Virtual gardening classes that started in response to the COVID-19 pandemic continue to attract participants. Little is known about characteristics that improve their effectiveness and enable participants to continue gardening. The purpose of this project was to pilot test a nutrition-focused, virtual container gardening program, obtain feedback…

Background: The consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains (FVWG) has been associated with decreased risk of chronic disease, yet over 80% of U.S. adults do not meet dietary recommendations for FVWG. Purpose: This study explored the effectiveness of a teaching kitchen intervention upon consumption of FVWG and overall dietary patterns.…

Learning through gardening is known to be an educational strategy in which a garden is used as a teaching tool. Systemic reviews of the impact of school gardening on academic performance and dietary habits foreground the need for additional quantitative studies that would use strong experimental designs. The aim of the present research was to…

Nicaragua has a high rate of food insecurity determined by factors such as, poverty, employment, education, social capital and climate change. Home gardening and nutrition education can decrease food insecurity and improve community health. There is a need to evaluate garden-based nutrition education to determine its effectiveness in improving…

Many counties of Western North Carolina have high levels of food insecurity that may be addressed by training communities to grow, prepare, and preserve their own food. A curriculum was developed and tested in 2016 at a Section 8 housing development in Polk County, NC. Research investigated successful community agriculture projects and assessed…

This paper reports research into a project to encourage KS1 and KS2 pupils to eat more healthily by supporting their families to grow their own fruit and vegetables at home. Participants were recruited through a Primary School Trust comprising four primary schools in the North West of England. They were given practical support to enable them to…

Minority children and adolescents living in rural areas, below poverty guidelines, are less likely to engage in healthy food choices or a healthy lifestyle, and this contributes to obesity issues. Providing children with the skills and knowledge to lead healthy lives is a way to combat this epidemic. Focus groups were conducted at three Extension…

African Americans have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease partly due to low fruit and vegetable consumption. This article reports the results of an intervention to provide nutrition education and access to fruits and vegetables through community gardens to change dietary behaviors among African Americans in rural Missouri. Cross-sectional…

The aim of this study was to examine gender differences in the impact of a school garden and nutrition curriculum on fruit and vegetable intake, willingness to taste, and taste ratings in 127 children (11 to 12 years, 54% boys) in regional New South Wales, Australia. Classes were assigned to wait-list control, nutrition education only (NE), or…

Objective: Evaluate achievement of the "Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program" in increasing child appreciation of diverse, healthy foods. Design: Comparative 2-year study. Setting: Six program and 6 comparison primary schools in rural and metropolitan Victoria, Australia, matched for socioeconomic status and size. Participants: A…

School gardens as a form of nutrition education have become widespread. It is well known that children fall short of the daily recommended intake of fruit and vegetables. School-garden based programs show promise as a method of hands-on learning that promotes and increases fruit and vegetable consumption among school-aged children. There is little…

There's a lot of talk about saving the environment and going green these days. But the challenge is to turn the words into action, and that includes getting young students to become part of the discussion about sustainability. The Texas-based Rainwater Environmental Alliance for Learning (REAL) School Gardens is cultivating success by providing…

Unhealthful eating patterns established early in life tend to be maintained into adulthood, and as a result, chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and obesity may develop. These nutrition-related problems could be reduced through dietary changes; and to facilitate these changes, nutrition education for youth that is delivered…

A study assessed the effectiveness of garden-enhanced nutrition education programs in improving nutrition knowledge and dietary patterns of 97 first-grade students at 2 California schools. Students who grew vegetables in their school gardens were more willing to taste certain vegetables, an essential step in improving a child's food preferences.…

Objectives: The purpose of this pilot project was to evaluate the effect of the Improving Children's Health through Farming, Food, and Fitness Program (CHF3) on the dietary knowledge and habits of participating children. Methods: The CHF3 program aims to 1) establish salad bars and integrate nutrition messages into cafeteria activities; 2) develop…