Results: Approximately 80% of students reported that they can cook a meal from basic ingredients
either fairly or very easily. Reported cooking ability was positively associated with better nutritional
indicators, better mental health indicators, and stronger family connections (P ¼ .01). For example,
adolescents reporting the greatest cooking abilities were approximately twice as likely tomeet the recommendations
for fruits and vegetables (odds ratio, 2.1; 95%confidence interval, 1.6–2.8). Likewise, adolescents
reporting the greatest cooking abilities also reported lower levels of depressive symptoms (P < .01)
and greater mental well-being (P < .01) than those with less cooking ability. However, greater cooking
ability was also associated with higher body mass index (P < .01). Overall, similar statistically significant
relationships were observed with frequency of cooking, although not for young people who cook
most days.