Voices from the Field

Spotlight on Chez Panisse Foundation

Stronger Together

For children in the US today, diets full of processed, unhealthy foods have led to unprecedented levels of obesity, diabetes, and other diet-related diseases. In an effort to reverse the trend, the Chez Panisse Foundation is rooted in the belief that school curricula and lunch programs should promote “growing, cooking, and sharing food at the table [to give] students the knowledge and values to build a humane and sustainable future.”

Founded by renowned chef Alice Waters in 1996, the Foundation works to educate kids about their food choices and the impact those choices have on their health, their communities, and the environment. In pursuit of that goal, they strive to reconnect America’s younger generations to fresh, healthy food, encourage involvement in local food communities and the environment, and affect a greater cultural shift that improves children’s health across the country.

So what does that look like in action? Chez Panisse Foundation focuses on programs to reform the school lunch system (starting with a successful model program in Berkeley, CA), as well as teach kids about “the connections between food, health, and the environment” with The Edible Schoolyard (a nationwide network of school gardens that provide hands-on learning).

To get involved, visit the Foundation’s website at chezpanissefoundation.org, and learn more about helping to expand the school lunch reform program, participating in an Edible Schoolyard Academy to receive training for hands-on edible education, or request information for driving a future Edible Schoolyard affiliate program.

How do you think we should encourage healthier eating among America’s youth? What are the best ways to teach them about how food affects their lives, their country, and their planet? Share your ideas by commenting below.