Learn how to support our Summer Health campaign today!
Cooking For Life
Common Threads is a national nonprofit that provides children and families cooking and nutrition education to encourage healthy habits that contribute to wellness. We equip under-resourced communities with information to make affordable, nutritious and appealing food choices wherever they live, work, learn, and play. We know that food is rooted in culture and tradition so we promote diversity in our lessons and recipes, encouraging our participants to celebrate the world around them.
Our WORK
Common Threads is a passionate team of problem solvers and learners driven by the desire to help build healthy, self-sustaining communities. Our approach is earnest, but not always conventional. We are intentional, but also entrepreneurial. Our work is experiential, with a desire for our lessons to complement and enhance learning. We are proud of our work, and humbled to be a part of communities across the country. Check out our latest public service announcement, and watch first hand the impact our work has in the communities we provide in.
OUR PROGRAMS
At Common Threads, we are picking up our pots and pans to stir up some excitement for fun, healthy, easy cooking: In the schools, communities and kitchens across America.
Small Bites
Virtual Cooking Class
On-Demand
Parent Workshop
Students reached in 2019-2020
Adults reached in 2019-2020
Meals served in 2019-2020
Partners in 2019-2020
What’s New
Passion for food and social equity bring Chef Vicky AuYeung to Common Threads
After seven years of working in the culinary industry, Vicky AuYeung was seeking to be a part of an organization whose main focus was to bring people together from local communities through food. With that focus, she found a job opportunity at Common Threads as a New York based chef instructor.
Chicago chef instructor’s journey to Common Threads started in grandmother’s kitchen
Shawanna Kennedy traces her path to teaching culinary arts and nutrition education back to her grandmother’s kitchen. She studied psychology at Southern Illinois University and began working in the mental health field, but found her way to Common Threads after meeting co-founder Chef Art Smith.
Engage your children’s minds and hands with Common Threads summer reading list
Common Threads has developed a complete summer reading list that incorporates books about healthy lifestyle choices, growing a garden, and foods from different cultures! Try reading these books with your child to experience the important life lessons food teaches, from cultural acceptance to self care.
Upcoming Events
All events are posted in Central Time (CST)
common bytes
Digital Resource Hub
Common Bytes is a resource hub for students, families, and educators. Featuring extensive digital curricula, interactive recipes, games, and other resources designed to increase nutrition knowledge, change attitudes toward healthy eating and to motivate the adoption of healthy behaviors.
Recipes of the Month
July Features
Our Supporters
Empowering Our Community
Many of the communities in which we work will be especially vulnerable to the repercussions of the pandemic.
