Culinary Medicine
Bringing people together through food, health and community
About the Initiative
The VCU Culinary Medicine initiative is a collaborative program led by the VCU School of Pharmacy Center for Pharmacy Practice Innovation, VCU School of Nursing and The Kitchens at Reynolds Community College. The initiative brings together adults with diabetes and VCU health care students for hands-on cooking classes focusing on diabetes‑friendly meal preparation, practical nutrition skills and strategies for managing health in everyday life.
By cooking and sharing meals together, participants create an engaging, supportive community that encourages dialogue about lived experiences, challenges and approaches to diabetes self‑management. Participants also report increased confidence in preparing healthy meals, improved understanding of nutrition principles and enhanced empathy among health care students.
The initiative demonstrates a model that simultaneously supports diabetes self‑management and fosters meaningful relationships between community members and future health care providers.
Get Involved
Cook With Us at Home
Follow along with our cooking demonstrations as you prepare your next meal.
What is culinary medicine?
Culinary medicine is an evidence-based approach that blends the art of food and cooking with the science of medicine. Culinary medicine works in combination with existing treatments and on its own to help individuals feel their best.
It is much more than just nutrition; culinary medicine empowers individuals to prevent and manage chronic diseases through healthful eating choices. When we learn how foods affect the body, practice basic cooking skills and build our kitchen confidence, we create our own unique healthy lifestyles.
Culinary medicine breaks healthful eating into manageable steps to create delicious meals that promote health from the inside for real people.
Our Team
