The Tisch Food Center is uniquely positioned to provide expertise in nutrition science and education. The Center has benefited from years of leadership by the Program in Nutrition, which established the field of nutrition education in 1909 and is a leader in training Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs). Our faculty and staff have decades of experience in developing health promotion strategies and collaborating with government agencies and New York City Public Schools (NYCPS).
Our Coalition brings Nutrition Education Providers (NEPs) together for regular meetings and invites them to participate in program evaluation workshops. We teach NEPs to incorporate specific research-backed components, which can make their programming more likely to inspire positive food choices in NYCPS students.
In addition, we create resources for educators, including curriculum and online tools. Our project CRUNCH Lunch shows teachers how to use Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to encourage students to eat school lunch.
Professional Development
We offer professional development (PD) opportunities for educators throughout the year. Learn about our latest PD, the Food Education in the Classroom Microcredential, created in partnership with FoodCorps.
CRUNCH Lunch
CRUNCH Lunch offers a variety of resources for teachers to conduct STEM-related classroom lessons that help get students excited about school lunch and understand its benefits.
The Food & Nutrition Standards for NYC Public Schools
This is a guide for integrating impactful food and nutrition education across curriculum in New York City Public Schools.
In Defense of Food
Students investigate the question, “What should I eat to be healthy?” and discover what Michael Pollan means by his now-famous guidelines: "Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants." This curriculum is a companion to the PBS documentary In Defense of Food.
Designed for use in after-school programs for grades 6-8, but can be adapted for anyone age 10 or older.
Wellness Program Finder
Our searchable database of food, nutrition, physical, and mental health programs serving NYC PreK-12 public schools, run by nonprofits, hospitals, companies, government agencies, and universities.