Healthy cooking and feeding skills for parents and their 3–5-year-olds
Official title: Re-establishing Inter-generational Cooking Education and Improving Diet Quality Through an Integrated Parenting and Healthy Cooking Program for Low-income Families With Young Children
Run by Baylor College of Medicine · NCT06940817 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program tests whether an online cooking and feeding course, with or without a one-time home food delivery, helps parents of 3–5-year-olds cook healthier meals and involve their preschoolers.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 64 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 300 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Baylor College of Medicine Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Houston, Texas) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | June 19, 2025 |
| Main results expected | August 31, 2027 |
| Study ends | August 31, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | September 30, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06940817 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adult caregivers (18+) of 3–5-year-old children living in the greater Houston area who have reliable internet access and can read English or Spanish, and who do not have food allergies, major dietary restrictions, or children with severe developmental delays.
✕Probably not a fit
Families with food allergies or medical dietary restrictions, children with severe developmental delays, caregivers under 18, those without reliable internet access, or those living outside the Houston area are unlikely to be eligible or to benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
CHEF-ED randomly assigns adult caregivers of 3–5-year-old children in the greater Houston area to CHEF-ED plus a one-time food delivery, Food Delivery Only, or a control group. All activities are conducted online over about three months, with surveys completed before the program and again 8–10 weeks later to measure diet, cooking frequency and quality, feeding practices, and household food access. The CHEF-ED arm delivers seven weekly lessons composed of short videos and infographics, and the CHEF-ED plus delivery arm additionally receives a one-time box of healthy ingredients and basic kitchen items. Eligible participants must be adult caregivers with internet access who read English or Spanish, while those with food allergies, dietary restrictions, or children with severe developmental delays are excluded.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could help parents prepare healthier meals, improve feeding practices, and increase preschooler involvement in cooking, which may improve child diet and household food security.
How similar studies have gone: Previous parent-focused nutrition and online education programs have shown modest improvements in cooking behaviors and child dietary intake, though combining structured online lessons with a one-time food delivery is less commonly tested.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Parents/caregivers of preschooler children ages 3 to 5 living in the greater Houston area. * Must have access to the Internet through a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer. * Should be able to read, write, and communicate in English or Spanish. Exclusion Criteria: * Parents/caregivers and children who have any kind of food allergies, medical conditions, or dietary restrictions that may affect participation in the program. * Parents/caregivers under the age of 18. * Parents/caregivers of children with severe developmental delays.
Where it's running
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Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Sheryl O. Hughes, PhD — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Sheryl O. Hughes, PhD
- Email: shughes@bcm.edu
- Phone: 713-798-7095
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.