Champion a Colourful, Nourishing Dish Any Family Can Make.
Cook it, shop for it, or tell the story behind it. This month, chefs and creators around the world are raising awareness around child nutrition and diversity on the plate.
A diverse diet — at least five food groups a day — is one of the simplest signs that a child or woman is getting the nutrients they need to grow, learn, and thrive.
Yet worldwide:
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Only 3 in 10 young children (SOFI 2026) eat the diverse diet they need to grow and thrive.
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Micronutrient deficiencies affect 56% of pre-school children and 69% of women of reproductive age (The Lancet).
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When budgets tighten, families keep the filling staples and cut the diverse foods — so diets get less nutritious long before they get smaller.
We Know What Works
Even during economic or climate shocks, we can keep good food on the table. We know the solutions that protect children’s plates:
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Fortified Staples: Adding vitamins and minerals to everyday flour, oil, and salt costs as little as 18 cents per person per year and yields huge health returns.
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School Meals: Programs currently reach 466 million children worldwide (School Meals Coalition), protecting young minds and lifting families out of poverty.
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Safe Water & Sanitation: Clean water helps bodies absorb the nutrients in their food and prevents water-borne illnesses.
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Social Protection: Cash transfers and food assistance help families keep diverse foods on the table when crises strike.
As chefs, you can demonstrate that nourishing, diverse meals belong to every culture and every family — even on a budget.
How to Take Action
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Prepare a diverse, nutritious and sustainable cultural dish using locally accessible ingredients that combine a rainbow of food groups.
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Tag @chefsmanifesto, use #ForEveryChild #GoodFood4All
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Share your videos between November 1st til November 13th as youth and world leaders assemble for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games and the Global Child Nutrition Forum.
We’ll be reposting your dishes!
Good Food For All: Healthy Change. Diverse, Colourful, Nutritious
Between promises and progress: Food systems at the Bonn climate talks
