What’s at Stake: NYC’s Largest Childhood Nutrition Education Program in Public Schools Faces Federal Cuts
NEW YORK, June 6, 2025 — As federal officials push for healthier school meals under the banner of “Make America Healthy Again,” they’re simultaneously threatening to slash the very programs that make nutrition possible for low-income children and families—starting with SNAP-Ed Nutrition Education.
One of the most critical casualties? CookShop—New York City’s largest nutrition education program in public schools that’s reached more than 13,000 K-5 students and families each year in all five boroughs.
Now, that progress is under threat.
A 30-Year Program That Works
For over three decades, SNAP-Ed funding has enabled CookShop to plant the seeds of lifelong health for kids and families by meeting New Yorkers where they are—right in their classrooms.
Through a hands-on curriculum that integrates cooking, sensory exploration, and culturally familiar foods, CookShop has helped more than 500,000 students across hundreds of elementary schools across the city learn skills to eat healthy and stay active for a lifetime.
And the impact lasts.
“When a second grader starts requesting broccoli with Greek yogurt instead of ranch dressing at dinner, that’s when you know it’s working,” says Caitlin Fitzpatrick, Associate Director of Nutrition & Health Services at Food Bank For NYC. “We’re not just teaching nutrition. We’re creating lifelong learners who connect food to joy, wellness, and confidence—life skills that stick long after the lesson ends.”
A Gut Punch to Progress
If approved, the proposed federal cuts would gut SNAP-Ed nutrition education programs, the very foundation that funds CookShop. Despite the administration’s public push for healthier meals in schools, this behind-the-scenes rollback tells a different story.
“It’s deeply concerning,” says Zac Hall, Senior Vice President of Programs at Food Bank For NYC. “SNAP-Ed nutrition education is one of the most cost-effective ways to reach families with real, practical nutrition tools that empower households to eat healthy on a limited budget. CookShop is a core part of that—it’s how we bridge the gap between education and action, especially in communities where access to healthy food is already limited.”
For families in neighborhoods like the Bronx—where 1 in 3 children face food insecurity—CookShop isn’t optional. It’s essential.
“SNAP-Ed and CookShop represent the best of what public-private partnerships can do,” says Leslie Gordon, President and CEO of Food Bank For NYC. “Pulling the plug now would be a devastating blow to health equity, child wellness and long-term health outcomes in New York City.”
Take Action: Help Us Protect CookShop
As the federal budget takes shape, there’s still time to make your voice heard.
We’re calling on our community to help protect nutrition education programs like CookShop by urging Congress to fully fund SNAP-Ed. Without it, the future of hands-on nutrition education in NYC schools—and the health of thousands of children—is at risk.