From Gym to Kitchen: The Healthy Remix Takes Off
February 12, 2026
The energy inside the gym at Clifford J. Lawrence Junior High School was electric.
Seventh graders poured in, buzzing with anticipation for Chefs for Kids’ first-ever Healthy Remix middle school assembly. Students from the school’s Safari Scholar program proudly took the stage to kick things off, introducing the day’s main event: Celebrity Chef and Chefs for Kids Board President, Vic Vegas.
From the moment Chef Vic fired up the pan, the room was hooked.
With confidence and charisma, he led students through a live cooking demonstration of our Rainbow Remix Stir Fry — a vibrant, veggie-packed recipe created specifically for this program. As each colorful ingredient hit the hot pan, the gym filled with a chorus of “ooohs” and “aaahs.” When the final dish came together? Thunderous applause.
But this was more than just a cooking show.
Along the way, Chef Vic shared practical, real-life kitchen skills:
- Why your pan needs to be hot before you start cooking.
- How to properly wash and handle produce and cooking supplies.
- Why you should curl your fingers when chopping vegetables.
Most importantly, he explained why eating fruits and vegetables in every color of the rainbow fuels your body, boosts your brain, and supports long-term health. The Rainbow Remix Stir Fry was intentionally crafted to include produce from every color group — turning nutrition into something students could see, smell, and taste.
Why Middle School Matters
For years, Chefs for Kids has focused primarily on elementary school students, knowing that healthy habits are most likely to “stick” when learned early.
But we’ve seen a growing need.
Many students entering middle school are already responsible for preparing meals for themselves — and sometimes for younger siblings — yet lack basic cooking knowledge, food safety skills, and nutrition education. That’s where Healthy Remix comes in.
This new expansion equips students with:
✔ Foundational cooking skills
✔ Food safety and sanitation knowledge
✔ Confidence in the kitchen
✔ A practical, affordable recipe they can recreate at home
After the demo, students headed to the cafeteria where chefs from South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa served up sample boxes of the stir fry. The verdict? Delicious.
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, volunteers were hard at work packing reusable grocery bags filled with every ingredient needed to recreate the dish at home — plus nutrition education materials to reinforce the lesson. At the end of the school day, students walked out not just inspired, but fully equipped to cook the Rainbow Remix Stir Fry in their own kitchens.
That’s impact you can taste.
It Takes a Village
This program was made possible thanks to the generous support of our partners, including: University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nicholas & Company, Vegas Golden Knights Foundation, MGM Resorts International, Union Pacific Railroad, Speedway Children’s Charities, Dermody Properties Foundation, and Timothy S.Y. Lam Foundation.
Because of them, students didn’t just watch a cooking demonstration, they gained skills that can last a lifetime.
Help Us Bring Healthy Remix to More Schools
When you donate to Chefs for Kids, you’re not just funding a program. You’re putting groceries in a student’s hands. You’re teaching safe knife skills. You’re building confidence. You’re helping a child feed themselves and sometimes their family in a healthier way.
The demand for middle school programming is growing, and we’re just getting started.
If today’s 7th graders can master the Rainbow Remix Stir Fry, imagine what’s possible with your support.
Make a gift today and help us empower the next generation of confident, healthy home cooks.
Read more about the program in local reports from KSNV Ch. 3 and KLAS 8 News Now.
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