Community-based Meal Kit Program

Implementation

Stakeholders

Approximately one year before the intervention, 8 to 10 local stakeholders (school-based personnel and community members) were recruited to contribute feedback through quarterly Zoom meetings. These meetings were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed. Immediate actionable items were documented during the meetings for prompt follow-up. The first meeting used semi-structured prompts and questions to initiate conversations, describe the intervention, and understand the community’s nuances and needs. Subsequent meetings facilitated troubleshooting and decision-making for program components. Stakeholders actively aided in recruiting the target audience for focus groups and the intervention and led the meal kit production process. Stakeholders were compensated for their time.

Meal Kit Production Models

Both the high school culinary program and the nonprofit adopted similar models to produce the meal kits efficiently and effectively.

Target Audience

During the COVID-19 pandemic, focus group scripts were adapted into surveys due to recruitment challenges. Each community provided approximately 15 one-time responses, sharing their perspectives on various factors influencing meal decisions and preparation, cooking habits, mealtime routines, barriers to preparing meals at home, and their willingness to try the Slice and Spice meal kit service, including the 18 recipes offered. The collected survey responses were carefully analyzed and integrated into the program implementation process. Participants were compensated for their time, and those who expressed interest were invited to participate in the meal kit program.

Eligible participants from all recruitment avenues were invited to an enrollment dinner hosted at a local community partner site, which also served as the pick-up location for future meal kits. Appointments were staggered by 30 minutes to ensure a smooth process. Upon arrival, participants checked in and went through the consent process. Depending on traffic, they were paired with a research assistant to begin surveys or health screenings. Participants could choose between paper surveys or digital surveys via mobile tablet for convenience. Health screenings were conducted in a private room to ensure confidentiality. All participant data, except for the informed consent, registration, and compensation forms, used a unique participant ID assigned after completing the consent process. After data collection, participants received a to-go meal for themselves and their RSVP'd guest(s), along with a welcome kit containing cooking tools, pots and pans, and a recipe binder to store recipes cards and nutrition handouts. They also received their first meal kit, compensation, and indicated their preferred pick-up window and contact method. Participants were allowed to withdraw from the program at any point and those who missed than two meal kits were automatically withdrawn.

Delivery

Families received meal kits weekly for six weeks. Each meal kit contained all ingredients to prepare three nutritious recipes (meat, seafood, or vegetarian) that served four people, recipe cards, a nutrition handout. The week prior to pickup, participants were texted their weekly story submission prompts. While on site, the meal kits were rechecked for accuracy against the weekly recipe cards before distribution. If there were discrepancies, they were immediately fixed on site. Meals were delivered to a central location by program staff and kept in cold storage. Each site utilized that location for weekly meal kit pickups by the participants. There were, at a minimum, two days each week, for a 4-hour period each day, in which participants were able to pick up their meals. In addition, weekly consumer choice surveys and verbal story submissions recorded via a mobile tablet were collected by program staff during meal pickup appointments.

The same process was repeated for the 6-month follow-up. Communication started 1-month prior to intervention with program staff sending story submission prompts and scheduling appointment times. Program staff kept in contact with participants until the actual intervention.

Students

Student Participation

Students were primarily recruited from the culinary arts and agriscience programs at four partner high schools. The study aimed to identify predictors of diet quality and evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-strategy approach nutrition education curriculum on the diet quality. Both objectives were assessed using the same evaluation tools, with aim 2 incorporating an intervention.

Curriculum Development

The curriculum development process involved several key steps starting with a review of the Sunshine State standards and identifying areas for supplemental curriculum by comparing them to class syllabi. Components were tailored to encourage increased fruit and vegetable intake; academic outcomes assessments were developed in consultation with teachers and nutrition experts.

Intervention

Throughout the curriculum students participated in four nutrition education lectures covering essential topics related to healthy eating and community engagement. The lectures were complimented by learning reinforcement tools such as healthy snacks, activities, and technology-based story submissions. The curriculum also featured a skin carotenoid status competition motivating students to vie for the highest individual and composite score by increasing their fruit and vegetable intake. Additionally, students were introduced to potential careers in the food system through a video showcased showcasing local food system professionals, who shared insight into their careers and the necessary steps to pursue them. The study also assessed students’ satisfaction with their class and career plans before and after one year in an agriscience or culinary arts class. Survey data, height, weight, and skin carotenoid status were collected over two to three class periods while each lesson was covered in a single class period.