Healthy Kids
Program Overview
We believe cooking is a powerful teaching tool. It’s interactive, engaging, and – of course – deliciously rewarding. Healthy Kids in the Bon Appétit Kitchen is Bon Appétit’s company wide nutrition and culinary education program, created with the goal of educating and empowering children to make healthy food choices for themselves and their communities. Through this program, we’re transforming the kitchens and gardens in which we operate into hands-on classrooms for kids.
Each Healthy Kids program includes lessons in where food comes from, healthy eating, and cooking. Kids might start with a fruit and vegetable name game before moving on to a tasting exploration of seasonal produce. Then, the group uses kid-safe kitchen utensils for a guided hands-on cooking experience, making recipes such as kale and banana smoothies, vegetable kabobs, or pizzas topped with garden-fresh vegetables. Each fun, interactive program concludes with a Healthy Kids picnic, so kids can reap the delicious rewards of their hard work!
From the Press and Our Blog
healthy kids 5th anniversary
From San Francisco to nationwide, Healthy Kids educators have traveled to 98 Bon Appetit locations in 72 cities…
Bon Appétit teaches young chefs at Cornell
“They’re learning all these life skills,” she says. “But they are so engaged that they don’t even realize they’re learning right now.”
HEALTHY KIDS, HEALTHY GRAINS
On Wednesday, November 13, Healthy Kids educator Nina Abramson joined the SAP culinary team in Palo Alto for a Healthy Kids class that focused on healthy grains!
Spartanburg students learn healthy eating at Milliken
“I think we shy away from teaching kids nutrition concepts at a young age because we think they aren’t ready, but that’s far from the truth.”
Atherton Union hosts Bon Appetit’s Healthy Kids program
Butler University’s Collegian newspaper covers Healthy Kids class hosted for local Boys & Girls Clubhouse.
Bon Appetit Chef Is Children’s Book Reader For A Day
November 7 marks national early education organization Jumpstart’s annual campaign to raise awareness about the importance of building children’s early language and literacy skills.
Healthy Kids with a Halloween Twist!
20 elementary school students from Poe Mill Achievement Center joined our culinary team at Furman University along with Healthy Kids educator Carrie Cullen for an afternoon of healthy cooking with...
Healthy Kids Goes to Biola
Last week, 25 young chefs from the Biola community joined our culinary team and Healthy Kids educator Carrie Cullen at Biola University to learn about healthy food.
Healthy Kids, Healthy Hydration
At Oracle in Santa Clara, CA, Manager of Food Education for Children Hannah Schmunk partnered with Executive Chef Randy Sarbaugh, Chef Manager Benjamin Laughter, Farmscape Farmer Zack Hall and the...
Garden Cooking at STEM Restaurant
This Saturday, 17 kids from the San Francisco community joined Executive Chef Jorge Lumbreras and Manager of Food Education for Children Hannah Schmunk in STEM Restaurant’s waterfront garden for a...
Program Empowers Kids to Make Healthy Food Choices
Deseret News reporter joins 25 children in Midvale, Utah for a Healthy Kids class in Overstock.com’s 9,000 square foot greenhouse.
Rose-Hulman Hosts Healthy Kids Event at Children’s Museum
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology teamed up with the Terre Haute Children’s Museum to host a special Healthy Kids in the Bon Appetit Kitchen night at the museum.
Healthy Kids Visits LA’s Children’s Bureau
This Saturday, we hosted a uniquely special Healthy Kids class in downtown Los Angeles at the Children’s Bureau, a nonprofit leader in the prevention and treatment of child abuse and...
Hillsdale students served healthy eating tips
Hillsdale reporter joins third and fourth-graders from Hillsdale Academy as they are “treated to hands-on lessons in plant parts, healthy eating and cooking.”
“Kid Chef Takeover” by edible Upcountry
Edible Upcountry writer Brett Barest shares his Healthy Kids experience: “If the goal of Healthy Kids is to provide a room full of children with a sense of empowerment and...
From Our Social Channels
View this profile on Instagram
Visit and follow the Instagram account to see what our team is up to and explore the ways we’re promoting a more sustainable food future by educating communities in variety of engaging activities, classes, farm tours, presentations, and more!
Healthy Kids Recipes
VEGETABLE SUSHI HAND ROLLS
Kids practice safe knife skills to chop a rainbow of vegetables and roll up in a seaweed wrap.
ZOODLES AND MARINARA SAUCE
A healthy spin on pasta where noodles are made out of zucchinis!
Crisp Mizuna and Kale Salad with Lemon Herb Vinaigrette
A great way to get kids excited about greens!
Rainbow Fruit Kabobs
A sweet treat that’ll ensure your kids eat a rainbow of colors today!
Garden Tacos
An easy, no-cook recipe featuring a garden of vegetables that your kids are sure to love.
Raves and Reviews
What Chefs Are Saying About the Program
“It was great to see so many young children excited about food!”
What Parents & Teachers Are Saying About the Program
“It was lovely to see my picky eater trying vegetables by herself.”
What Kids Are Saying About the Program
“I learned I can make delicious meals using healthy food from a garden.”
Field Trip Inquiry
Are you a teacher, parent, or program manager interested in having your group participate in our culinary education program?
Fill out this Field Trip Inquiry Form to get started and schedule your Healthy Kids class today!