TEACHING FOOD FOR LIFE: THE ROLE OF PRACTICAL CULINARY EDUCATION IN DEVELOPING NUTRITION AWARENESS AMONG STUDENTS

Abstract

The practical learning of nutritional education has become more of a focus and is regarded as an experiential method to enhance students' understanding of nutrition and build lifelong food-related skills. This research focuses on the impact of hands-on culinary training on nutrition awareness among students, specifically on nutrition knowledge, cooking skills, food literacy, self-efficacy and informed food choices. This research is qualitative descriptive-interpretative type of study which is in the secondary data only. Qualitative document analysis and thematic analysis was used to examine relevant peer-reviewed research articles, academic publications, educational reports, curriculum documents and other credible sources related to culinary education, nutrition education, cooking skills and food literacy. The results highlighted five important themes: development of nutrition knowledge, strengthening cooking skills and self-efficacy, building food literacy and informed food choices, experiential learning and student engagement, and barriers to the transfer of culinary knowledge to long-term dietary changes. The analysis suggests that, as a subject, practical culinary education has the potential to effectively link theory with everyday food practices and offer students practical skills and confidence in preparing and evaluating food. There is some evidence, however, that raising awareness about nutrition and cooking skills does not always lead to lasting changes in diets, and factors related to socioeconomic systems, family nutrition habits, cultural preferences, food access and food environments may play a role in shaping dietary choices. The study concludes that, in order to deliver practical culinary education, it must be combined with the traditional nutrition education as a part of food-literacy strategy. This integration can empower students to learn and practice healthier and more informed food habits and gain knowledge, skills, confidence and decision making capabilities.