In a bright teaching kitchen on Market Street, laughter and the scent of sizzling vegetables fill the air. Here, children and parents aren’t just learning recipes, they’re discovering how small changes can make a big difference in their health.

At Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Health and Well-Being Clinic, care extends beyond checkups. At the clinic, families build lasting habits in eating, movement and well-being. Its Nutrition Is Culinary Healthy Eating (NICHE) program brings those lessons to life through hands-on cooking. Learn More

Each week, families gather in the clinic’s teaching kitchen for NICHE sessions, where they learn, cook and share healthy meals together. During the first half of each session, children build confidence in the teaching gym while parents explore nutrition and meal prep with a culinary educator. The children then join their parents to slice, mix and taste what they make — turning clinic lessons into everyday practice.

The first classes, held in October 2024, quickly filled and inspired strong word-of-mouth interest.

NICHE is more than a cooking class — it’s an example of how Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) connects the clinical setting to community life. By pairing nutrition education with hands-on culinary experience, the program bridges what families learn in the Health and Well-Being Clinic (formerly called the Healthy Weight Program) with how they live at home.

With support from CHOP volunteers and the Health Promotion Council, the program reaches children and families beyond a standard visit, turning health education into hands-on experience.

Many NICHE families also receive monthly food bags and deliveries through CHOP’s Food Pharmacy, which screens every clinic family for food insecurity. NICHE helps them make the most of those groceries, showing how to turn fresh fruits, vegetables and pantry staples into nutritious, affordable meals.

This approach links care and education, helping families apply what they learn in clinic to their own kitchens while strengthening access to food at home.

The Health and Well-Being Clinic serves children whose growth places them above the healthy weight range for their age and gender. Families find NICHE a safe, stigma-free space to learn and connect. Surveys show stronger cooking skills, better food choices and greater confidence at home. Beyond learning, families also find belonging.

“They develop a rapport with each other,” says Program Nurse Manager Isabel Cruz. “It's deeper than education. Families build community and realize they're not alone.”

In its first year, 45 families participated in NICHE programming, with many returning for multiple sessions and reporting healthier eating habits, like trying new vegetables and choosing more nutritious foods at home.

Initially funded by CHOP’s Office of Community Impact, the program has also relied on support from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program–Education (SNAP-Ed), which will end on September 30, 2026. Continued philanthropic support can help sustain and grow this hands-on approach to family wellness.

To donate funds to NICHE, contact the Office of Community Impact.

Learn more about the Health and Well-being Clinic.