About - Kids Cook With Heart and Teens Cook With Heart

Obesity is an epidemic in America. Today 1 in 3 American children and teens is overweight or obese. Kids Cook With Heart / Teens Cook With Heart, the first American Heart Association (AHA) kids program in the nation to integrate hands-on healthy cooking and nutrition with cardiovascular health education, aims to change that.

The curriculum spans elementary through high school ages. There are multi-session programs in which students experience hands-on cooking lessons with a skilled chef instructor over five to eight weeks. Students learn to prepare simple main courses, hearty whole grains, salads and a wide variety of vegetable dishes. In order to best equip students with the life skill of heart-healthy cooking, the emphasis is on smart shopping, cooking skills, nutritional principles and culinary techniques rather than individual recipes. No kitchen is required – AHA provides all equipment and utensils. Each class series culminates in an “Iron Chef”-style cooking challenge, where groups of students receive a “mystery bag” of ingredients and must prepare a meal for a panel of judges. Students receive a booklet featuring all recipes learned in the class.

There are also single-session workshop or event for individual classes or an assembly/ festival-style event to reach the entire student body.

At the AHA we strongly believe in the ability of education to change behavior. Teaching the next generation the ties between nutrition and preventative health we can create a healthier future.

Where are we located?

  • Greater Bay Area, CA
  • Greater Los Angeles Area, CA
  • Hawaii
  • Las Vegas, NV
  • Puget Sound / Seattle, WA
  • Reno, NV

How do I get involved?

  • Chefs– Kids Cook With Heart and Teens Cook With Heart brings chef instructors into the classroom to teach healthy cooking to elementary, middle and high school students. If you are a chef who would like to learn more about bringing your skills to local classrooms, please tell us about yourself.
     
  • Schools – The American Heart Association brings the Kids Cook With Heart and Teens Cook With Heart program to schools as funding allows. If you are a principal or teacher interested in having our program at your school, please complete the interest form. If you are a parent interested in having Kids Cook With Heart at your child’s school, please ask the school principal or teacher to complete the form.
     
  • Sponsors – Our programs thrive thanks to the support of generous sponsors. If you would like to learn more about sponsoring Kids Cook With Heart or Teens Cook With Heart, we want to talk with you. Please complete the sponsor interest form so we can get in touch A.S.A.P.

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