Background/Objectives: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a pressing public health challenge in the United States (U.S.). Community-based diabetes education programs equip individuals with T2D with the knowledge and skills to improve dietary behaviors, build confidence, and better manage their condition to reduce complications. However, few studies evaluate self-care adherence and self-efficacy together. This study examined participant adherence to diabetes self-care practices and confidence in managing diabetes through a community-based education program. Methods: Do Well, Be Well with Diabetes (DWBWD) is a 5-week program focused on reinforcing the best practices in diabetes management through dietary practices, physical activity, and gaining self-confidence in managing T2D. The program was evaluated among 137 participants across 14 Texas counties using pre- and post-surveys that assessed the number of days per week participants engaged in diabetes self-care practices, as well as their confidence in performing these behaviors (rated on a scale from 1 = not at all confident to 5 = extremely confident). Results: Participants were mostly male (75.9%), White (60.6%), and over 65 years (58.4%). Most participants had T2D (57.7%) or prediabetes (27.0%). Compared to the program entry, participants reported improvements (p < 0.001) in self-care practices, as reflected by their mean differences (MD), including following a healthful eating plan (MD −1.46), consuming five servings of fruit and vegetables (MD −0.87), spacing carbohydrate intake evenly throughout the day (MD −1.64), engaging in at least 30 min of daily physical activity (MD −0.74), testing blood glucose (MD −1.08), and checking their feet (MD −1.09). Confidence in performing all self-care behaviors significantly improved (p < 0.001), with MDs between −0.53 and −1.13, indicating higher post-program scores. Conclusions: Participation in the DWBWD program increased confidence in diabetes management and enhanced engagement in key health behaviors associated with reducing diabetes complications.

Background/Objectives: Nearly three-quarters of American adults are overweight or obese, leading to serious health challenges. Poor nutrition is a major contributor, highlighting the need for effective nutrition education and cooking interventions. This study evaluated the impact of the Dinner Tonight Healthy Cooking School (DTHCS) on improving nutrition knowledge and cooking confidence among participants. Methods: A secondary data analysis was conducted on self-reported retrospective surveys collected from 7932 individuals across 64 Texas counties between September 2017 and March 2024. The surveys assessed changes in participants’ understanding of key nutrition concepts (rated using a four-point scale from poor to excellent) and their confidence in cooking healthy meals (rated using a four-point scale from none to high) before and after attending the program. Results: The findings showed significant improvements in both nutrition knowledge (from fair to good p < 0.001) and cooking confidence (from low to moderate p < 0.001) following program participation. Conclusions: These results highlight the vital role of nutrition and culinary education in addressing the growing obesity epidemic and reducing the risk of diet-related chronic conditions. Given the positive program outcomes, DTHCS has the potential to inform future studies and guide successful planning and implementation of community-based cooking programs for adults to promote healthier eating behaviors.