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Beliefs, knowledge, and values held by inner-city youth about gardening, nutrition, and cooking

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Abstract

Changes in the US food system and an interest in changing dietary habits among youth have impelled numerous schools and communities to develop programs such as community gardens. Youth community gardens have the potential to positively influence dietary behaviors and enhance environmental awareness and appreciation. However, actual data supporting youth gardening and its influence are limited. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of community gardens on youth dietary behaviors, values and beliefs, and cooking and gardening behaviors. Focus groups were conducted with inner-city youth living in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota and compared those involved in a youth garden program with those uninvolved in order to investigate whether the gardening program influenced their habits, beliefs, and values. Findings indicate that youth garden program participants were more willing to eat nutritious food and try ethnic and unfamiliar food than those not in the program. Additionally, it was apparent that garden participants had a stronger appreciation for other individuals and cultures and were more likely to cook and garden on their own than youth not involved in a garden program. The findings suggest that garden programs positively impact youth garden habits, food choice, social skills, nutrition knowledge, and cooking skills.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the YFMP staff, including Jeff Bauer, Jessica Flannigan, Gunnar Liden, and Deb Klein for their help in organizing the focus groups. We also gratefully acknowledge the youth who provided their insights concerning gardening, nutrition, and cooking.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Lauren Lautenschlager & Chery Smith

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  1. Lauren Lautenschlager
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  2. Chery Smith
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Correspondence to Chery Smith.

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Lauren Lautenschlager is currently a graduate student at the University of Minnesota and working toward obtaining her MS in nutrition and becoming a registered dietitian. She is interested in the education of youth on the food system.

Chery Smith is an associate professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota. Her research interests include the dietary behavior and nutritional status of low-income and homeless people, community and international nutrition, and food systems.

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Lautenschlager, L., Smith, C. Beliefs, knowledge, and values held by inner-city youth about gardening, nutrition, and cooking. Agric Hum Values 24, 245–258 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-006-9051-z

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