Kids in the Kitchen is grounded in the belief that children and families empowered with the knowledge of how to feed and exercise their bodies will be less likely to become obese and subsequently suffer the many associated health risks.

In today’s food system, though, making healthy choices is not so simple, and healthy foods such as fresh produce are often more expensive and harder to find than the less nutritious alternatives, especially for low-income families.  Thus, the issues of poverty, food access, and community development are intrinsically intertwined in the causes of and solutions for childhood obesity.  Recognizing this, since its inception in 2006 Kids in the Kitchen has evolved in breadth, scope, and resources beyond nutrition education.

Now, Kids in the Kitchen not only puts kids (and families) “in the kitchen”, but also in the community garden, at the farmer’s market, in the dentist’s chair, on the playground, and so much more.  Through this expansion Leagues are now building programs that not only address childhood obesity but also its systemic root causes, while still maintaining the hands-on, interactive, and inclusive nature of its original iteration.