Some 124 VA facilities across the United States offer signature Healthy Teaching Kitchen (HTK) programs that teach veterans and their support persons about food, nutrition, and how to prepare and store balanced, healthy dishes. The programs complement cooking instruction provided at residential VA Blind Rehabilitation Centers. 

Initiated in 2004, program classes are open to VA-enrolled veterans and a “plus one” if desired. The “plus one” can be a partner, family member, caretaker, or anyone else involved in helping the veteran prepare food. HTK consists of a leadership team of 12 and online resources for all VA patients and staff. In 2019, VA Nutrition and Food Service Directive 1438 stated that all VA facilities will have an HTK program.

To find out if your facility has an HTK program, contact your Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) dietician/nutritionist. To access the Healthy Teaching Kitchen Cookbook and Recipe Library, an additional HTK resource, click the button below.