Capstone Project Proposal- Good Copy

Name of student: Abagail Kirincic Date: May 17, 2024

Teacher: Mr. Harvalais Block: D

The Capstone strand I have chosen is... Product Creation Focus/Services Focus

Proposed title for my Project Proposal: (write the proposed title for your Capstone Project in one clear
sentence): Dorm Room Dinners: Recipes for University Students
_________________________________________________________________________________

What is your inquiry question that interests you for further research? It should be a question that connects
with a purpose, passion, or personalized area of interest for you. This is a question that you cannot just
google an answer for. Please see examples from your Capstone booklet.
My inquiry question is:
How can I provide cheap and simple cooking recipes to be utilized to foster healthy eating habits in University/College
students?

Rationale/context: Detail your reasons for choosing this inquiry question. Explain WHY you are
choosing to investigate this topic as a major area of focus. How does this area of inquiry connect to your
passion(s), purpose? Why is it of personal interest to you?
I am choosing to investigate this topic because I have seen first-hand that many university students struggle when it comes to
food preparation and cooking. They often do not know how to cook, have time to cook, and cannot afford healthy food
options. I want to fix this. I have always loved cooking, especially when it is easy, because it is somewhat of a stress reliever.
Furthermore, I have taken foods classes during my high-school experience, and I have helped in the kitchen at home since I
could see over the counters. This project is of personal interest to me because my sister and 2 of my cousins are in university
and must cook for themselves. Experiencing their transition from being cooked for to having to cook for themselves showed
me that they cannot be the only ones struggling. I saw that they would make the same meals every week, chicken and rice, and
never experienced joy from cooking. I want to change that; I want university students to be excited to cook and try new things
that are both cheap for their budget and easy to make, that’s why all the recipes in my cookbook will be targeted and chosen
precisely.

Background: What background knowledge/connections/prior learning do you have in this area of

inquiry?
I feel that I have a lot of knowledge around cooking, food shopping, and the struggle of university students. I have
experienced cooking and food shopping weekly as I help in the kitchen and go food shopping with my mom. I have seen that
food prices have gone up, which makes it even harder for students to cook, but I have also noticed that if you go shopping at
the right time, healthy foods are affordable. I recognize that university students struggle to find time in their busy schedule to
eat healthy, especially around midterms and finals, so they choose takeout because it is cheap, easy, and quick. I am also
aware that many students either lose weight or gain weight due to their eating habits, which is not healthy. Moreover, I have
also noticed that students are not often offered cheap and simple cooking help/tips or are prepared for the struggles of buying
 their own food, I want to change this.

Career connections: What is your intended career area at this point in time? What connections does
this inquiry question have to your life, academic and/ or career goals?
At this point, I have been accepted to SFU in the criminology department, with the hopes of eventually becoming a notary or
going to law school and becoming a lawyer. My capstone project connects to my upcoming university experience and life past
schooling as I will have to cook and food shop for myself. The project will teach me healthy eating habits as well as foods I
should eat and should not eat. Having the knowledge of cooking, food shopping, and healthy eating habits by creating this
cookbook will help me remain healthy, maintain a budget, and teach me quick recipes, while also helping me refrain from
takeout. Overall, this project will allow me to better understand the importance of healthy eating and provide myself with the
knowledge around the consequences of unhealthy eating.

Interdisciplinary and core competencies connections: What subject areas and core competencies
will be connected with your project? Outline and explain the connections.
Strengths:
Personal Awareness and Responsibility:
Self-Regulation:
Throughout my capstone project I used self-regulation to manage the time I spent on my project by setting daily goals for how
much work I need to complete each day, by doing this I was also able to meet the 40 hours working time period that was
required. I also took time to learn new skills which tested my patience in order to further advance my understanding of the
recipe, this is evident when I tried making the salmon bowl, I had to be patient when cooking the fish to ensure that it was done
correctly. During my project, I overcame roadblocks by controlling my stress using techniques that work for me, such as,
breathing and taking a 5-minute beak which helped me persevere difficult situations, such as when I was planning and typing
out my cookbook, the website started glitching and I got frustrated so I took a break and worked on something else.
Social Responsibility:
Contributing to the Community and Caring for the Environment:
Throughout the capstone project, I became more aware of my community by doing individual background research to widen my
world view. I researched about eating habits in university students as well as the affect eating has on people, such as obesity and
eating disorders. I also worked collaboratively to gain different perspectives on my topic by using my mentor, who supported
me in the picking of my recipes. By choosing a project that involves outreach to my community I worked for the benefit of
others, making me more passionate. For example, by making a cheap and easy cookbook I can help university students eat
healthier, gain confidence in the kitchen, and improve their knowledge around the importance of nutrition/health.
Communication:
Explain/recount and Reflect on Experiences and Accomplishments:
For my project, I have shown what I have learned by reflecting on and presenting my information. When reflecting, I wrote
blogs that talked about my work period which, explained difficulties and prosperities. Also, I added pictures showing what I
have completed, showing my progress. Additionally, I created picture slides of my final products. For example, there is a
picture slide of the Teriyaki Salmon Bowl, showing the process. There is also a picture slide of my finished product.
Furthermore, when presenting, I can include my journey to the final project which includes, why I chose the topic, my research,
recipes, my blog posts, challenges, and successes, while also including all the necessary components of the capstone
presentation. Also, I will bring in my final product, the cookbook, to show.
Areas of Growth:
Personal Awareness and Responsibility:
Well-Being:
 Throughout my capstone, a key aspect for improvement was ensuring that I managed my time well, this then creates a safeguard
for stress or anxiety that I encounter. By learning strategies to reduce stress, such as breathing and taking a break, I can ensure
that there will be a balance between work and well-being. Additionally, growth in the area of procrastination is crucial as it can
impact my progress. For example, not working one day would mean one less recipe in the final cookbook or more work to do in
the future. Learning to do a little bit of work, such as research or adding a recipe, every day will help reduce stress and keep the
momentum of the project, which is crucial to reach the finish line.
Creative Thinking:
Developing Ideas:
Through my project I developed growth in the areas of evaluation, development, and refinement to boost productivity. In order
for the recipes to be easy and quick I will need to take out unnecessary words and refine the knowledge that I have and have
researched into 1 page per recipe. Each page of the cookbook should contain a picture of the final product, and ingredient list,
steps, and ant notes needed. Furthermore, I can grow in the area of perseverance and understanding that failure can be
productive, as often I see failure as a step backwards, something that should be avoided. In cooking, failure is seen as a learning
experience that highlights recipe improvements, rather than a setback. For example, when trying a recipe, it may end up not
tasting good, this is not failure, it is a chance for improvement.
Personal and Cultural Identity:
Personal Values and Choices:
Throughout my capstone I can grow in the area of personal values and choices as this project will help me understand what is
important to me and how my values shape my choices. My capstone project will allow me to better understand what is
important to me, culturally, as I will be able to explore my own cultures food as understanding of culture is important to me.
Furthermore, by creating a cookbook of recipes that I like and that I believe others will like, I can expand my knowledge
through research of cultural diversity by experiencing different cultures through food.

Capstone Presentation medium: select one or more project mediums you wish to use to present
your project. Outline and give details about how you will present your project once completed. You
may use a combination of mediums.
o Electronic portfolio: Prezi or PPT
When presenting my project, I will bring in the physical cookbook and I will show my recipes through pictures, given the time
limit of 15-20 minutes I will probably only show one picture slide show. All my other information will likely be presented
through PowerPoint and my website.
My presentation will follow the guidelines provided:
Each slide will only have a title and images (no other text to avoid reading from slides).
15 minutes of presenting, 5 minutes of questioning.
My slides will have the following headers:
Introduction (all about me, personal and academic artifact, capstone focus/inquiry question, Why I chose this project, research)
Challenges (challenges you encountered and how you solved them, successes)
Pictures Evidence (include evidence of your work, a collage of me making recipes)
6 Core Competencies (how did they apply, specific examples)
Transition Plan (What are your plans for next year? Share specific details)
Conclusion (What I learned about myself, advice to another grade 12, favorite part, etc.)
 Description of my Capstone project. Specific Project Details of the Capstone Project: what will you
research, create, study, produce, solve, investigate? What product will be produced at the end of this
project for evaluation. Write a one-page description outlining your proposal.

For my capstone, I began by researching and studying the eating habits, diet preferences, and dietary struggles of
university/college students in order to better understand how I can help students be effective in the kitchen and properly utilize
the food in their fridges. Furthermore, I have noticed through first-hand experience, my sister, my cousins, and their friends,
that university students often avoid cooking dinner by ordering takeout, snacking throughout the day, or having someone else
cook for them. However, those habits are unhealthy and can lead to health problems such as eating disorders and weight gain
or loss. Furthermore, I have researched recipes to gain more knowledge on what to make, as well as researching the prices of
foods to ensure that the meals are affordable to a student. My goal was to create a cookbook that students can utilize daily, for
breakfast and dinner, full of healthy meals for whatever they feel like eating, whether it be chicken, pork, beef, fish, or no
meat at all. My cookbook was organized into sections so that it is easy to find the recipes desired. The first portion of the book
will be breakfast and the other portion will be dinners. The dinners are split into categories based on the type of meat used, for
example there is a chicken, pork, beef, fish, and veggie tab.
For the past couple years, I have taken foods classes and have learned many valuable lessons from them, these lessons
include how to use kitchen supplies, how to spice foods, and how to cook in a limited time frame. However, unfortunately
some students do not take, out of choice, or are not given the opportunity to take Foods classes. I want to be able to offer those
students the opportunity to learn the same lessons. Essentially, I will be solving students’ confusion around cooking and food.
For the product creation part of my capstone, I will be creating a cookbook of cheap, quick, and easy recipes, with the
focus on healthy eating. I will provide multiple produce and vegetable choices, giving options. I will produce/create dinner
recipes that a student can remake when they feel they have no ingredients or time. I will try and focus of the saying of “cook
once, eat twice”, by doing this, students will have to cook less, leaving more time for schoolwork and other activities. This
ideology is basically cooking more food one day so that you can eat it the next day or freeze it for the future. Moreover, I will
be primarily making dishes with meats/fish and vegetables as those are the food groups students often disregard or do not
know how to cook or make them taste good/appealing. I will work with my mentor, to develop recipe ideas while also using
recipes from my personal life/knowledge. Overall, my product, the cookbook, will be given out to university students that I
know, and I will possibly publish the book or post the videos online. As for the appearance/organization of the cookbook, I
will have a title page describing what the book entails, then my dinner title page, then I will have all my recipes organized by
the produce they have, for example chicken, beef, pork, or fish, after that, I will have my breakfast title page, then each
breakfast recipe again organized by produce, if any. I chose to include both breakfast and dinner as they are the two most
important meals of the day, meals that students often do not know how to make. Overall, by the end I will have a hard cover
spiral spined cookbook geared towards university students. I also am hoping to give the cookbook to university student to
inspire and help them in their cooking journey. I believe that by creating the cookbook, I can solve a university student’s
confusion around nutrition and cooking in order to help them positively develop their eating habits and diets, ultimately
improving their health. All in all, I want to fix the issue around students and eating.
At the end of my project, for evaluation, there will be a cookbook filled with dinner and breakfast recipes, printed, and
laminated, my website entailing my progress of my project, and my presentation of my capstone. I will also create blog posts
of some of the struggles I encountered and how I dealt with them. Additionally, the cookbook will be posted on my website as
evidence to ward my success, as well as the most challenging recipe I made with picture slides depicting what I did. Overall,
for my presentation I will show my cookbook and the process of making it, I will share the struggles I encounters and how I
overcame them, and for each update I will explain what I did, I will also explain the connection to the core competencies, and
my transition plan. After presenting, I will send the cookbook to a university student of my choosing to be utilized for their
benefit.
 Resources/ Technology/Skills: Make an assessment of the resources, technology, and skills you will
need to be able to complete this project. What is your plan to be able to access/learn all of the
resources necessary to achieve completion of this project? Detail your plans.
For the creation of the cookbook, I will be needing, a phone to take photos of the cooking process of challenging recipes, a
computer to type up the recipes, edit my cookbook, make blog posts, and research, a kitchen, and kitchen materials (food and
supplies). Additionally, I may need to access an advanced printer to print my cookbook, which can be access at Staple or London
Drugs. Moreover, some skills I will be needing are basic kitchen skills and knowledge but given that I have been cooking most of
my life and have had multiple years of Foods class experience I feel I am well-resourced in this subject. Moreover, I already have
access to the phone, computer, kitchen, and kitchen materials, but I will need access to an advanced printer, which I have
researched and found that London Drugs and other companies, like Staples can print laminated hard cover books. Additionally, I
have the funds necessary to purchase supplies I need during the project, such as food and printing costs. All of these materials and
skills will be necessary for the completion of my capstone project, the cookbook.

Mentors/Community Connections: What types of mentor(s)/community connections will you need

to help you complete your capstone project? How will your mentor(s) help you? What is your plan to
access the mentorship/community connections necessary for this project?
For my main mentor, I chose one of my mom’s friends, Carol Edwards. She is an amazing cook that has shared recipes and tips
and tricks for years. She thoroughly enjoys cooking and sharing her experience. To obtain her mentorship I plan to ask her when I
see her. I am sure she will be very pleased and excited to help me out with my cookbook. Additionally, I may be using some
family members, such as my mom, to develop recipe ideas or to help with creating the recipes, as she has more knowledge than I
do in this area. To access this secondary mentorship, I can ask her any day for tips and possible recipe ideas to further advance my
cookbook. Overall, my mentor and mom would guide me in the kitchen, provide me cooking knowledge, and help provide me
with possible recipes that meet my criteria.

Project limitations: What are some project limitations and potential obstacles that you foresee that
might affect progress with your Capstone Project?
For my capstone, some potential obstacles I could face would be recipe development and procrastination. Firstly, recipe
development could be a barrier as I must think of recipes that are fast and easy to make, but still healthy. Also, providing accurate
measurements, cooking times, steps, and ingredient lists is crucial to the recipe working out, which is a barrier that I may have to
overcome. Secondly, recipe testing and editing is a time-consuming process. Secondly, procrastination may be an obstacle as I
am given a lot of time and freedom, with a deadline that is long time away, which is something that I am not used to. I fear that
my other classes may take priority sometimes, leaving me with more work near the end of my capstone project. Overall,
roadblocks that I could face include recipe development and procrastination, both of which could affect my progress on my
project.

Other considerations: List and detail any other related information/ considerations about your
project that you feel should be included in your project proposal.
 My cookbook is the product creation strand, and the services strand. I will be creating and then giving the cookbook to a
university student as well as posting the recipes online on my website.
 I chose to do a cookbook not because it is preserved as “easy”, but because it is something that I am passionate about. I
have been cooking my whole life and taking foods classes any chance I can get. Furthermore, cooking is something that I
have seen first-hand be a struggle for university/college students since they don’t necessarily know how to cook, do not
 have time to cook, and do not know the health benefits of food. I want to change this, not only for current students but
for future students. Also, the cookbook can be used after university or college when someone is too busy or too tired to
cook a healthy meal. I want to steer people away from unhealthy take out and towards cooking healthy foods to improve
diet and health.
 Also, I like to be creative which is why I chose to create my own cookbook as I can design the way it looks, the font, the
colours, the images, etc. Additionally, I chose the services strand as well because I am giving my cookbook away and
posting recipes for students to view to educate them in the field of cooking and nutrition.

References: Provide a literature review of 5-10 PEER REVIEWED ACADEMIC references:

research, videos, etc. that offer some preliminary research you have done for your project that shows
you are able to access the key information that you will need to be able to complete this project/work.
Your list should be written using correct APA formatting.
APA citation of article: Retrieved from Notes from article:

HUGHES, R., SEREBRYANIKOVA, I.,
DONALDSON, K., & LEVERITT, M. (2011).
Student food insecurity: The skeleton in the
university closet. Nutrition & Dietetics,
68(1), 27–32. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-
0080.2010.01496.x
https:// Food insecurity in 12.7% to 46.5% of students.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ Food insecure students are more likely to rate
doi/10.1111/j.1747- their overall health status low.
0080.2010.01496.x Issue for socioeconomically disadvantaged.
Food insecurity was significant in who are
renting, boarding, or sharing accommodation,
with low incomes or
Students are at risk of food insecurity, due to
income and support.

Kimberly B., H., Sarah E., C., Ginger T., M.,
Khalid S., A.-N., Brenda, B., & Kevin H., G.
(2012, June 29). Cost and calorie analysis of fast-
food consumption in college students. Food and
Nutrition Sciences. https://www.scirp.org/html/9-
2700439_20509.htm
https://www.scirp.org/html/
9-2700439_20509.htm
A correlation found between total monthly
fast-food expense and total monthly fast food
caloric consumption.
adults who report fast-food consumption were
significantly more likely to be overweight.
Students who eat fast food tend to consume
more total calories with less nutritional value.

Hanson, A. J., Kattelmann, K. K., McCormack, L.
A., Zhou, W., Brown, O. N., Horacek, T. M.,
Shelnutt, K. P., Kidd, T., Opoku-Acheampong, A.,
Franzen-Castle, L. D., Olfert, M. D., & Colby, S. E.
(2019b, July 11). Cooking and meal planning as
predictors of fruit and vegetable intake and BMI in
first-year college students. MDPI.
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/14/2462
https://www.mdpi.com/1660- Cooking and meal planning behaviors are
4601/16/14/2462 associated with greater fruit and vegetable
intake and lower body mass index in first years
at risk for excessive weight gain.
Cooking frequently and practicing meal
planning behaviors are associated with greater
fruit and vegetable intake and lower BMI in
first-year college students.
First-year students are considered at risk for
weight gain and loss based off a baseline
assessment within the first month of entering
college.
Author links open overlay panelRyan Tam
M.Nutr.Diet., Highlights•Tertiary institutions are a
great opportunity to influence eating behaviors.•Of
students surveyed, AbstractObjectiveEmerging
adulthood (18–24 y) where >50% of young adults
attend tertiary education, Wadhera, D., Fedewa, M.
V., Boek, S., Roy, R., Steptoe, A., Morse, K. L.,
Dallmeyer, M., Kimathi, A. N., Wengreen, H. J.,
Vadeboncoeur, C., Horacek, T. M., Hebden, L., &
Yousuf, M. I. (2016, July 27). University Students’
on-campus food purchasing behaviors, preferences,
and opinions on food availability. Nutrition.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0
899900716301277
Sprake, E. F., Russell, J. M., Cecil, J. E.,
Cooper, R. J., Grabowski, P., Pourshahidi, L.
K., & Barker, M. E. (2018, October 5). Dietary
patterns of university students in the UK: A
cross-sectional study - nutrition journal.
SpringerLink.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s1293
7-018-0398-y
(Associate Professor) (Staff Nurse) (Psychiatric
Nurse Practitioner) 1 Connell School of Nursing.
(n.d.). Binge eating and weight loss behaviors of
overweight and...: Journal of the American
Association of Nurse Practitioners. LWW.
https://journals.lww.com/jaanp/abstract/2014/080
00/binge_eating_and_weight_loss_behaviors_of.5
.aspx
Assessment of weight status, dietary habits, and
beliefs ... (n.d.).
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1
757913915609945
https://
www.sciencedirect.com/
science/article/abs/pii/
S0899900716301277
https://link.springer.com/
article/10.1186/s12937-018-
0398-y
https://journals.lww.com/
jaanp/abstract/2014/08000/
binge_eating_and_weight_lo
ss_behaviors_of.5.aspx
https://
journals.sagepub.com/doi/
abs/
10.1177/1757913915609945
18–24-year-old, where >50% of young adults
attend further education, is a period that
influences future eating behaviours.
Most students purchase food on campus, but
by cooking they can improve diet quality.
Students that live away from home for the first
time are managing their own dietary needs
which is sometimes challenging responsibility,
often leading to unhealthy eating and weight
gain out of convenience.
Food-purchasing behavior in young adults is
influenced by taste, followed by convenience,
cost, and healthiness. Showing that healthiest
is not the priority
University students consume poor quality
diets/foods, which has implications on body
weight and long-term health.
4 major dietary patterns: vegetarian, snacking,
health-conscious, and convenience, red meat
& alcohol.
Cause greater food costs and practice poor
behaviors, which is an issue for overall health.
There should be increase availability of low-
cost healthier foods
binge eating (BE) and weight-related
behaviors in overweight and obese
college/university.
Data collected from 487 overweight/obese
college-age students from a private university
in the northeastern United States.
BE was reported by 34.9% of students.
women were more likely to report being obese.
BE is a significant problem on campuses, it is
associated with the development of obesity as
well as eating disorders
Assess weight status, dietary habits, physical
activity, dietary beliefs, and nutritional
knowledge.
78% of female students were within healthy
weight compared to 52% of male students.
7% of students reported having an active
lifestyle and 4% had good nutritional
knowledge.
Half the students drink two glasses of milk and
eating two cups of fruits/vegetables daily.
Shows vitality of educating students on health
eating habits and diets (nutritional knowledge).