Impact of mothers kitchen millet recipe talks on millet consumption among women in Andhra Pradesh

Millets are nutrient-dense, climate-resilient grains with potential to address micronutrient deficiencies in India. Despite high awareness, their routine consumption has declined. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a culturally tailored, community-based intervention— “Mother’s Kitchen” millet recipe talks—on millet consumption, dietary intake of food groups, and undernutrition among mothers in Andhra Pradesh. An Observational cohort survey was conducted among 345 mothers of children aged 2–6 years across three regions of Andhra Pradesh. Participants attended weekly millet recipe talks and live cooking demonstrations over 12 weeks, exposure was defined as attendance at ≥ 7 sessions. Dietary intake of food groups was measured using three non-consecutive 24-hour recalls and analysed with DietCalc (IFCT 2017). Anthropometry were recorded at baseline and endline. Qualitative data from 36 transcribed sessions were thematically analysed. Baseline millet consumption rose from 25.7% (88/343) to 39.4% (135/343) at endline (Z = − 5.658, p < 0.001). Mothers attending ≥ 7 talks increased consumption from 31.6% to 51.3% (relative risk 2.12; 95% CI 1.34–3.34; p < 0.001). Underweight prevalence among mothers was low and stable from baseline to endline [24 (7.0%) to 22 (6.4%), p = 0.342], with no significant change observed even among those attending fewer than seven talks [16 (7.1%) to 14 (6.2%), p = 0.319]. Qualitative findings identified barriers including cost, limited availability, time constraints, children’s preferences, and lack of knowledge regarding preparation and storage. While millets are iron-rich, bioavailability constraints due to phytates and tannins highlight the importance of traditional processing methods to enhance absorption. Culturally tailored, practical recipe-talk interventions significantly increased millet consumption. Community-based, participatory culinary models integrating bioavailability-enhancing practices may serve as scalable strategies to strengthen maternal nutrition in resource-constrained settings.