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With a decline in healthy eating habits in the United States, and an increase in childhood obesity and weight-related issues, Curious Chef®,
the first complete cooking utensil brand for children, observes National
Childhood Obesity Awareness Month from the front lines of the battle.
“Helping fight this epidemic is very near to our hearts,” noted John
Wilde, president of Curious Chef. “As adults, it is our job to give kids
the tools they need to lead healthy lives. Teaching them to cook and
make healthy food choices is an essential foundation in learning these
lessons,” he added.
The Curious Chef line was born out of a need for cooking utensils
designed specifically for kids. “Children do not have the fine motor
skills of an adult. It is very difficult for them to grasp small handles
or manipulate tools designed for an adult. This makes adult cooking
utensils both unsafe and awkward for children,” Wilde noted. “All items
in the Curious Chef line are designed with easy-to-grasp handles, wide
mouths for easy pouring and blunt edges for safety. However, unlike
other children’s cooking utensils on the market, these tools actually operate in much the same fashion as their adult counterparts,” he added.
Many researchers have discovered that the context in which kids are
introduced to healthy food choices is paramount in the development of
healthy eating patterns. In essence, if a parent demonstrates a positive attitude regarding healthy eating, their child will be more likely to
join in. “We have been told by parents that when their kids have a part
in the cooking process, they are more likely to try the foods they have
created,” Wilde noted. “This gives parents a wonderful opportunity to
introduce healthy food choices and teach about balanced diets.”
The Curious Chef line gives children and parents the tools necessary to
create healthy food options. From kid-friendly kitchen knives to kits designed specifically for the preparation of fruit and vegetables, Curious
Chef is taking a firm stance in fighting this epidemic. “The important
thing to remember is that we need to demonstrate healthy eating for
our children all year long. While Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
is an excellent reminder of the work that needs to be done, our hope
is that healthy eating becomes a way of life as children are exposed to
the joy of cooking and nutritious food choices,” Wilde concluded.
To learn more, visit
www.curiouschef.com. The Curious Chef brand,
products that help children enjoy and learn the art of cooking, is a
registered trademark of Tailor Made Products, Inc®.
Curious Chef Observes National Childhood
Obesity Awareness Month
The Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) recently announced that
James Beard Award-winning chefs Tom Colicchio, Maria Hines, Holly
Smith and Ming Tsai will participate in the Great American Family Dinner
challenge to cook a healthy dinner for two real families on a SNAP (food
stamp) budget on Nov. 29 at PHA’s Building a Healthier Future Summit in
Washington, D.C.
The chefs will pair off and have 30 minutes and $10 to create the meal
in front of summit attendees. The meals will be judged by two families
who won a sweepstakes sponsored by Parents and Ser Padres magazines.
Chefs Colicchio (James Beard Outstanding Chef, 2010, Craft) and Hines
(James Beard Best Chef: Northwest, 2009, Tilth) will face off against chefs
Smith (James Beard Best Chef: Northwest, 2008, Cafe Juanita) and Tsai
(James Beard Best Chef: Northeast, 2002, Blue Ginger) in the 30-minute
challenge.
“Part of overcoming the obesity crisis in this country is helping individuals
and families understand that healthy food can be affordable, quick to
make and also really tasty,” said Drew Nannis, PHA spokesperson. “These
chefs have set the bar for what it means to prepare meals, and while we
don’t expect anyone to match their skill in a restaurant, we’re thrilled that
they are willing to see if they can do what millions of families do every day
in kitchens across the country: put a healthy, delicious, affordable meal on
the table – fast.”
White House assistant chef Sam Kass will emcee the competition. Prior to
the competition, summit attendees will experience their own meal prepared by James Beard Award-winners and nominees. Chefs Jose Andres
(James Beard Outstanding Chef, 2011, minibar by Jose Andres), Floyd
Cardoz (James Beard Best Chef nominee: New York, 2007, Tabla), Koren
Grieveson (James Beard Best Chef: Great Lakes, 2010, Avec) and Anne
Quatrano (James Beard Best Chef: Southeast, 2003, Bacchanalia) will
cook a healthy, three-course meal – using only $4.50-worth of ingredients
per person – for all of the summit participants. Four dollars and fifty cents
is an approximation of what the average American spends on dinner.
The Building a Healthier Future Summit, which takes place Nov. 29 to 30
at the Omni Shoreham in Washington, D.C., will help ensure a coordinated
and succinct national agenda around fighting childhood obesity. It aims
to foster dialogue, forge partnerships and streamline childhood obesity
initiatives among private, nonprofit and public sectors that will all be
James Beard Award-winners Take the Great
American Family Dinner Challenge
