"In 2005, we created Recipe for Success Foundation to translate research into action and change the way our children eat. Many of the finest chefs in town joined our efforts and together we took a small step in the war against childhood obesity. Prevention.
In Houston, as in much of the rest of the country, the rates of childhood obesity are staggering. The loss of connection with food and the traditions of the table; reluctance to eat fresh fruits and vegetables and cultural preference for a meat-based diet; and reliance on processed food with a huge carbon footprint are some of the key contributing factors. We knew that creating a successful replicable program in Houston's stressed urban environment could impact the whole country, potentially saving billions in healthcare costs, but more importantly, rescue an entire generation of Americans.
We began in the schools, giving monthly hands-on classes that put children in touch with their food from seed to plate and we made it fun. We started adding gardens and built the program from there to include after-school, summer camp, parent classes and community outreach. Our strategy is powerful. Children are changing their habits and attitudes, surprising themselves by trying and even liking vegetables that they would never even touch before. Parents report that their children now want to help cook and more often reach for the healthier option without prompting. In 2013, we scaled our proven Seed-to-Plate Nutrition Education™, making it available to any school, anywhere.
Now well into our second decade, our programs have empowered more than 50,000 children in Houston and beyond with the knowledge and skills they need to lead healthier lives. The Foundation works to create a culture where nutritious food is shared, appreciated, and celebrated with programs that teach, empower and inspire healthy eating. Through our award-winning efforts like the nationally offered Seed-to-Plate Nutrition Education™ in schools, Eat It! Food Adventures children's cookbooks, farmers marKIDS DAYS and the VegOut! 30-Day Challenge, and the Hope Farms 7-acre urban agriculture project and training center in Houston, the Foundation works to make healthy food appealing and available to everyone.
We envision a world where healthy eating is the norm and a culture where nutritious food is shared, appreciated and celebrated, and we won't stop until we live in it."
Our Mission Statement
Recipe for Success Foundation is dedicated to combating childhood obesity by changing the way our children understand, appreciate and eat their food, and by educating and mobilizing the community to provide healthier diets for children.
Now well into our second decade, we have developed a comprehensive experiential learning program that makes healthy food fun, we promote healthy eating with books, contests and public awareness campaigns, and we work to make affordable, healthy food available to everyone.
We envision a world where healthy eating is the norm and a culture where nutritious food is shared, appreciated, and celebrated.
