Caregiver’s self-confidence in food resource management is associated with lower risk of household food insecurity among SNAP-Ed-eligible head start families

Food resource management (FRM) behaviors are key components within nutrition education programs designed to help food insecure households maximize their food dollars. However, little is known about the association between FRM self-confidence and financial practices with household food insecurity (HFI) among families with young children. Using a sample of SNAP-Ed-eligible Head Start families, this study examined associations between FRM self-confidence, FRM behaviors and financial practices by HFI. A needs assessment survey was conducted with caregivers of Head Start children (n = 365). HFI was measured using the US Household Food Security Survey Module. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine if FRM self-confidence, FRM behaviors, and financial practices differed by HFI. Participants with high FRM self-confidence had lower odds of HFI (OR = 0.54, 95%CI: 0.33, 0.87), yet FRM behaviors, financial practices, and HFI were not related after adjusting for covariates. All FRM self-confidence questions significantly differed by HFI, whereas only one of six FRM behaviors and two of three financial practices differed by HFI (all p-values < 0.05). Promoting caregivers’ self-confidence in FRM skills within nutrition education programs may be explored as a potential strategy to assist low-income households to stretch their food dollars in an attempt to address HFI.