About Chefs for Kids Las Vegas

Chefs for Kids, Inc. is a joint venture of local Chefs (American Culinary Federation Chefs Las Vegas) and the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. The Chefs for Kids, Inc. program works to eliminate malnutrition and hunger through education and awareness.

Often in a society where television and computers bring information to our doorstep, we assume that simple facts like knowing that a pear grows on a tree or that a balanced diet is essential to good health throughout a lifetime are well known by everyone.

Surprisingly, many children lack the essential nutrition knowledge necessary to fight personal battles against poor eating habits.

Chefs for Kids, Inc. has chosen to fight this battle by providing nutrition education to students in “high needs” schools in Nevada’s Clark County School District.

The chefs team up with nutrition educators from University of Nevada Cooperative Extension who developed nutrition curricula for first and second grade children. Students learn about choosing foods that provide the greatest benefit to their bodies and about the role that physical activity plays in a healthy lifestyle. The curriculum is tailored to the needs and abilities of the children being served.

Visit the Cooperative Extension's Chefs for Kids Web Site and view the 2012 - 2013 Breakfast Schedule. Contact Board Members.

Some of the highlights over the past years include:

• We provide food education to second graders in 12 high needs schools each year .

• The video curriculum, “Adventures with Chefs for Kids,” is being taught to first grade students at high needs schools throughout the Clark County School District. This curriculum includes a five-part video supported with detailed lesson plans.

• A snack program has been created in the 12 core schools. Through the Chefs for Kids program, all students are provided a healthy snack once a month — that’s over 79,000 snacks a year! The snacks reinforce the concept that healthful snacking is important to the well being of individuals, young and old alike.

• Fabulous breakfasts were prepared and served by the chefs at 12 high needs school throughout the year. Almost 10,000 students were fed.

• Chefs for Kids, Inc. has helped many students from the Clark County School District’s Highly Gifted Program to attend specialized training programs to fulfill their potential as students.