Abstract:

This educational innovation project aimed to train undergraduate students in conducting applied research on dietary and nutritional habits of the Spanish population. Its dual objective was to strengthen students’ research and analytical skills and enable them to design evidence-based dietary and culinary recommendations.

The project was developed within the framework of the third-year courses Culinary Technology and Community Nutrition and Collective Catering of the Bachelor’s Degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics, involving students enrolled in these subjects. It was structured into three sequential phases that connected learning, research, and knowledge transfer:
- Phase 1 – Data Collection: Between June and November 2024, students designed and disseminated a nationwide survey using two validated questionnaires to assess culinary knowledge and cooking habits, obtaining 1,534 valid responses. This stage introduced students to real data collection processes and ethical aspects of research involving human participants.
- Phase 2 – Data Analysis: During the Culinary Technology course, students analyzed data under faculty supervision, identifying patterns related to dietary habits and sociodemographic determinants such as age, gender, and education level. Statistical analyses (Kendall’s Tau-b correlations and Mann–Whitney U tests) were performed to evaluate relationships and group differences. Results revealed that 59.1% of participants cook daily or almost daily, with an average cooking time of about 90 minutes. Women cooked more frequently (Mean = 4.25, p < .001) and used healthier techniques (Mean = 4.00, p < .001) than men. Adults cooked more often and for longer than younger individuals, and higher education was associated with greater culinary knowledge (Mean = 62.5 vs. 59.3, p < .001). Strong positive correlations (p < .001) were observed between healthy culinary habits and culinary knowledge variables (τ > 0.50).
- Phase 3 – Personalized Guidelines: Within the Community Nutrition course, students developed a personalized cooking and nutrition book as a tool for knowledge transfer. The book includes an introductory chapter summarizing the scientific results of the study and nine thematic chapters offering dietary, nutritional, culinary, and menu-planning recommendations for different population groups. This phase encouraged students to translate scientific evidence into practical applications, reinforcing communication and professional competencies.

The project fostered skills in public health research, applied statistics, community nutrition, and scientific communication, while enhancing teamwork, critical thinking, and ethical commitment. It represents a pedagogical innovation that bridges research, teaching, and community engagement, providing students with an experiential learning environment and tangible academic and social impact.

Finally, it constitutes the first phase of a broader educational innovation project to be implemented during the 2025–2027 academic years, the COEDU-D project (COoking + EDUcation + Diabetes). This next phase will integrate students from the Nursing and Human Nutrition and Dietetics degrees to strengthen practical and communication competencies through experiential learning in culinary and health education. Focused on diabetes, it will combine scientific review, culinary habit analysis, and community-based educational interventions to enhance health promotion and interprofessional collaboration.

Keywords:

Cooking, Cooking habits, Culinary knowledge, Healthy habits, Eating behaviors, Educational Innovation Project.