5 “Celebrate Veggies” Tear Tab Handout GetVisualz6 “Catch a Rainbow Every Day!” Tear Tab Handout GetVisualz7 “Focus on Fruits” Tear Tab Handout GetVisualz8 “Choose Bright Colored Veggies” Tear Tab Handout GetVisualzNote. Each week, participants received a different educational handoutData Collection MethodsData were collected at two time points: pre-intervention (baseline) and post-intervention (16 weeks from baseline). Outcomes of fruit and vegetable consumption, parental satisfaction,beliefs about the child(ren)’s dietary behavior change, and SCT-based aspects were used to evaluate the efficacy of the CKK program. At pre-intervention and post-intervention, participants completed a fruit and vegetable intake (FVI) survey developed by the nutrition team at the CBFB, which was a modification of the Feeding Texas and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) Child Fruit and Vegetable Intake (CFVI) Pre and Post-Surveys. This was the initial piloting of the FVI survey, and a group of subject-matter experts evaluated the survey. The FVI survey was completed by children between the ages of five and fifteen, similar to the CFVI. Parents or guardians were instructed to assist their
53 TAFCS Research Journal 12(1), 2025child(ren) with completing the FVI survey if necessary. English and Spanish versions of the FVI survey were available. Children were asked to report the frequency of consumption of fruits and vegetables. Specific colors and types of fruits and vegetables using a 4-point Likert scale (‘I did not eat any [specific food item] yesterday’, ‘I ate [specific food item] one time yesterday’, ‘I ate [specific food item] 2 times yesterday’, and ‘I ate [specific food item] 3 or more times yesterday’). Scoring for these questions ranged from 0 to 3, corresponding to the number of times the child ate a specific food item. Several open-ended questions were included that asked participants to list the fruits and vegetables they like, dislike, and would like to try. The Parental Satisfaction Survey (PSS) was developed by the nutrition team at the CBFB as a method of quality control. The PSS was structured to evaluate opinions, beliefs, feelings, and satisfaction with the CKK program and its effects on their child(ren). Parents and guardians were asked to rate the quality of service they received from the CBFB nutrition team, the quality of the recipes they received, the quality of the ingredients they received, the quality of the educational materials they received, and their overall experience with the CKK program using a 5-point Likert scale. They were provided open-ended questions that asked them to describe what they did or did not like about the educational materials provided and what they believed could have made the materials better. They were also asked about the types of recipes they were interested in receiving and whether their child(ren) had made any dietary changes since participating in the program. If their response was “yes,” they were asked to explain how their child had made dietary changes. If their response was “no,” they were asked to explain what they thought the nutrition team could do to inspire dietary changes. Parents and guardians were asked to describe what they liked or did not like about the follow-along demonstration videos and why, and what was their child(ren)’s favorite thing about the program.
54 TAFCS Research Journal 12(1), 2025Program EvaluationThe efficacy of the intervention implemented by the CKK program was evaluated through the number of participants who completed the program (n = 49), the number of culinary kits picked up or delivered to participants at each distribution, and the PSS. Data AnalysisQuantitative. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 30.0., a statistical software package. The non-parametric Wilcoxon signedrank test was used to compare pre-intervention and post-intervention survey responses to eightinterval variables (fruit consumption yesterday, times fruit consumed yesterday, multiple vegetable types consumed yesterday, total salad servings consumed yesterday, total orange vegetable servings consumed yesterday, total starchy vegetable servings consumed yesterday, total servings of other types of vegetables consumed yesterday, and total green vegetable servings consumed yesterday). The p-value for significance was set at 0.05.Qualitative. An inductive qualitative approach was employed for research analysis. According to Lichtman (2013), qualitative research aims to provide an in-depth narrative that offers a deeper understanding of human experiences. As discussed by Bingham and Witkowsky (2022), an inductive approach to qualitative data collection and analysis facilitates an understanding of the present themes. This approach will be compared to the SCT framework, allowing for invaluable insight into the experiences, beliefs, and perceptions of the participants' parents and guardians.
55 TAFCS Research Journal 12(1), 2025ResultsQuantitativeThe results from the quantitative analysis allowed for the determination of whether participation in the CKK program significantly improved self-reported fruit and vegetable consumption. A total of 48 participants completed the pre- and post-FVI survey. The pilot study participants were 52.1% male, 87.5% White, and 68.8% Hispanic/Latino, with an average age of 9.38 years, as shown in Table 3. Table 3 Culinary Kits for Kids pilot study participant demographics Category N % of total sampleGenderRaceEthnicityAgeMaleFemaleWhiteBlack/African AmericanAmerican Indian/Alaska NativeHispanic/LatinoNon-Hispanic/Latino5 6 7 8 9 10 2523 42 4 2 33 15 4 3 7 4 7 5 52.1%47.9% 87.5% 8.3% 4.2% 68.8% 31.2% 8.3% 6.3% 14.6% 8.3% 14.6% 10.4%
56 TAFCS Research Journal 12(1), 20251112 13 14 75 3 3 14.6%10.4% 6.3% 6.3% Note. This table depicts the demographic information of participants enrolled in the Culinary Kits for Kids pilot study.Significant differences were observed between the pre- and post-reported survey responses for salads consumed and orange vegetables consumed (Z = -2.333, p = .020 and Z = -2.179, p = .029). Participants reported consuming lower quantities of both salads and orange vegetables; however, no statistical significance was found. No statistically significant differences were found between pre- and post-reported survey responses for types of vegetables consumed, starchy vegetables consumed, and other types of vegetables consumed (p > .05). When a child participated in the CKK program, reported increases in the kinds of vegetables and the number of servings of starchy vegetables consumed were noted; however, these differences were not significant (Z = -.707 and Z = -1.518). The Wilcoxon signed-rank test indicated that median post-test ranks for servings of fruit and the number of times fruit was consumed were statistically significantly higher than the pretest ranks (Z = -2.449, p = .14 and Z = 2.648, p = .008). These results suggest a reduction in the number of servings of fruit consumed and an increase in the frequency of fruit consumption. Therefore, the hypothesis that following participation in the CKK program, children will report statistically significant improvements in fruit and vegetable consumption is both rejected and accepted, based on specific variables. Children reported statistically significant improvements in
57 TAFCS Research Journal 12(1), 2025both the consumption of fruit servings and the frequency of fruit consumption; however, no significant improvements were found among the remaining six variables. QualitativeThe qualitative analysis results assisted in answering the research question: What are the perceptions of parents or guardians of their children’s fruit and vegetable intake following participation in the CKK program? Results of the PSS detailed parental or guardian (n = 38) perceived impact of the CKK program on their child(ren). Using an inductive qualitative approach to analyzing PSS responses, four themes emerged: willingness to expand palate, independent cooking, personal utensils, and YouTube videos. Multiple parents and guardians reported noticeable changes in their child(ren)’s openness to trying or cooking with new foods, including vegetables. One parent shared that her child is “actually trying foods she would not normally try,” and another parent shared how her child is eating more of “dinner since they are involved in making it.” Most parents and guardians reported that their child(ren) consumed more vegetables following participation in the CKK program and also began trying new recipes. Many parents and guardians shared what their child's (or children's) favorite thing about the program was. The underlying response was the ability to prepare recipes independently. One parent shared that her children loved “getting to do it themselves.” In contrast, another parent explained that her children demonstrated confidence, motivating them to follow recipes independently, and emphasized their excitement to accomplish something tasty. Providing each child with their cooking utensils was emphasized by almost every parent and guardian. One parent shared that her child enjoyed having “[his] own kitchen tools,” and another parent reported that her child liked using the cutting board, measuring cups, and knife. Of the parents or guardians who completed the PSS, only eight reported that their child(ren) actively watched and followed along
58 TAFCS Research Journal 12(1), 2025with the YouTube demonstration videos. One parent mentioned that she and her child wished the “videos [were] more engaging,” and another reported that the videos “were helpful to watch before making” the recipes. Many parents and guardians put “N/A” when asked about the videos, and some informed us of their lack of knowledge of the videos. DiscussionThe purpose of the pilot study was to evaluate the impact of the CKK program on the fruit and vegetable intake of food-insecure children residing in Nueces County, Texas, by collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data. Based on the results of quantitative data analysis, it was determined that participation in the CKK program did not significantly impact a child’s intake of green, starchy, or other types of vegetables; however, it did significantly impact a child’s intake of salads and orange vegetables. Upon analyzing FVI survey responses, a Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed significantly lower intakes of both salads and orange vegetables. This could be related to the fact that none of the recipes incorporated these types of vegetables. A modification of one week of the recipes provided could be warranted to address the observed significant decrease in consumption of salads and orange vegetables.It was found that participation demonstrated a significant impact on the number of servings of fruit and the frequency of fruit consumption. However, this warrants caution, for surveys evaluating a child’s food intake within 24 hours before survey completion are not accurate for determining overall dietary behavior change (Archer et al., 2018; Baxter et al., 2009; Livingstone et al., 2007; Mattes et al., 2022). Many variables influence a child’s eating habits from day to day, especially when they are experiencing food insecurity. It is for this reason that a qualitative approach to research is valuable for providing a more accurate picture. Based on parental and guardian feedback, it was determined that the children who participated in the CKK
59 TAFCS Research Journal 12(1), 2025program were more open to trying new foods, cooking, and preparing their meals, and were excited to use the cooking utensils personally given to them. Children became more confident when cooking, as reported by their parents, and began not only consuming more vegetables but also a wider variety of vegetables. LimitationsEvaluating the fruit and vegetable intake of children under eight, according to Arthur et al. (2017) and Warren et al. (2003), is challenging and should not be conducted through surveys due to the variability and range in ability to understand and complete them. This limitation reduced the ability to accurately evaluate child fruit and vegetable intake via the FVI survey. Another limitation of the CKK pilot study was the inability to assess the observational learning aspect of the SCT effectively. All participants were asked to follow along with the YouTube demonstration videos; however, there was no method in place to verify that participants watched the videos. The PSS only asked one question regarding the YouTube videos, which did not evaluate the impact of the follow-along videos on observational learning. Modification to the PSS to include a minimum of three questions regarding the YouTube demonstration videos is warranted. Conducting a 24-hour dietary recall, which is how the FVI survey assessed the fruit and vegetable consumption of participants, is inappropriate in most settings because of errors due to under- or overreporting (Gibson et al., 2017). Diets change daily; therefore, assessing intake at only two points in time lacks an accurate depiction of a person’s average dietary intake, according to Peterson et al. (2023) and Tooze (2020). Therefore, three surveys (pre-, mid-, and post) should be collected from participants in the future. By collecting a mid-point survey, a
60 TAFCS Research Journal 12(1), 2025more accurate estimate of dietary behavior change, in this case, fruit and vegetable consumption, can be obtained. Lastly, parents were verbally asked to assist their child(ren) with preparing the recipes and accessing the YouTube videos. However, since it was not included in the flyer, consent form, and/or assent forms, it was therefore optional. For this reason, many children may not have received the necessary assistance to fully participate in the program, which could have impacted data collection and analysis. Therefore, these forms must be modified to include a statement on the requirement of parental or guardian assistance with program completion.Implications and RecommendationsThe CKK program, as demonstrated through its piloting, has potentially positiveimplications that play a pivotal role in addressing the perennial problem of low fruit and vegetable intake among food-insecure children in South Texas. Such implications include increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, as well as improved access for participants and their families, which has been identified as a key issue surrounding food insecurity (OdomsYoung et al., 2023). This is because children are given recipes with more than one serving and a thirty-five-pound box of fresh, local, and culturally-appropriate produce. Other implications of the CKK program include children's openness to trying new foods, a topic that most parents and guardians discussed in the PSS. As stated by McCurdy et al. (2022), children experiencing food insecurity typically demonstrate hesitancy to try new foods, which could be related to parenting practices. However, upon participation in the CKK program, parents and guardians have demonstrated an openness to exploring new foods with their children, which has potential for future research into parenting practices.
61 TAFCS Research Journal 12(1), 2025This pilot study revealed that participation in the CKK program, both significantly and insignificantly, affects fruit and vegetable consumption, as well as consumption of new foods. On this basis, there is currently active research being conducted on the CKK program through a main study. This research includes recommendations made from the pilot study, such as the need to include a mid-point survey, the need to include more questions in the PSS regarding the YouTube videos to evaluate observational behavior change, and the need to survey children eight and older, due to the wide range in ability of children seven and under (Arthur et al., 2017; Warren et al., 2003).Due to dietary and behavioral changes made by participants of this pilot study, there is potential for additional funding opportunities for food banks. Recently, food banks across the Feeding America network lost significant programmatic funding for nutrition education due to the elimination of federal funding for SNAP education (One Big Beautiful Bill Act, 2025). This prompted many food bank CEOs and directors to reconsider the need for and remove nutrition education from their strategic plans and operations, as noted by Bea Hanson, executive director of the CBFB (personal communication, August 20, 2025). This undoubtedly leaves food banks responsible for raising the sudden reduction in funding. The CKK program, with the outcomes demonstrated thus far, has been entirely funded by local donors and organizations interested in helping children eat more fruit and vegetables. Not only does this allow for the program to continue, but it also allows the CBFB to continue funding the nutrition educators currently employed. Without the funding for the CKK program, the CBFB would be at risk of eliminating nutrition education or only keeping one educator on staff. The data collected from the CKK program pilot study have been instrumental in its integration into the organization’s 2025-2030 strategic plan, which ensures its ongoing success (Hanson, personal communication, August 20,
62 TAFCS Research Journal 12(1), 20252025). Therefore, ongoing research of the CKK program is necessary to continue improving its curriculum and demonstrating its true efficacy, which improves the likelihood of program adoption at other food banks. Results of the pilot study were used to improve the overall program delivery and program evaluation process.ConclusionThe CKK program pilot study demonstrated the invaluable impact that the program has on the fruit and vegetable intake of food-insecure children, as well as its impact on cooking and food preparation. For a more accurate determination of the CKK program’s impact, the study should be repeated using data from children between the ages of eight and fifteen to minimize bias and confusion due to variations in survey completion ability. However, the data collected and analyzed from the CKK pilot study demonstrate that the CKK program has promising results.ReferencesArcher, E., Marlow, M. L., & Lavie, C. J. (2018). The fatal flaws of food frequency questionnaires and other memory-based dietary assessment methods. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2018.08.003Arthur, A. M., Smith, M. H., White, A. S., Hawley, L., & Koziol, N. A. (2017). Age-sensitive instrument design for youth: A developmental approach (WBS 2617140108001; WBS 2617140138001). University of Nebraska – Lincoln. https://cyfs.unl.edu/resources/downloads/working-papers/MAP-working-paper-2017-1.pdfAsigbee, F. M., Davis, J. N., Markowitz, A. K., Landry, M. J., Vandyousefi, S., Ghaddar, R., Ranjit, N., Warren, J., & van den Berg, A. (2020). The association between child cooking involvement in food preparation and fruit and vegetable intake in a Hispanic youth population. Current Developments in Nutrition, 4(4). https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzaa028Baxter, S. D., Royer, J. A., Guinn, C. H., Hardin, J. W., & Smith, A. F. (2009). Origins of intrusions in children’s dietary recalls: Data from a validation study concerning retention interval and information from school food-service production records. Public Health Nutrition, 12(9). https://doi.org/10.1017/s1368980008003893Bidopia, T., Carbo, A. V., Ross, R. A., & Burke, N. L. (2023). Food insecurity and disordered eating behaviors in children and adolescents: A systematic review. Eating Behaviors, 49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2023.101731Bingham, A.J. & Witkowsky, P. (2022). Deductive and inductive approaches to qualitative data analysis. SAGE Publications.
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65 TAFCS Research Journal 12(1), 2025Morin, P., Demers, K., Turcotte, S., & Mongeau, L. (2013). Association between perceived selfefficacy related to meal management and food coping strategies among working parents with preschool children. Appetite, 65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2013.01.012Muzaffar, H., Metcalfe, J. J., & Fiese, B. (2018). Narrative review of culinary interventions with children in schools to promote healthy eating: Directions for future research and practice. Current Developments in Nutrition, 2(6). https://doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzy016Odoms-Young, A., Brown, A. G. M., Agurs-Collins, T., & Glanz, K. (2023). Food insecurity, neighborhood food environment, and health disparities: State of the science, research gaps and opportunities. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 119(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.12.019Oleschuk, M., Choi, H. Y., Ellison, B., & Prescott, M. P. (2023). Associations between cooking self-efficacy, attitude, and behaviors among people living alone: A cross-sectional survey analysis. Appetite, 189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2023.106999One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Pub. L. No. 119-21 139 Stat. 72 (2025). https://www.congress.gov/119/plaws/publ21/PLAW-119publ21.pdfPeterson, L., Lee, H., Huybrechts, I., Biessy, C., Neuhouser, M. L., Haaland, B., Krick, B., Gunter, M., Schulze, M. B., Jannasch, F., Coletta, A. M., Hardikar, S., Chaix, A., Bauer, C. X., Xiao, Q., & Playdon, M. C. (2023). Reliability estimates for assessing meal timing derived from longitudinal repeated 24-hour dietary recalls. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 117(5). https://doi.org/1016/j.ajcnut.2023.02.026Serafim, P., Borges, C. A., Cabral-Miranda, W., & Jaime, P. C. (2022). Ultra-processed food availability and sociodemographic associated factors in a Brazilian municipality. Frontiers, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.858089Shavit, Y., Roth, Y., & Teodorescu, K. (2021). Promoting healthy eating behaviors by incentivizing exploration of healthy alternatives. Frontiers in Nutrition, 8. https://doi.org/10.33889/fnut.2021.658793Soliz, B. (2023). Food access in Nueces County. ArcGIS Online. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/0ddbabf3ed4b4977a7167a993dc9f011Taghizadeh, S., Farhangi, M. A., & Khodayari-Zarnaq, R. (2021). Stakeholders perspectives of barriers and facilitators of childhood obesity prevention policies in Iran: A Delphi method study. BMC Public Health, 21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12282-7Tani, Y., Fujiwara, T., & Kondo, K. (2020). Cooking skills related to potential benefits for dietary behaviors and weight status among older Japanese men and women: A cross-sectional study from the JAGES. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-020-00986-9Tooze, J. A. (2020). Estimating usual intakes from dietary surveys: Methodological challenges, analysis approaches, and recommendations for low- and middle-income countries. Center for Dietary Assessment/FHI Solutions. Torslev, M. K., Thogersen, D. B., Bonde, A. H., Bloch, P., & Varming, A. (2021). Supporting positive parenting and promoting healthy living through family cooking classes. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094709Trisi, D. & Saenz, M. (2021). Economic security programs reduce overall poverty, racial and ethnic inequities. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. https://www.cbpp.org/research/poverty-and-inequality/more-than-4-in-10-children-inrenter-households-face-food-andor
66 TAFCS Research Journal 12(1), 2025Turner, G., Green, R., Alae-Carew, C., & Dangour, A. D. (2021). The association of dimensions of fruit and vegetable access in the retail food environment with consumption: A systematic review. Global Food Security, 29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2021.100528 University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. (n.d.). What is social cognitive theory? University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. https://www.med.upenn.edu/hbhe4/part3-ch8-key-constructs.shtml Vega, W. A., Rodriguez, M. A., & Gruskin, E. (2016). Health disparities in the Latino population. Epidemiologic Reviews, 27. https://doi.org/10.1093/epirev/mxp008 Wang, L., Steele, E. M., Du, M., Pomeranz, J. L., O’Connor, L. E., Herrick, K. A., Luo, H., Zhang, X., Mozaffarian, D., & Zhang, F. F. (2021). Trends in consumption of ultraprocessed foods among US youths aged 2-19 years, 1999-2018. JAMA, 326(6). https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2021.10238 Warren, J. M., Henry, C. J. K., Livingstone, M. B. E., Lightowler, H. J., Bradshaw, S. M., & Perwaiz, S. (2003). How well do children aged 5-7 years recall food eaten at school lunch? Public Health Nutrition, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1079/phn2002346 Winett, R. A., Anderson, E. S., Whiteley, J. A., Wojcik, J. R., Rovniak, L. S., Graves, K. D., Galper, D. I., & Winett, S. G. (1999). Church-based health behavior programs: Using social cognitive theory to formulate interventions for at-risk populations. Journal of Applied and Preventive Psychology, 8(2). https://doi.org/10.1016/s0962-1849(99)80004-3 Yeh, M., Ickes, S. B., Lowenstein, L. M., Shuval, K., Ammerman, A. S., Farris, R., & Katz, D. L. (2008). Understanding barriers and facilitators of fruit and vegetable consumption among a diverse multi-ethnic population in the USA. Health Promotion International, 23(1). https://10.1093/heapro/dam044 This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercialShareAlike 4.0 International License. Article CitationPeña, S., Alexander, K. L. (2025). A pilot of Culinary Kits for Kids: The impact of a hands-on cooking curriculum on the fruit and vegetable intake of food-insecure children in South Texas. TAFCS Research Journal, 12(1), 41-66.
TAFCS Research Journal 12(1), 2025Guidelines for AuthorsThe TAFCS is the official publication of the American Association of Family & ConsumerSciences Texas Affiliate (AAFCS-TX). The TAFCS publishes peer-reviewed articles andpractical information that promotes the well-being of individuals; strong, resilient, andsustainable families; and supportive communities. The TAFCS is published once per year. ARTICLE CATEGORIESTAFCS accepts manuscripts in scholarship, strategies for success, and practice. All submitted manuscripts should be reader friendly. Write in a clear, direct, concise style, avoiding wordiness and jargon. To build upon FCS knowledge, it is appropriate that manuscripts include references. Reviewers evaluate each manuscript based on content, originality, scientific accuracy, clarity, and contribution to family and consumer sciences. References must be in APA style (7th ed.). TAFCS JOURNAL STYLEThe TAFCS uses the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th Edition (see Section 8.1-8.22 for instructions and examples on citations/references, respectively). MANUSCRIPT PREPARATIONManuscripts are to be prepared in Microsoft Word or rich text; leave at least a one-inch margin on all sides. Use 12-point font size, double-space, and Arial or Times New Roman font. Do not insert page breaks. Single-space the references, using the Hanging Indent feature (In Word, under Format/paragraph/special). Number pages sequentially. Avoid unnecessary use of ALLCAPS, underlines, boldface, and italics. Avoid excess formatting as it may have to be undone. Plain text without boxes, borders, shading etc. is preferred. (Use of italics in references to comply with APA style is acceptable.) Authors Page—for all submissionsThis page includes: the title of the manuscript; word count excluding abstract and references; full names, academic degrees, certifications related to FCS such as CFCS, and affiliations (position title, organization, address, telephone number, work number (if applicable), e-mail address, AAFCS membership number if applicable) for each author, and key words; indicate which author is the corresponding author. Type authors' names in the order they should appear in the published article. TitleThe manuscript title needs to be specific, informative, conveying the findings or relevance of the article. Titles serve two purposes: they describe the content and make locating an article in a database easier. The title should appear on the abstract, the first page of the manuscript text, the author's page, and in all correspondence. Avoid lengthy titles. Abstract 100-word limit.The abstract states the purpose and primary conclusions of the paper. Tables, Figures, and Illustrations, FootnotesInclude tables, figures, and illustrations including photographs only if they are necessary to clarify a manuscript. Each table or figure should be understandable by itself and not require the reader to refer to the text. Avoid footnotes and avoid repeating the table information in the
TAFCS Research Journal 12(1), 2025manuscript, if possible. Obtain permission to reprint if necessary and include copy of permission with manuscript. (See Sections 8.34 and 12.17-12.18 of APA Manual, 7th Edition for additional information on permissions.) MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION (for all manuscripts) All items except the payment of review fee can be submitted electronically via the Google form. Submit the entire article in two documents that includes the, main article references, abstract, figures and tables. If certain graphics/illustrations (PowerPoint, etc.) cannot easily be embedded in the main article file, they can be in a separate document. Submit the author’s page as a separate document. Submit all submissions on the AAFCS-TX website via the Google form.SEND a $30 processing and review fee made payable to AAFCS-TX as soon as possible after submitting the manuscript for Scholarship or Strategies for Success manuscripts for peer review. Processing of manuscripts cannot begin until the fee is received. MAIL a check or pay electronically through PayPal the $30 review fee along with a copy of the Author’s page to:AAFCS-TXP.O. Box 65363Lubbock, TX 79464Authors will receive in 1-2 weeks a notification of receipt of the manuscript. Before amanuscript is sent out for peer review (if required), an initial screening is performed. This may result in the manuscript being returned to the author(s) if relevance is not clear, guidelines are not met, if it is incomplete or if the editors believe that further work or development is necessary before it is sent out for peer-review. Manuscripts undergo a blind review process. Manuscripts are accepted at the discretion of the Journal editors and reviewers. If plagiarism is suspected, the author will be contacted. Manuscripts submitted for consideration or published elsewhere may not be submitted to or published by TAFCS.Theses and dissertations published in hard copy, microfiche, and/or electronic formats are not considered to be previously published. Manuscripts developed from theses and dissertations regardless of the publication format are eligible for submission to the TAFCS if not submitted to another journal. Manuscripts are considered with the understanding that they have not been published previously in print or electronic format and are not under consideration by anotherpublication or electronic medium. Findings previously presented in an oral report or in an abstract in conjunction with a scientific or professional conference may be submitted for consideration. Copies of possibly duplicative materials that have been previously published or are being considered elsewhere must be provided at the time of manuscript submission and may preclude consideration by the TAFCS. For questions, please email Dr. Kyle [email protected]
Peer Reviewers From 2024Kyle L. Roberson, Ph.D.Texas Tech UniversityKaren L. Alexander, Ph.D., CFCSTexas Tech UniversityPeer reviewers are the backbone of academic publishing. Their expertise, critical insight, and thoughtful feedback ensure the integrity, rigor, and relevance of the research we share. By participating in the peer-review process, scholars not only uphold the standards of their discipline, they also contribute to a culture of collaboration, mentorship, and continuous improvement. Reviewers help shape the future of scholarship, one manuscript at a time.We encourage all members of our academic community to take part in this essential work. Your voice matters, and your contributions elevate us all. Thank you to our reviewers! Your commitment to service and scholarship is deeply appreciated. Shelby Cook-PeñaNatalie KnesekAngela McCorkleJoyce MilesJennifer PaigeTreisha PetersonEmily RobersonPaulina Valez-GomezAre you interested in being a peer reviewer for future manuscripts? Email our Editor and provide your areas of expertise related to scholarship in the integrated field of Family and Consumer Sciences. We look forward to hearing from you.
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