Table 5 Cooking skills and food skills measures use, mean and standard deviations

Cohort

N

Cooking Skills

N

%

Mean

SD

N

%

Mean

SD

N

%

Mean

SD

N

%

Mean

SD

1. Chop, mix and stir foods

401

38.2

5.88

1.112

22

95.7

5.65

1.70

17

100

5.88

1.22

40

100

6.65

0.70

2. Blend foods to make them smooth, like soups or sauces

140

13.3

6.01

1.158

17

73.9

3.70

2.67

14

82.4

4.50

2.25

40

100

6.45

1.04

3. Steam food

186

17.7

5.90

1.153

17

73.9

2.61

2.27

16

94.1

3.88

2.06

34

85.0

4.62

2.26

4. Boil or simmer food

427

40.7

5.75

1.141

22

95.7

5.91

1.54

17

100

5.47

1.28

40

100

6.47

0.75

5. Stew food

369

35.2

5.91

1.074

15

65.2

2.65

2.48

16

94.1

4.76

1.86

33

82.5

4.05

2.33

6. Roast food in the oven

404

38.5

5.86

1.089

20

87.0

4.57

2.39

17

100

5.18

1.51

40

100

6.35

0.83

7. Fry/stir-fry food in a frying pan/wok with oil or fat

407

38.8

5.71

1.169

21

91.3

5.26

2.12

17

100

6.35

1.00

40

100

6.48

0.91

8. Microwave food

189

18.0

5.98

1.266

22

95.7

5.87

1.79

14

82.4

4.82

2.72

34

85.0

4.95

2.53

9. Bake goods

110

10.5

5.55

1.310

19

82.6

3.96

2.40

14

82.4

3.88

2.06

39

97.5

6.40

1.41

10. Peel and chop vegetables

479

45.7

5.81

1.085

21

91.3

5.43

2.23

16

94.1

6.00

1.00

40

100

6.80

0.46

11. Prepare and cook raw meat/poultry

517

49.3

5.69

1.136

19

82.6

4.61

2.59

15

88.2

5.56

1.71

39

97.5

6.48

1.20

12. Prepare and cook raw fish

231

22.0

5.69

1.231

10

43.5

2.00

2.65

13

76.5

4.13

2.63

34

85.0

4.79

2.26

13. Make sauces and gravy from scratch

153

14.6

5.75

1.256

11

47.8

2.17

2.67

14

82.4

3.94

2.29

33

82.5

3.45

2.04

14. Use herbs and spices

273

26.0

5.71

1.173

21

91.3

4.48

2.21

15

88.2

5.50

2.16

39

97.5

5.83

1.62

Overall Cooking skills scores

47.78

29.32

58.83

16.45

71.07

15.32

79.67

10.42

Cohort

N

Food Skills

N

%

Mean

SD

N

%

Mean

SD

N

%

Mean

SD

N

%

Mean

SD

1.Plan meals ahead?

283

27.0

5.83

1.138

20

95.2

4.29

1.93

12

70.6

3.47

2.72

39

97.5

5.44

1.48

2…prepare meals in advance?

183

17.4

5.82

1.242

18

85.7

3.52

2.18

12

70.6

3.35

2.55

36

90.0

4.95

1.93

3…follow recipes when cooking?

237

22.6

5.77

1.233

21

100

4.71

1.90

12

70.6

3.88

2.76

36

90.0

6.05

1.53

4…shop with a grocery list?

299

28.5

5.94

1.221

19

90.5

4.48

2.29

13

76.5

3.76

2.59

37

92.5

5.46

1.85

5…shop with specific meals in mind?

481

45.9

5.80

1.103

19

90.5

4.14

2.27

15

88.2

4.35

2.37

39

97.5

6.05

1.15

6…plan how much food to buy?

326

31.1

5.78

1.159

19

90.5

4.38

2.42

14

82.4

3.76

2.51

39

97.5

5.95

1.19

7…compare prices before you buy food?

238

22.7

5.82

1.230

17

81.0

4.14

2.69

15

88.2

5.24

2.56

38

95.0

5.21

1.87

8…know what budget you have to spend on food?

248

23.6

6.03

1.112

18

85.7

4.43

2.80

15

88.2

5.12

2.45

37

92.5

5.47

1.64

9…buy food in season to save money?

150

14.3

5.89

1.191

13

61.9

2.29

2.24

13

76.5

2.65

1.97

38

95.0

4.62

1.79

10…buy cheaper cuts of meat to save money?

101

9.6

5.82

1.328

12

57.1

2.38

2.31

10

58.8

2.59

2.55

37

92.5

4.73

1.96

11…cook more or double recipes which can be used for another meal?

139

13.3

5.94

1.205

15

71.4

2.81

2.44

15

88.2

3.53

2.15

38

95.0

5.54

1.60

12…prepare or cook a healthy meal with only few ingredients on hand?

313

29.8

5.80

1.100

18

85.7

3.57

2.38

16

94.1

4.47

1.77

39

97.5

5.20

1.51

13…prepare or cook a meal with limited time?

300

28.6

5.83

1.087

19

90.5

4.24

2.05

15

88.2

5.00

2.00

40

100

5.95

1.26

14…use leftovers to create another meal?

303

28.9

5.79

1.205

18

85.7

3.76

2.49

16

94.1

3.88

2.06

39

97.5

5.25

1.79

15… keep basic items in your cupboard for putting meals together?

493

47.0

5.74

1.243

20

95.2

4.52

1.89

17

100

5.35

1.50

39

97.5

6.26

1.29

16…read the best-before date on food?

431

41.1

5.95

1.109

20

95.2

5.62

2.01

16

94.1

5.44

2.00

40

100

6.58

0.75

17…read the storage and use-by information on food packets?

280

26.7

5.90

1.158

16

76.2

4.10

2.86

17

100

5.24

2.17

39

97.5

5.95

1.52

18…read the nutrition information on food labels?

135

12.9

5.89

1.196

19

90.5

3.29

1.93

16

94.1

3.88

2.57

39

97.5

5.75

1.61

19…balance meals based on nutrition adviceon what is healthy?

119

11.3

6.06

1.033

18

85.7

2.62

1.91

15

88.2

3.53

2.43

39

97.5

5.37

1.66

Overall food skills scores

45.82

38.64

74.76

27.64

81.31

29.15

105.64

17.78