COOKING WITH KIDS INC

What COOKING WITH KIDS INC does

Cooking with Kids, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1995 and headquartered in Santa Fe, New Mexico, that delivers hands-on food and nutrition education to elementary school children (Pre-K through 6th grade) in public schools across Northern New Mexico. The organization operates three core regional programs — Cooking with Kids: Santa Fe (14 schools), Cooking with Kids: Rio Arriba (8-9 schools, with full coverage of Española Public Schools achieved in Spring 2024), and Cooking with Kids: San Miguel (Las Vegas, NM, expansion began 2023) — supplemented by the Superchefs volunteer professional chef program (50+ chefs), Farmers in the Schools (local food procurement and farmer classroom visits), and tasting-lesson sensory curricula. Programs are delivered free of charge to families during regular school hours and prioritize schools where at least 50% of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals.

The underlying technology stack is primarily educational content rather than software: a 30+ year curriculum library grounded in research from the Food Studies Institute (Antonia Demas methodology) that has been refined through peer-reviewed studies published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior and validated by USDA-funded Colorado State University research. The BIG little Project serves as the organization's online resource platform distributing lessons, recipes, and how-to videos to educators in 48 states, Puerto Rico, and Canada. The curriculum has been formally adopted by the New Mexico Public Education Department for Health Education.

The business model is grant- and donation-funded rather than revenue-generating. Funding streams include USDA SNAP-Ed (via NM Human Services Department) and NM Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grants, private foundations (Thornburg, LANL, Sprouts Healthy Communities, Santa Fe Community Foundation, United Way of Central New Mexico), corporate sponsorships (Enterprise Bank & Trust, Wild Birds Unlimited, Plaza Restaurant, Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta), and individual donations processed through the annual Superchef Dinner fundraiser and online giving platforms. With 1-10 employees, the organization runs a lean operation supplemented by 50+ volunteer professional chefs and over 1,000 family volunteers annually. The organization has earned the Guidestar Platinum Seal of Transparency and a James Beard Foundation / Food Tank Good Food Org Guide recognition.

Name

COOKING WITH KIDS INC

Legal name

Cooking with Kids, Inc.

Website

https://cookingwithkids.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cooking with Kids, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1995 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, that delivers free, hands-on food and nutrition education to Pre-K through 6th-grade children in public schools across Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, and San Miguel counties, reaching 6,000+ children annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nutrition Education Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Menu Planning, Nutrition & Dietary Accommodation Services (Allergens, Special Diets) (EDAEAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Child Nutrition & Meal Programs (CACFP/Snack Programs) (EDACAMAA), School Feeding & Social Protection Partnerships (Conditional Cash Transfers, etc.) (EDADALAL)

Keywords

• Nutrition education programs
• School-based cooking classes
• Childhood nutrition initiatives
• Farm-to-school programs
• Community food education

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Fe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Grants and Foundation Support: Primary funding from government grants (USDA SNAP-Ed, NM Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant) and private foundations (Thornburg Foundation, LANL Foundation, Sprouts Healthy Communities, etc.)
2. Individual and Corporate Donations: Direct contributions from individuals, corporate sponsors, and event sponsorships including the annual Superchef Dinner fundraiser
3. Community Foundation Support: Funding from community foundations including Santa Fe Community Foundation, United Way of Central New Mexico, and local donor-advised funds

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Cooking with Kids delivers free, hands-on food and nutrition education programs in public school classrooms and cafeterias across Northern New Mexico. Programs include cooking lessons, tasting lessons, cafeteria collaborations, and farm-to-school experiences that introduce children to fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. The organization serves over 6,000 children annually through three regional programs in Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, and San Miguel counties, supported by an online curriculum resource platform.

Product overview

Cooking with Kids Inc operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing hands-on food and nutrition education programs in Northern New Mexico. The organization's core offerings consist of three regional programs: Cooking with Kids: Santa Fe (serving 14 schools), Cooking with Kids: Rio Arriba (serving 8-9 schools in Española Public Schools), and Cooking with Kids: San Miguel (serving Las Vegas, NM). Supporting these are complementary programs including Hands-on Nutrition Education (cooking lessons, tasting lessons, school lunchroom collaborations), Farmers in the Schools (connecting students with local farmers and produce), and Superchefs (volunteer professional chefs). The organization also offers The BIG little Project as an online resource platform with lessons, recipes, and videos. Additional offerings include Recipes & Resources, Email Newsletter, and the CWK Alumni Association. All programs are free to participating families and serve over 6,000 children annually across three counties in Northern New Mexico.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cooking with Kids: Santa Fe Regional program serving pre-kindergarten through sixth grade students in 14 Santa Fe public schools with cooking lessons, tasting lessons, and lunchroom collaborations.
• Cooking with Kids: Rio Arriba Regional program serving over 1,000 kindergarten through sixth grade students across 8-9 schools in Rio Arriba county, expanded to all Española Public Schools in Spring 2024.
• Cooking with Kids: San Miguel Regional hands-on nutrition education program operating in San Miguel County, Las Vegas, NM, marking the organization's third county of service.
• Hands-on Nutrition Education Comprehensive nutrition education programming including cooking lessons, tasting lessons, school lunchroom collaborations, and community outreach for elementary school students.
• Farmers in the Schools Program connecting students with farmers and locally grown produce through classroom visits, cafeteria tastings, and purchasing local food for cooking classes.
• Superchefs Volunteer program engaging over 50 local professional chefs who visit schools to cook alongside students, inspire healthy eating, and provide culinary training to cafeteria staff.
• The BIG little Project Online resource platform providing lessons, recipes, videos, and educational content developed by Cooking with Kids over 25+ years; shared with educators across 48 states, Puerto Rico, and Canada.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 6,000 children served annually; 8,000+ total children educated since 1995
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Santa Fe Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary school district partner for Cooking with Kids: Santa Fe program. Provides access to 14 schools and over 4,500 students annually. Student Nutrition Services collaborates on cafeteria programs and local food procurement.
• Española Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary school district partner for Cooking with Kids: Rio Arriba program. Expanded to all Española Public Schools in Spring 2024. Student Nutrition Services collaborates on cafeteria programs.
• Superchefs (Local Volunteer Chefs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of over 50 local professional chefs who volunteer time in classrooms and cafeterias, inspiring children and training cafeteria staff. Includes notable chefs like Martín Rios, Rocky Durham, and Fernando Olea.
• Farm to Table New MexicomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization supporting farm-to-school initiatives and local food systems.
• Museum of International Folk ArtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural partnership providing cross-cultural learning experiences through food and art.
• Santa Fe Farmers' MarketmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership connecting kids with local farmers and promoting local food consumption.
• Colorado State UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted USDA-funded research validating Cooking with Kids program effectiveness.
• Food Studies Institute (Antonia Demas)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch-based methodology from Food Studies Institute founded by Antonia Demas showing cooking classes increase children's food acceptance 5-20 times more than comparison groups.
• Moving Arts EspañolaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts organization collaborating on creative programming in Española schools.
• 21st Century Community Learning CentersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExtended learning program partnerships supporting after-school nutrition education.
• Communities in Schools New MexicominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit supporting students' success through community partnerships.
• Young Voices of the Santa Fe OperaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural partnership including special programming like hand-washing song collaboration.
• New Mexico Department of Health: Healthy Kids, Healthy CommunitiesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState health department initiative supporting childhood nutrition and wellness programs.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Sylvia Center: Nonprofit that teaches children and families healthy cooking through in-school and community programs; directly comparable hand-on cooking curriculum and school partnership model.
• Chef Ann Foundation: National nonprofit that provides schools with scratch-cooking and nutrition education programs; directly comparable as a nonprofit delivering K-12 food and nutrition curriculum and cafeteria support, though focused on systemic school food reform.
• Wellness in the Schools: Nonprofit that partners with public schools to provide nutrition education, scratch-cooking coaching for cafeteria staff, and recess programs; comparable as a nonprofit B2B school partner with cafeteria and curriculum components.
• FoodCorps: National nonprofit placing service members in schools to deliver hands-on food and nutrition education with a farm-to-school focus; directly comparable model using dedicated educators to deliver in-classroom programming.
• Edible Schoolyard Project: Alice Waters' nonprofit that integrates hands-on cooking and garden-based nutrition education into public school curricula; directly comparable mission, K-12 audience, and curriculum-driven model.
• Common Threads: National nonprofit delivering hands-on cooking and nutrition education to children and families, with an emphasis on cultural diversity; directly comparable in pediatric nutrition education model and K-8 audience.

Broad incumbents

• Action for Healthy Kids: Large national nonprofit providing school-based nutrition, physical activity, and wellness resources across all 50 states; broader in scope and reach, but overlaps with Cooking with Kids on school nutrition education.
• National Farm to School Network: National information, advocacy, and networking organization supporting farm to school efforts in K-12 districts; overlapping because Cooking with Kids' Farmers in the Schools program operates in the same farm-to-school category.

Others

• Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation: Foundation arm of Sprouts Farmers Market that funds Cooking with Kids and similar child-nutrition education programs; an ecosystem funder rather than a direct competitor.
• Farm to Table New Mexico: New Mexico nonprofit supporting local food systems and farm-to-school initiatives; it is a strategic partner rather than a competitor, enabling shared community reach in Northern New Mexico.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/cwksantafe
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC0sbJpdc8jB91UhUmJE2qpA
• Facebookfacebook.com/cookingwithkids
• Instagraminstagram.com/cwksantafe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cooking-with-kids-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about COOKING WITH KIDS INC