Exploring the impact of recipe boxes on dietary quality and food agency: a pilot and feasibility randomized controlled trial in households with school-aged children

Abstract Background Preparing and consuming food at home is associated with healthier diets. Recipe box subscriptions may support meal preparation at home while improving dietary quality and cooking skills, reducing time-poverty, and facilitating family cohesion. We are conducting an unblinded pilot and feasibility randomized waitlist-controlled trial to test the feasibility and acceptability of the trial design, identify perceived benefits and barriers for participants, and assess impacts on food agency. Methods We are partnering with a Recipe Box Company. Primary food providers of households in Birmingham, UK, with school-aged children were recruited via five channels: social media, schools, employers, community organizations, and referrals from customers of the Company. Upon completing an eligibility form, interested individuals were sent the participant information sheet and consent form. Consented participants completed online questionnaires and 24-h dietary recalls using the Intake24 platform and were then randomized into intervention or waitlist control groups. We aimed to randomize n = 150 participants. Recruitment is complete but data collection (last participant/last visit) is ongoing. The intervention group is offered a 6-week recipe box subscription, discounted by 60% in week 1 and 50% in weeks 2 to 6, with the option to continue ordering at a 20% discount for 4 weeks. The waitlist control group receives an identical discounted subscription 10 weeks post-randomization. Participants in both groups complete online questionnaires and dietary recalls at 6 and 10 weeks post-randomization. A subsample is invited for qualitative interviews at baseline and in weeks 7 to 9 from both groups. We will assess the acceptability and feasibility of the recruitment methods and enrolment procedures, recipe box subscription, and allocation to both groups using mixed methods analyses. To calculate sample size required for an effectiveness trial, we will assess change in dietary quality, defined by the Alternative Healthy Eating Index. We will assess perceived benefits and barriers to using recipe boxes, and impacts on food agency, in semi-structured interviews. Discussion Our study will evaluate whether the trial design is feasible and acceptable for households with school-aged children in the UK and inform progression to an effectiveness study. Trial registration number ISRCTN45164711. Retrospectively registered.