Assessment of Validated Instruments for Measuring Cooking Skills in Adults: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Home-cooked meals are linked to healthier diets, but assessing cooking skills accurately remains challenging. This review aimed to evaluate and compare available validated instruments to assess adult cooking skills; the Joanna Briggs Institute's manual and PRISMA-ScR checklist were followed. A search was conducted in April 2024 in five databases using MeSH Terms and adaptations, including studies written without time or language restrictions and with validated instruments to assess adult cooking skills. Reviews, conference abstracts, books, chapters, and case reports were excluded; 1070 studies were identified, and 38 remained after removing duplicates and applying eligibility criteria. Eleven different instruments were identified. Some instruments have been successfully adapted and validated in various countries, covering a broad range of skills, such as meal organization, preparation and cooking techniques, providing a thorough assessment of cooking skills. The Cooking and Food Skill Confidence Questionnaire was considered the best available model, considering its items and domains, direct relation to cooking skills, and easy translation into other cultures. The analysis revealed significant variations in the scales used, with some instruments offering detailed assessments of specific cooking techniques and easy cultural adaptation while others focused more on confidence and attitudes.

Keywords: cooking skills; cooking skills questionnaires; food skills evaluation; healthy diet; instruments.

Figure 1

Flowchart of the literature search and selection process, adapted from the PRISMA guidelines.

Figure 2

Studies published around the world distribution included in this review.

Figure 3

Instruments for evaluating cooking skills and their domains. The circles’ sizes represent the number of studies the instrument was applied to.