Understanding and measuring cooking skills and knowledge as factors influencing convenience food purchases and consumption

Abstract

As the convenience food industry becomes more prominent in society, it is essential to understand the influence of cooking competence on home food production. Cooking competence allows a consumer to be self reliant and have a healthy diet, creates a less stressful home food production process and influences the consumer’s orientation attitude towards pre-prepared convenience foods. Through a literature review, it was found that mothers and cooking classes are the most important sources to acquire cooking skills, while factors such as gender, age, income, social/educational class, attitude and social environment determine how one acquires their cooking competence. A non-traditional definition of cooking competence was analyzed which strays from the traditional ‘task centered’ approach and instead encompasses a comprehensive set of skills used in domestic cooking. A cooking competence questionnaire was created to include this new definition.

Perceptions of Cooking Education among High School Students

“…Students in this study and teachers in a previous study (Slater, ) believed cooking is a life skill. This notion of cooking as a life skill is prominent within the literature (Caraher & Lang, ; Foley, Spurr, Lenoy, De Jong, & Fichera, ; Lang & Caraher, ; Ternier, ). Having the ability to cook can help fulfill the physiological need to eat but can also promote a healthful diet.…”

Eating habits associated with nutrition-related knowledge among university students enrolled in academic programs related to nutrition and culinary arts in Puerto Rico

“…25 The General Knowledge Questionnaire on Nutrition and Food, pertaining to food, nutrients and alterations, or processes related to food, was used. 26 Finally, a questionnaire on cooking skills based on a study by Ternier 27 was used to determine if knowledge and skills in food preparation influenced food purchases and consumption. This section included a self-confidence scale for cooking competencies and questions on the use of cooking methods and techniques.…”

Cooking in schools: rewarding teachers for inspiring adolescents to make healthy choices

“…Teaching food technology or home economics in schools not only increases an adolescent's knowledge of cooking and food preparation techniques but also demonstrates the importance of a healthy, balanced diet for the optimum functioning of the human body. The level of an individual's cooking skill and competence also affects his or her dietary behaviour and quality by giving him or her a greater self‐reliance in making healthy, informed food choices (Ternier 2010). Liquori et al .…”

“…The most important sources of information and knowledge when acquiring cooking skills are both the home and cooking classes at school (Ternier 2010). This suggests that people usually gain their cooking habits and knowledge at a relatively early age, which they may then take through to adulthood.…”

“…The project culminated in a large shared picnic. Understanding where our food comes from and how it is produced, and having the knowledge and confidence to use it in a variety of ways is known to assist in making effective dietary choices later in life (Ternier 2010).…”