Consumer Education Foundation

The Consumer Education Foundation was formed to promote healthy eating, and to help people improve what they eat, how much they eat, and how much they enjoy food. Established as a charitable fund in 1999 by Brian Wansink while a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, it was awarded the status of a tax-deductible foundation in 2005 under its registered name, the Wansink Consumer Education Foundation. Its mission is focused on food-related education, and it helps educate people to be better consumers by supporting a number of types of projects. Two programs it supports include the National Science Fair Awards, and in conjunction with the Cornell Food and Brand Lab, it annually sponsors the Cornell University Consumer Camp.

Science Fair Awards
The Foundation offers small expense-related awards to elementary and secondary students who are conducting school-based or 4-H projects aimed at helping people what they eat, how much they eat, and how much they enjoy food. These awards are typically in the range of $25-75 and the projects are related to a science fair or to a nutrition-related school project in either the United States or in Canada. The priority is on creative, novel ideas. Students who are from small public schools or from rural areas are especially encouraged to apply, as are students whose parents did not have the opportunity to attend college. Applications are evaluated on a continuous basis.

Consumer Camp


The Foundation also sponsors Consumer Camp on the campus of Cornell University during the one of the first two weekends in April. This provides a full-day “on-hands” opportunity for people of all ages to learn how to improve what they eat, how much they eat, and how much they enjoy food. In earlier years, Consumer Camps have drawn up to 400 attendees. In recent recent years an attempt has been made to limit attendance to better facilitate interactive experiences. Reservations are required for the free event.