Cities for Better Health-Houston and the Institute Offer Healthy Recipes for Students, Parents and Teachers

NEWS RELEASE

HOUSTON, Texas (Aug. 19, 2026) –  Schools throughout Texas are in “back to school” mode again. With the return to class and activities before and after school, schedules for students, parents, teachers, faculty and staff are jam-packed. Squeezing in the time and energy to prepare healthy meals and snacks can be especially challenging. The Institute for Spirituality and Health at the Texas Medical Center is offering tasty and nutritious recipes to help everyone get into the swing of a manageable weekday routine.

Since September 2024, Cities for Better Health-Houston, an initiative led by Dr. Maricela Caceres, has been publishing its Monthly Healthy Recipe Blog. A member of the Institute’s leadership team, Dr. Caceres serves as the program manager for Cities for Better Health-Houston. The recipes published in this blog have been created on behalf of the Institute and Cities for Better Health-Houston by Chef Johana Garcia, a nutritional health specialist with HOPE Clinic. The ingredients and nutritional content are included in each recipe.

“Adults can plan and serve budget-friendly meals and snacks while focusing away from ultra-processed items toward whole, nutrient-dense foods like protein, dairy, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats as recommended by the last Dietary Guidelines for Americans edition. Focus on meals that are easy-to-prepare with affordable and seasonal ingredients like fresh or frozen produce, limit or avoid ultra-process food, added sugars, and choose water and unsweetened drinks while limiting alcohol and sugary drinks. We encouraged you to learn how to read the food labels to make informed food choices that contribute to lifelong healthy eating habits,” said Dr. Maricela Caceres,

Some examples of healthy snacks for kids include low-fat yogurt, baby carrots and celery with hummus (garbanzo bean dip), fruit and nut trail mix, and a sliced banana with peanut butter. Easy, healthy meals and salads listed in the Cities for Better Health-Houston recipe blog include a Rainbow Power Bowl with fruits and vegetables drizzled with vinaigrette; a Spinach, Feta and Rice Casserole; a Cucumber-Radish Salad made with low-fat plain yogurt; Grilled Shrimp with Cilantro Salsa Verde; and Spiced-Seared Salmon with Greek-Style Green Beans. 

“Our healthy recipe blog is well received. I have tried many of Chef Johana’s recipes and have enjoyed them immensely. ‘Some of my favorites – to mention just a few of many – are the Mediterranean Chicken and Chickpea Salad, the Portobello Soup, and the Lentil Breakfast Salad,” Dr. Caceres said.

Please visit www.spiritualityandhealth.org/healthyrecipes to check out the recipes created by Chef Garcia.

About the Institute

The Institute is an independent, interfaith organization established in 1955. A founding member of the world-renowned Texas Medical Center, it continues to make a meaningful difference by cultivating well-being for all community members.  

The Institute’s mission is to enhance well-being by exploring the relationship between spirituality and health. It advances this mission through education, research, and direct service programs, guided by its four Centers of Excellence: the Rabbi Samuel E. Karff Center for Healthcare Professionals, the Center for Body, Spirit, and Mind, the Center for End of Life and Aging, and the Center for Faith and Public Health. For more information about the Institute or to sign up for the Institute’s free newsletter, please visit www.spiritualityandhealth.org.

About Cities for Better Health-Houston

Cities for Better Health is a global program funded by pharmaceutical leader Novo Nordisk that works to promote health equity, expand prevention, and remove the barriers that keep many people, including children, from good health. Houston joined Cities for Better Health in 2014 as the third city, after Mexico City and Copenhagen. More than 50 cities now participate in Cities for Better Health worldwide. Learn more at citiesforbetterhealth.com

Cities for Better Health-Houston is committed to educating children and adults in the greater Houston area about health promotion and prevention and fostering health equity through faith communities. Our main focus is the health and well-being of underserved communities and addressing the barriers to health and breaking the cycle of chronic diseases through early intervention and prevention of non-communicable diseases. For more information, please visit www.spiritualityandhealth.org/cbh.

About Bite of Hope-HOPE Clinic

A strategic community partner of the Institute, HOPE Clinic is a non-profit Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) network based in the Greater Houston area. Established by the Asian American Health Coalition, founded in 1994, as a volunteer-run clinic in 2002, HOPE Clinic today provides comprehensive, affordable medical, dental, behavioral health, and vision care to low-income, uninsured, and underinsured patients regardless of their ability to pay or native language.

In 2019, with Cities Changing Diabetes (now Cities for Better Health) as its founding funder, HOPE Clinic launched Bite of HOPE. Bite of HOPE is a comprehensive Food Is Medicine initiative dedicated to transforming the relationship between food, health, and community wellness. Its centerpiece, the Bite of HOPE Culinary Institute, is the first culinary school in Houston for qualifying low-income and minority students who wish to pursue a career in culinary arts; six cohorts have graduated to date. The program also brings culinary education to public school teachers, parents, and students through an ongoing partnership with the Alief ISD Children Interacting Afterschool (CIA) program.

During COVID-19, a collaboration began with the Aldine ISD Family and Community University, Dr. Caceres, Klaus Madsen Health Solutions, and the Houston Health Department to teach families healthy cooking and chronic disease prevention. The bilingual English and Spanish series “Cooking Up Good Health” has reached more than 250 immigrant households and continues today.

Media Contact:         

Laura Pennino, Senior PR Consultant for The Institute for Spirituality and Health at the Texas Medical Center
mobile: 713-419-1776 | email: lp@penninoandpartners.com