Promotion of Functional Foods in a School Context: Evaluation of Food Education Sessions Involving Cooking Skills

Figures & data

Table 1. Classification attributed by the students to the cooking sessions.

How did you enjoy participating in:	n	Not at all	A little	Somewhat	Quite	Very much
		n (%)	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)
Session 1 – Breakfasts and snacks	18	0 (0.0)	1 (5.6)	4 (22.2)	3 (16.7)	10 (55.6)
Session 2 – Lunches and dinners	22	0 (0.0)	1 (4.5)	3 (13.6)	8 (36.4)	10 (45.5)
Session 3 – Regional dishes	15	0 (0.0)	2 (13.3)	2 (13.3)	7 (46.7)	4 (26.7)
Sessions in general	15	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	1 (6.7)	7 (46.7)	7 (46.7)

Table 2. Classification attributed by the students to the recipes prepared in the cooking sessions.

How much did you like the recipes made?	n	Not at all	A little	Somewhat	Quite	Very much
		n (%)	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)
Session 1 – Breakfasts and snacks
Apple Pie Parfait	19	1 (5.3)	3 (15.8)	6 (31.6)	5 (26.3)	4 (21.1)
Banana pancake with oatmeal	20	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	4 (20.0)	16 (80.0)
Carrot, Apple, and Oat Cookies	15	1 (6.7)	5 (33.3)	6 (40.0)	1 (6.7)	2 (13.3)
Granola with fatty fruits	18	1 (5.6)	5 (27.8)	6 (33.3)	3 (16.7)	3 (16.7)
Lemonade with mint	20	2 (10.0)	7 (35.0)	5 (25.0)	4 (20.0)	2 (10.0)
Tricolor banana smoothy	19	0 (0.0)	1 (5.3)	2 (10.5)	7 (36.8)	9 (47.4)
Session 2 – Lunches and dinners
Colorful chicken salad	22	0 (0.0)	2 (9.1)	1 (4.5)	8 (36.4)	11 (50.0)
Pasta and cheese with pumpkin and tuna	21	0 (0.0)	2 (9.5)	1 (4.8)	7 (33.3)	11 (52.4)
Pizza with spinach	21	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	3 (14.3)	9 (42.9)	9 (42.9)
Salmon burritos	23	0 (0.0)	2 (8.7)	4 (17.4)	6 (26.1)	11 (47.8)
Sparkling water flavored with wild berries	23	0 (0.0)	3 (13.0)	3 (13.0)	5 (21.7)	12 (52.2)
Water flavored with apple, orange and Cinnamon	21	3 (14.3)	6 (28.6)	6 (28.6)	4 (19.0)	2 (9.5)
Session 3 – Regional dishes
Aromatic rice with spices	17	0 (0.0)	4 (23.5)	10 (58.8)	2 (11.8)	1 (5.9)
Dona Amelia Cake	17	1 (5.9)	3 (17.6)	3 (17.6)	7 (41.2)	3 (17.6)
Tuna steaks with villain sauce	17	0 (0.0)	1 (5.9)	8 (47.1)	4 (23.5)	4 (23.5)
Species of São Jorge	17	2 (11.8)	3 (17.6)	3 (17.6)	4 (23.5)	5 (29.4)
Stewed meat	14	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	3 (17.4)	5 (26.1)	6 (34.8)
Sweet potato puree	18	5 (27.8)	3 (16.7)	4 (22.2)	2 (11.1)	4 (22.2)
Fennel soup	18	2 (12.5)	3 (18.8)	8 (37.5)	3 (18.8)	2 (12.5)

Table 3. Students’ perception of food education sessions (n = 22).

	Not at all	A little	Somewhat	Quite	Very much
	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)
1. Do you think you’ve increased your knowledge of functional foods?	0 (0.0)	1 (4.5)	7 (31.8)	9 (40.9)	5 (22.7)
2. Do you think you’ve improved your attitudes toward functional foods?	0 (0.0)	1 (4.5)	10 (45.5)	7 (31.8)	4 (18.2)
3. You think it is important to introduce topics related to functional foods in the syllabus in the 3rd cycle of basic education?	0 (0.0)	1 (4.5)	5 (22.7)	8 (36.4)	8 (36.4)
4. Do you think it is important to carry out extracurricular activities related to functional foods?	0 (0.0)	1 (4.5)	4 (18.2)	10 (45.5)	7 (31.8)
5. Have you increased your consumption of functional foods?	1 (4.5)	7 (31.8)	7 (31.8)	5 (22.7)	2 (9.1)
6. Do you think you’ve improved your cooking skills?	0 (0.0)	2 (9.1)	7 (31.8)	10 (45.5)	3 (13.6)
7. Are you willing to increase the frequency of meals you prepare (or help prepare them)?	0 (0.0)	3 (13.6)	4 (18.2)	9 (40.9)	6 (27.3)

Table 4. Culinary skills of students before and after food education sessions.

		I totally disagree	I strongly disagree	I disagree	I agree	I strongly agree	I totally agree	p*
		n (%)	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)
1. I think my cooking skills are sufficient.	T1 (n = 20)	4 (20.0)	6 (30.0)	1 (5.0)	2 (10.0)	4 (20.0)	3 (15.0)	0.284
	T2 (n = 21)	1 (4.8)	1 (4.8)	8 (38.1)	6 (28.6)	2 (9.5)	3 (14.3)
2. I can prepare a hot meal without a recipe.	T1 (n = 20)	6 (30.0)	4 (20.0)	4 (20.0)	2 (10.0)	2 (10.0)	2 (10.0)	0.315
	T2 (n = 21)	3 (14.3)	3 (14.3)	7 (33.3)	3 (14.3	2 (9.5)	3 (14.3)
3. I can make gratins.	T1 (n = 19)	8 (42.1)	2 (10.5)	3 (15.8)	1 (5.3)	2 (10.5)	3 (15.8)	0.454
	T2 (n = 21)	3 (14.3)	4 (19.0)	9 (42.9)	1 (4.8)	0 (0.0)	4 (19.0)
4. I can make soup.	T1 (n = 20)	6 (30.0)	4 (20.0)	5 (25.0)	2 (10.0)	1 (5.0)	2 (10.0)	0.027*
	T2 (n = 21)	1 (4.8)	3 (14.3)	9 (42.9)	2 (9.5)	2 (9.5)	4 (19.0)
5. I can make a sauce.	T1 (n = 20)	7 (35.0)	5 (25.0)	2 (10.0)	3 (15.0)	0 (0.0)	3 (15.0)	0.015*
	T2 (n = 21)	1 (4.8)	5 (23.8)	2 (9.5)	5 (23.8)	5 (23.8)	3 (14.3)
6. I can make a cake.	T1 (n = 20)	3 (15.0)	4 (20.0)	3 (15.0)	5 (15.0)	1 (5.0)	6 (30.0)	0.093
	T2 (n = 21)	1 (4.8)	0 (0.0)	4 (19.0)	8 (38.1)	3 (14.3)	5 (23.8)
7. I can make bread.	T1 (n = 20)	5 (25.0)	7 (35.0)	5 (25.0)	2 (10.0)	0 (0.0)	1 (5.0)	0.052
	T2 (n = 21)	4 (19.0)	3 (14.3)	6 (28.6)	2 (9.5)	4 (19.0)	2 (9.5)

Note: p: Wilcoxon’s test; *p < 0.05.

T1 – Before the session; T2 – After the sessions.