Cross-Sector Partnerships for Improved Cooking Skills, Dietary Behaviors, and Belonging: Findings from a Produce Prescription and Cooking Education Pilot Program at a Federally Qualified Health Center

Participant engagement, psychosocial factors, and dietary behaviors are important components of “Food as Medicine” and cooking education programs. The purpose of this study is to describe a multidisciplinary cooking program at a Federally Qualified Health Center in central Texas. During biannual harvest seasons (2022–2023), patients participated in four or six weekly 1.5 h hands-on cooking classes with shared meals, education, and produce delivery. Pretest–posttest surveys assessed sociodemographic information, health, psychosocial factors, and dietary behaviors; follow-up assessed group cohesion/sense of community in classes.