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Cooking with Hope with Chef Carolina Sánchez

The first 1,000 days, from pregnancy to 2 years of age, are a unique window of opportunity.

A caregiver feeding a young child a nutritious meal

Good nutrition during this period
can change their future.

  • Quinoa grains

    Quinoa

    Proteins for growth during the first 1,000 days.

  • Fresh carrots

    Carrot

    Vitamin A for vision and cognitive development.

  • Onions

    Onion

    Antioxidants for better defenses.

  • Red bell peppers

    Red bell pepper

    Cellular development and tissue formation.

  • Mushrooms

    Mushroom

    Strengthens bones and regulates the immune system.

Each ingredient you choose

helps mothers and their babies, both during the pregnancy and the first two years of the baby’s life. The first 1,000 days provide a unique window to ensure health and development.

  • Did you know that carrots can be a powerful ally against childhood obesity and overweight? They are rich in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants and help create healthy habits from childhood.

  • Improved health help supports → better educational outcomes → increased economic growth.

    Good nutrition within the first 1,000 days of life can correlate up to 3% growth in national GDP

  • The below quinoa recipe is ideal for expectant mothers.
    It is rich in high quality protein, iron, calcium, folic acid, vitamins A, C, B Complex, and fiber.

Quinoa risotto plated by Chef Carolina Sánchez

“School meals are an investment in our country's future. Taking pride in our cooking also means valuing and incorporating our own foods as a driver of development and a more sustainable food future.” - Chef Carolina Sánchez

Children enjoying a school meal together

School meals don't just fill plates:
they fill classrooms, boost learning, and strengthen economies.

For every US$1 invested, between 7 and 35 dollars
in benefits are generated, transforming lives and communities.

  • Did you know that every healthy ingredient choice reduces the risk of obesity, combatting a problem that can contribute to a GDP loss of 16.3% in Latin America and the Caribbean.

  • The below lentil, potato, and carrot puree is ideal for children under 2. With each ingredient doing its part to form a nutritious meal.

  • Lentils: Protein and iron to grow strong and full of energy.
    Potato: Natural energy to play, learn, and move.
    Carrot: Vitamin A for good eyesight and strong defenses.

Lentil, potato and carrot puree for children under two

Frequently asked questions

What is Cooking with Hope?

Cooking with Hope is an interactive story from the World Food Programme's FoodPrints series. Chef Carolina Sánchez — a renowned chef from Cuenca, the first Ecuadorian to earn a Michelin star, and a WFP High-Level Supporter — cooks two nutritious recipes that show why good nutrition matters most in a child's earliest years.

Why are the first 1,000 days so important?

The first 1,000 days, from pregnancy to two years of age, are a unique window of opportunity: good nutrition during this period can change a child's future. Improved health supports better educational outcomes and increased economic growth — good nutrition within the first 1,000 days of life can correlate with up to 3% growth in national GDP.

Which recipes does Chef Carolina Sánchez prepare?

Two. A quinoa dish ideal for expectant mothers, rich in high-quality protein, iron, calcium, folic acid, fibre and vitamins A, C and B complex; and a lentil, potato and carrot puree for children under two — lentils for protein and iron, potato for natural energy, carrot for vitamin A.

Why does WFP invest in school meals?

School meals don't just fill plates: they fill classrooms, boost learning and strengthen economies. For every US$ 1 invested, between 7 and 35 dollars in benefits are generated. WFP's vision is for every child to receive a healthy meal at school by 2030, with school meals as a pillar of social protection, education and food systems transformation.

How can I help?

Cook the recipes at home, choose nutritious local ingredients for your family, share the story, and donate to WFP to support nutrition and school meal programmes in Latin America and the Caribbean.

A finished dish by Chef Carolina Sánchez