The Skills Essential for Dietetic Students to Meet Current Competency 1.12 in Demonstrating Knowledge of and Being Able to Manage Food Preparation Techniques

A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) is a nutrition expert with numerous and varied required skills which are continuing to evolve as scientific advances in healthcare occur and the food industry strives to meet consumer demands for more healthy, nutritious, and sustainable foods. The Accrediting Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) introduced the Future Education Model (FEM) Accreditation Standards for Graduate Degree Programs. The goal of the FEM is to measure program outcomes and graduate competent entry-level RDNs. These standards provide insight in what the student knows, still needs to learn, has learned and where programs can improve. This study focused specifically on the 2021 ACEND FG Unit 1 Foundational Knowledge Standards, Competency 1.12. Demonstrating knowledge of and being able to manage food preparation techniques. The experts used for this study were the members of the Food and Culinary Professionals Dietetic Practice Group, the Foodservice Systems Management Education Council, and the Nutrition and Dietetics Educators and Preceptors Council. The set of Core Food and Culinary Professionals Competencies were used as the basis for this study. The purpose of this study was to provide dietetic educators (DE) a list of food preparation techniques DE and experts in the field have identified as the skills essential to meet competency 1.12 and at what level of progression of knows, shows, and does. Results indicated there is still a lack of consensus. These results, like many previous studies, found that familiarity with foods and food preparation techniques are essential if RDNs are going to have a positive impact on remaining a food expert. Implications of the study include DEs now have a better-defined list of skills professionals consider essential for entry-level RDNs. DEs can compare their curriculum with the results of this research and determine whether revisions need made to meet Competency 1.12. Having identified the lack of cooking skills DS bring to the classroom, it may be time for DEs to consider including a basic cooking course or make other changes in their curriculum. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]