WILMINGTON, Del. (July 9, 2024) — Nemours Children’s Health, one of the nation’s largest multistate pediatric health systems, launched its “Face the Taste” initiative designed to engage parents in their quest to enhance their children’s nutrition and highlight the significance of nutrition for kids’ health overall. The social media-driven effort is part of Nemours commitment to fueling children’s development and supporting all children in their path to vibrant health.
The new parent-focused initiative stars celebrity chef Robbie Jester, a Delaware native, winner of Netflix’s Pressure Cooker and competitor on the Food Network’s Guy’s Grocery Games, Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay. Chef Robbie created custom, kid-friendly recipes with videos that encourage families to try easy recipes that promote nutrition for their children.
“Nemours is dedicated to creating healthier generations of children, and much of that has to do with what happens outside the care setting. Decades of research show that medical care is only 15 percent of an individual’s health and that the other 85 percent of health is attributable to social, behavioral and genetic factors,” said Allison Gertel-Rosenberg, Vice President, Chief Policy and Prevention Officer, Nemours Children’s Health. “We are proud to launch Face the Taste, which aims to address part of this 85 percent by changing behaviors around less-preferred foods that can be a nutritious option for children.”
Nemours Children’s Health and Nemours KidsHealth® were recently selected as U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) MyPlate National Strategic Partners—the first pediatric health system, and first health system nationally to receive this designation.
Maintaining nutrition is critical to the long-term health and well-being of children, especially in the summer months when most children are out of school. Two of the most common determinants of children’s nutrition are kids disliking certain nutritious foods, and families who may struggle to cook easy, balanced meals.
Nemours and Chef Robbie’s partnership seeks to address these barriers and make nutritious choices more accessible for children and their families. Chef Robbie’s recipes feature some of the foods generally least preferred by children such as peas, Brussels sprouts, spinach, beets and grapefruit, and offer unique ways to incorporate these healthy foods into yummy, kid-friendly meals.
“As a new parent myself, I know firsthand how important nutrition is for the growth of children. I am thrilled to partner with Nemours Children’s Health to help children and families discover meals that are approachable and tasty to eat,” said Jester. “With the Face the Taste recipes, kids will be excited to take their next bite of these inspired meals.”
The initiative, launched today, features various YouTube shorts and social media content deployed across several platforms. It includes real kids trying real food and provides real, unapologetic reactions only children can offer.
The new campaign also features content from Jaymi Carnazza, a digital creator whose son is a patient at Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware. Carnazza aims to share family-friendly activities and relatable parenting content, including connecting with parents who may also be struggling to get their children to eat healthy food and directing them to helpful Face the Taste content.
You can find all content on Face the Taste at FacetheTaste.com.
About Nemours Children’s Health
Nemours Children’s Health is one of the nation’s largest multistate pediatric health systems, which includes two freestanding children's hospitals and a network of more than 70 primary and specialty care practices. Nemours Children's seeks to transform the health of children by adopting a holistic health model that utilizes innovative, safe, and high-quality care, while also addressing children’s needs well beyond medicine. In producing the highly acclaimed, award-winning pediatric medicine podcast Well Beyond Medicine, Nemours underscores that commitment by featuring the people, programs and partnerships addressing whole child health. Nemours Children's also powers the world’s most-visited website for information on the health of children and teens, Nemours KidsHealth.org.
The Nemours Foundation, established through the legacy and philanthropy of Alfred I. duPont, provides pediatric clinical care, research, education, advocacy, and prevention programs to the children, families and communities it serves. For more information, visit Nemours.org.
About Robbie Jester
A Culinary Institute of America graduate, Chef Robbie Jester is most well-known for his appearances on Netflix Pressure Cooker, Guy’s Grocery Games, Chopped, and Beat Bobby Flay. He has been at the helm of many local restaurants and legendary establishments such as DuPont Country Club, Hotel DuPont, Piccolina Toscana, Stone Balloon Ale House, Limestone BBQ and Bourbon, Eggspectation, and now as owner of Pizzeria Mariana and In Jest Private Chef and Events.
Chef Robbie has received many local awards including Best Chef Upstate Delaware 3 consecutive years, Best BBQ Restaurant, Best New Restaurant, and Rising Star Chef of the Delaware Restaurant Association. Jester has also been featured in Delaware Today Magazine, Brandywine Signature Magazine, Out and About, and the News Journal as well as being voted one of the “Best Chefs of America” for the state of Delaware from 2012 thru 2014. Chef Jester has also catered events for Vice President Biden and the King and Queen of Sweden.
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