About
Cooking up Change is a dynamic culinary competition and program where students take part in cooking, live cooking demonstrations, and tasting stations. The event includes an awards ceremony that recognizes the winners and acknowledges the work and creativity of all participants. The program challenges high school students to create bold, healthy, and affordable meals that meet real-world school nutrition standards, and offers hands-on experience in culinary arts, nutrition, and food science.
• Ages: 14–18 years old
• Schedule: Thursday, April 3, 2025, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
• Price: Pair of Tickets: $25; Purchase Your Tickets Now! 15$ ( Each )
Since 2012, Cooking up Change has challenged Orange County high school students to create healthy, delicious meals that comply with national school meal standards, and over 500 student chefs have participated. Winning recipes have been integrated into real school meal programs, benefiting thousands of students across multiple districts, and student-led initiatives have influenced new school meal policies in underserved schools. More than 75% of participants report interest in careers in culinary arts or nutrition.
Kid Healthy, founded in 2003, leads Cooking up Change under the direction of Executive Director Kim Benson. Kid Healthy’s mission is to address health and wellness by engaging school children and families from the most underserved communities of Southern California through culturally appropriate health and wellness programs that measurably improve nutrition and fitness levels. Kid Healthy was founded in partnership with KABC7 as part of a collaboration of agencies focused on the childhood obesity health crisis among disadvantaged and low-income populations, and its programs, including Cooking up Change and Padres en Acción, reach approximately 35,000 low-income students in elementary and high schools in distressed communities in Orange County. Kid Healthy operates under the fiscal sponsorship of OneOC and connects schools and community organizations around health education, core physical activity, and parent participation in district parent groups and wellness committees.
“Cooking up Change is more than a competition—it’s an opportunity for students to make a real impact on school nutrition while gaining invaluable skills,” according to Executive Director Kim Benson.
Last updated July 21, 2026.
• Ages: 14–18 years old
• Schedule: Thursday, April 3, 2025, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
• Price: Pair of Tickets: $25; Purchase Your Tickets Now! 15$ ( Each )
Since 2012, Cooking up Change has challenged Orange County high school students to create healthy, delicious meals that comply with national school meal standards, and over 500 student chefs have participated. Winning recipes have been integrated into real school meal programs, benefiting thousands of students across multiple districts, and student-led initiatives have influenced new school meal policies in underserved schools. More than 75% of participants report interest in careers in culinary arts or nutrition.
Kid Healthy, founded in 2003, leads Cooking up Change under the direction of Executive Director Kim Benson. Kid Healthy’s mission is to address health and wellness by engaging school children and families from the most underserved communities of Southern California through culturally appropriate health and wellness programs that measurably improve nutrition and fitness levels. Kid Healthy was founded in partnership with KABC7 as part of a collaboration of agencies focused on the childhood obesity health crisis among disadvantaged and low-income populations, and its programs, including Cooking up Change and Padres en Acción, reach approximately 35,000 low-income students in elementary and high schools in distressed communities in Orange County. Kid Healthy operates under the fiscal sponsorship of OneOC and connects schools and community organizations around health education, core physical activity, and parent participation in district parent groups and wellness committees.
“Cooking up Change is more than a competition—it’s an opportunity for students to make a real impact on school nutrition while gaining invaluable skills,” according to Executive Director Kim Benson.
Last updated July 21, 2026.
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