FRESH-EATS Project

The FRESH-EATS project is a comprehensive intervention designed to address food access disparities and improve dietary behaviors among families in low-income neighborhoods. The intervention includes four key components. This program is tailored for school-aged children (ages 8-12) and their parents/caregivers, focusing on healthy eating as a family. Eight cohorts, each consisting of 6 families (48 families in total), will be recruited. Four cohorts (24 families) will participate in the FRESH-EATS intervention, while the other four cohorts (24 families) will be randomly assigned to the Lagged Intervention Control (LICG). The randomized controlled trial (RCT) design will compare the outcomes of the FRESH-EATS intervention group to the LICG group, with outcome evaluations conducted at both pre- and post-intervention stages. First, it features evidence-based hands-on cooking and nutrition education using the Cooking Matters® for Families program. Additionally, the project includes family workshops aimed at addressing the lack of access to healthy foods and systemic disparities in the food environment. Throughout the intervention period, participants in the intervention group will receive food deliveries and information about local food resources such as food pantries. An updated list of local food pantries will be obtained from the local food bank. Handouts featuring different food pantries will be created and distributed to families. Intervention participants will receive community garden education that will provide fresh ingredients for participants to use during cooking lessons. The lead community organization has a community garden with 12 garden beds, which is active year-round in Florida. Season-specific garden education and activities will be integrated into the nutrition lessons, further supporting the project's goals of improving dietary behaviors and addressing food access disparities.