ACCM's Health meets Food Courseware Aligns with HHS Recommendations for Medical Schools

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Jan. 18, 2026 - PRLog -- The American College of Culinary Medicine (ACCM) expresses its appreciation for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) initiatives aimed at advancing and expanding nutrition education within medical education. The 71 competencies across 10 domains serve as a comprehensive roadmap for academic leaders to effectively incorporate meaningful nutrition education into undergraduate and graduate medical courseware.

In addition to the competencies released by HHS, the expansion of the recommended curriculum hours to at least 40 represents a significant step forward in addressing the prevalent issue of food-related illnesses in America.

The ACCM Health meets Food curriculum, currently utilized by over 60 academic medical centers and medical schools, has consistently provided the only evidence-based, research-proven diet and nutrition curriculum for over a decade. This courseware effectively translates fundamental scientific pre-clinical education (such as physiology, metabolism, and biochemistry) into practical conversations that healthcare professionals can engage in with their patients about the transformative power of food in improving health.

The ACCM Curriculum Committee meticulously reviews, revises, and updates the curriculum, ensuring that the courseware currently meets over 70% of the recommended HHS competencies and 100% of the clinically focused HHS competencies.

The Health meets Food courseware has garnered significant attention through multiple studies published in peer-reviewed literature, demonstrating its superior outcomes compared to standard nutrition education. The Culinary Medicine programming integrates self-directed learning with hands-on cooking classes, team-based learning, and seminar-style case studies, providing a practical and engaging learning experience.

For those interested in becoming an ACCM partner site and utilizing the Health meets Food courseware at your institution, please contact info@culinarymedicine.org.

A map of HHS competencies aligned with the Health meets Food curriculum is available at https://culinarymedicine.org/hmf-medical-education-compet...