Stanford University's Farm to Table Camp Cultivates Healthy Eating Habits in Children

Grants

Oct 7

In the heart of Sunnyvale, California, Stanford University’s unique summer camp is fostering a love for healthy eating. In 2023, a postdoctoral research scholar at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, Linda Koh, applied for a grant through Ardmore Institute of Health (AIH) to fund the expansion of Farm to Table Camp, which is grounded in research that demonstrates that school-based programs with cooking and gardening components have potential to improve dietary intake and adoption of healthier habits. AIH was delighted to provide the funding and support campers in learning about how food is grown and how to prepare it, sustainability, and more (see photos below).

"We are incredibly grateful for AIH’s support which has allowed us to expand Farm to Table Summer Camp with Santa Clara Unified School District in some really exciting ways! We’ve been able to enhance our programming, deepen our research on children’s eating habits, and foster hands-on experiences that help kids connect with where their food comes from. This partnership has enabled us to create lasting impact, building lifelong healthy habits in the next generation," says Dr. Christopher Gardner, Director of Nutrition Studies at the Stanford Prevention Research Center.

As part of this project, Linda Koh and her team adapted the Full Plate Living curriculum into a Full Plate for Kids book. The activity book:

Engages children with a variety of fun activities like games, puzzles, and coloring pages that make learning about healthy foods fun
Provides essential knowledge about key food groups, fiber, and balanced meals, empowering kids to make informed and healthy food choices
Cultivates an appreciation for where food comes from, promoting an understanding of sustainable food systems and the importance of fruits and vegetables

As the research is still ongoing for this grant project, we anticipate being able to share the conclusions when they are published. Sign up for AIH’s Whole Health Digest to receive updates related to this project and others.