Overview
The Food & Family Program by the Christopher Family Foundation sought to build positive connections between food and family life to promote healthy eating, preserve family traditions, and build stronger relationships, with an emphasis on children and youth. The program took a strengths-based approach to life's challenges and sought to demonstrate that the most effective programming is built on the assets that each family brings to the table. The transdisciplinary research funded by the project has helped to unravel the complex connections between the family environment and healthy, active lifestyles for all.
Related Research Projects
- Fathers and Family Mealtimes: Identifying Men's Roles in Increasing Children's Healthy Eating Habits
- Gardening and Family Health
- Gene—Microbiome—Environmental Interactions
- JUS Media? Programme: Food-Focused Media Literacy for Jamaican Families
- Sprouts Growing Healthy Habits
- Understanding the Nutritional Challenges of Cancer Survivors
- Abriendo Caminos—Clearing the Path to Hispanic Health
- An Evaluation of the Backpack Program in East Central Illinois
- Family Dinner Campaign Evaluation: Kids Eat It Up
- "Fostering" Health and Nutrition
- Health Transitions in Immigrant Families Initiative
- Healthy Today, Healthy Tomorrow
- Mealtime Strategies for Picky Eating
- Preventing Diabetes in Hispanic Communities
Initiatives
The Mealtime Minutes videos are a series of public service announcements (PSAs) that provide real solutions to common family mealtime challenges. The 30-second PSAs help families create effective strategies to address these challenges and create quality shared time together. The PSAs have been broadcasted nationwide and have reached millions of homes. Watch the public service announcements.
2019 Food & Family Conference
On September 26, 2019, the Family Resiliency Center and the Christopher Family Foundation hosted the Food & Family Conference at the University Club in Chicago, bringing together the nation's foremost experts in human nutrition, obesity research, and child and family health. Attendees heard from speakers Sharon Donovan, Emily Engelhard, Gail Ferguson, Kristen Harrison, Brent McBride, Mary Ann McCabe, Alison Miller, Michelle Nelson, Norma Olvera, Rafael Pérez-Escamilla, Eliana M. Perrin, Elissa Bassler, Susan Johnson, and Tamara Hannon.
The "Food & Family Conference Preview" podcast below highlights the presenters and topics of the 2019 event.
2015 Food & Family Conference
On September 17th, 2015, the Family Resiliency Center and the Christopher Family Foundation hosted the Food & Family Conference at the University Club of Chicago. Attendees included nutrition professionals, foodbank staff, industry representatives, early-care advocates, extension educators, and academics. All were able to hear from some of the nation’s leading experts in human nutrition, obesity research, and child and family health. Additionally, attendees learned about new funding opportunities and the latest research on the challenges and solutions to promoting healthy eating, connecting food and families in positive ways, and the challenges of feeding children in a variety of settings.
View conference presentations and photos from the event.