Cooking with Tal

Author(s)

Talene Kachigian, University of Rhode IslandFollow

Advisor

Sebelia, Linda [faculty advisor, College of Environment and Life Sciences]

Date

5-2010

Keywords

Nutrition, Cooking, Show

Abstract

According to Nielsen Media Research, in 2005 the Food Network was available in 88 million households and has increased it viewership ever since. Some shows aired on this channel however are missing one very important component: nutrition education. Those who watch these cooking programs many times attempt to imitate what they see. This replication is important because it shows the audience is actively listening and interested in the subject. Thus, these programs are a perfect opportunity to enhance the audience’s knowledge in nutrition. By creating a show that clearly identifies the benefits of the components of the food used in the show and serves correct portion sizes, the viewers will be exposed to more nutrition knowledge. My honors project develops a cooking show that targets a specific audience, college students. After completing a literature review identifying what college students need nutritionally, I surveyed students at URI to confirm that college students do not eat enough fruits and vegetables. With this knowledge, I created a cooking show that demonstrates how to add fruits and vegetables to the diet.