Imagine food as medicine
Culinary medicine is an emerging field that incorporates current research on healthful foods, nutrition, and cooking into the practice of medicine, in order to promote health and wellness and to assist with the prevention and treatment of chronic health conditions.
The Culinary Medicine Program, an initiative within the Department of Medicine, aims to promote health and wellness through food. The Culinary Medicine Program brings together clinical, academic and community nutrition and culinary initiatives to create a cohesive vision for the future of food as medicine.
The Culinary Medicine Program team includes chefs, physicians, clinical staff, and dietitians.
By offering nutrition and culinary programs to medical staff, patients, and community members, the program aims to provide innovative approaches to improving health while establishing an evidence base for culinary programs both regionally and nationally.
Our programs
- EatSmarter Culinary classes: As part of the Healthy Lifestyles Program, EatSmarter Culinary classes for patients cover culinary skills, practical nutrition principles, and the link between diet choices and chronic disease.
- Cook, Eat, Learn: Skills to Promote Healthy Lifestyle Partnerships with Patients: A year-long curriculum that provides health care providers and staff with the nutrition and culinary skills needed both to model healthy eating habits and to guide patients in improving diet choices to prevent and manage chronic disease. The program includes a healthful and delicious breakfast, cooking demonstration and recipes, and nutrition and lifestyle education as a part of Grand Rounds.
- Culinary Medicine classes: A range of hands-on culinary medicine classes for health care providers and staff, patients, families, and community members
- Healthier Hospital initiative: A healthier hospital initiative across Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) is transforming patient, employee, and visitor menu choices to include healthful, sustainable food options. Initiatives include menu development, healthy-choice food labeling in the cafeterias, elimination of deep-fat fried foods, a healthy beverage program, local and sustainable food sourcing, farm-to-table offerings, an on-site farmers' market and Community Sponsored Agriculture (CSA) program, cooking demonstrations for staff, and our monthly "Lets Talk and Taste Nutrition" booth. For more information contact Deb Keane, LD RD at food.nutrition.comments@hitchcock.org.
Our research
Research is integrated into the culinary educational programs to measure changes in knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to nutrition and culinary skills, as well as changes in health outcomes. Results from our studies will be used to guide the development of an evidence-based culinary medicine practice.
Contact us
For more information on the Culinary Medicine Program contact:
Auden C. McClure, MD, MPH
Director, Culinary Medicine Program
603-653-9053