For decades, doctors have urged patients to eat better but few have been trained in how to make that advice work in real life. A new program from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) is working to change that by bringing cooking and nutrition education directly into medical training and making the resources free for everyone.
The Culinary Medicine Program, developed by Dr. Michelle Hauser of Stanford University School of Medicine, combines nearly 15 hours of video lessons with a full teaching curriculum. The lessons cover everything from knife skills and meal prep to plant-predominant recipes and healthier versions of comfort foods, all designed to make cooking feel approachable instead of overwhelming.
“Culinary medicine is about making the science of nutrition accessible in everyday life,” said Hauser. “By equipping health care professionals with both the knowledge and the hands-on skills to prepare healthy meals, we can help patients move from advice to action — and that’s where real health transformation begins.”
The curriculum, which can be used by medical schools, community programs or individuals at home, fills a long-standing gap in health care education. Most medical students receive fewer than 20 hours of nutrition training, often focused on biochemistry rather than practical application. ACLM’s approach aims to bridge that gap with what Hauser calls “kitchen confidence.”
The updated Culinary Medicine Curriculum includes instructor guides, recipes, shopping lists and adaptable lesson plans for different teaching environments, whether a full kitchen or a classroom projector. It’s meant to be as useful for patients and families as it is for medical students or clinicians looking to enhance their counseling skills.
“Our goal was to create something practical, flexible and inspiring,” said Hauser. “Whether you’re a physician, medical student or simply someone who wants to cook healthier at home, these resources meet you where you are.”
The launch comes at a time when national attention is turning toward the lack of nutrition education in health care. Recent federal initiatives now require medical education programs to define their nutrition training standards, a step advocates say is long overdue.
By blending evidence-based nutrition with the pleasure of cooking, the ACLM program is designed to do more than teach recipes; it’s about shifting culture. As Hauser puts it, the program’s purpose is to help people discover that “healthy eating doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive or out of reach.”
The program and curriculum were developed by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine in collaboration with Stanford University’s Dr. Michelle Hauser, with support from Jeanne Rosner, MD, and Soul Food Salon.