T Vitale

Farm Field Trips Provide Sensory-based Experiences with Fresh, Local Produce

Despite the health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables (FVs), less than 20% of children 9-13 years old are consuming the recommended 5 or more daily servings of FVs. Research has shown that vegetable intake is more difficult to change than fruit intake. Unlike many school-based FV programs, programs incorporating school gardens have shown significant increases in children’s vegetable consumption. School gardens present an opportunity for experiential learning through planting, weeding, harvesting, and food preparation, which consequently builds a personal connection with food. Children involved in these activities are more likely to enjoy the taste of vegetables and be accepting of them. However, not all schools have the resources to initiate a school garden. A farm field trip provides an opportunity for food-related experiential learning and an alternative to school gardens. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the usefulness of a vegetable-farm field trip to enhance elementary school students’ knowledge about growing vegetables and acceptance of eating vegetables.

Teaching and Learning With Fresh, Local Produce: From University Farm to Kids

community center, supermarket tours for special diets, and delivering after-school programs. Evaluation: The Schwarzer’s General Self-Efficacy Scale was administered to assess self-efficacy. Conclusions and Implications: Preliminary results indicated that some areas of self-efficacy, such as ability to attain goals, problem solving, and coping skills, were positively affected by the new community nutrition educational experiences, whereas other areas were not. Perceived self-efficacy encourages goal setting, effort investment, persistence in the face of barriers, and recovery from setbacks. Instructors must have an understanding of dietetics students’ influencers of self-efficacy in designing curricula.