Families with low income are faced with various intertwined public health issues, including low literacy levels and nutrition insecurity. Although numerous studies have detailed effective methodologies for delivering literacy or nutrition education in silos, there is no protocol for developing, implementing, and evaluating a brief, interdisciplinary literacy and nutrition education program for parent–child dyads. Books & Cooks, a seven-week literacy and nutrition education program aimed at improving families’ literacy and nutrition capacities by providing parents with strategies to assist their child, facilitating interactive education lessons, and providing take-home reflection activities, was piloted during the 2023–2024 school year. Results informed the protocol for current and future cohorts in efforts to further enhance outcomes. Family literacy capacity is addressed using evidence-based, grade-appropriate literacy techniques and evaluated using validated and internally developed instruments. Family nutrition capacity is addressed through education and cooking lessons based on the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines and MyPlate and evaluated using validated instruments. Results will be analyzed by assessing change from baseline to post-program completion, addressing potential confounding factors, and utilizing randomization. By detailing the development, implementation, and evaluation of this study, we anticipate that this protocol will provide guidance for cross-functional collaborators who seek to address various public health concerns in at-risk populations.

Dietary assessment tools, such as 24-hour dietary recall interviews, food frequency questionnaires, screeners, or food records, are self-reported instruments used to measure the quality and/or quantity of food a person consumes. Some dietary assessment tools collect information about an individual's overall diet quality, while other tools may focus on fewer aspects of diet quality, such as fruit and vegetable or fiber intake. Since poor diet quality is a leading risk factor for many chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers, assessing diet quality appropriately is imperative. The purpose of this publication is to guide Extension professionals in choosing a dietary assessment tool that meets their specific needs.