Kids Food Art YYC
About Us
From Our Family to Yours
At Kids Food Art YYC, our purpose is simple: to help children build confidence, creativity, and healthy habits through hands-on experiences with food.
We believe that when kids are given the opportunity to create, explore, and play, they develop a more positive relationship with food. By turning fruits, vegetables, and everyday ingredients into edible art, we make healthy choices more engaging and approachable.
Kids Food Art YYC is a true family collaboration built on creativity, education, encouragement, and connection.
Meet the Family Behind This Summer Camp fo Kids
Nanette and Jessi are the mother-and-daughter team behind Kids Food Art YYC, a summer camp inspired by generations of creativity in the kitchen.
Together, they have created a program that combines food art, confidence-building, creativity, and meaningful family values in a fun and supportive environment. Nanette has an extensive background in counselling, mentorship, and youth development. Jessi contributes her energy and leadership as an NCAA athlete, Honor Roll business student, certified personal trainer, and mentor to younger children.
Both are Food Handler Certified, and Jessi is also certified in First Aid. Their shared passion for creativity, learning, and encouraging children is at the heart of every Kids Food Art YYC camp experience.
What began as a family tradition in the kitchen has grown into a meaningful summer camp experience where children can learn, create, and build confidence in a supportive environment.
A Family Tradition Rooted in Creativity, Food, and Connection
Kids Food Art YYC began as a cherished family tradition, passed down from grandmother to mother to grandchildren through generations of creativity, cooking, and meaningful time spent together in the kitchen.
Long before “food art” became a social media trend, it was already the heart of the Seenandan family kitchen. In the 1970s and 1980s, Mrs. Seenandan became known among family and friends in Calgary for her imaginative food creations and artistic approach to everyday meals. Using fruits, vegetables, pancakes, sandwiches, and simple ingredients, she transformed ordinary food into playful works of art that brought smiles to children and adults alike. Her creations encouraged curiosity, conversation, and a joyful connection.
Making Food Creative, Educational and Fun
More than just beautiful presentations, her food art taught an important lesson: food could be creative, educational, and fun. Mrs. Seenandan passed these skills and traditions on to her daughter, Nanette, who continued the family’s passion for hands-on creativity in the kitchen. Nanette raised her children surrounded by colourful ingredients, creative projects, and the belief that cooking together builds confidence, encourages healthier eating habits, and creates lasting memories.
Through years of family gatherings, celebrations, and imaginative food creations, the tradition continued to grow. Today, Kids Food Art YYC brings that same spirit to Calgary families through fun, hands-on summer camps where children can explore creativity, learn food safety and kitchen skills, build confidence, and discover a positive relationship with food in a supportive environment.
What began decades ago in one family’s kitchen has now become an opportunity to inspire a new generation of young creators across Calgary.
Meet the Camp Leaders
Nanette Seenandan | Founder & Camp Lead
Nanette designed Kids Food Art YYC to be much more than a summer camp.
With decades of experience in Counselling, food art and creative cooking, Nanette believes hands-on creativity helps children build confidence, communication skills, and meaningful connections with others.
Her approach combines creativity, encouragement, and mentorship in a way that helps children feel supported while learning new skills.
Nanette holds:
-
A Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Business
-
A Master’s Degree in Counselling
Her counselling background includes work in:
-
Family counselling
-
Individual counselling
-
Addiction support
-
ADHD and anxiety support
-
Pastoral and social services counselling
In addition to her professional background, Nanette is:
-
A published children’s book author
-
A contributing Amazon bestselling author
-
An inspirational and content writer for more than 20 years
-
She has also written educational material for a world-renowned teen camp, helping parents better understand communication, emotional wellness, and youth support strategies.
Nanette is Food Handler Certified and brings decades of leadership, creativity, and mentorship experience into every aspect of the camp.
Jessi Lucas | Camp Leader & Program Support
Jessi is home from university for the summer and is excited to help lead Kids Food Art YYC, bringing her energy, creativity, leadership, and passion for working with children into every camp experience.
Jessi is an accomplished young leader who has grown up surrounded by creativity, family traditions, and hands-on learning in the kitchen. Home from university for the summer, she is excited to help lead Kids Food Art YYC and share her positive energy, creativity, and passion for working with children of all ages.
As an NCAA basketball player and Honor Roll business student entering her third year of university, Jessi understands the importance of discipline, confidence, teamwork, and encouragement. Alongside her athletic and academic achievements, she is also a certified personal trainer, Food Handler Certified, and certified in First Aid.
Over the years, Jessi has received numerous academic, athletic, and leadership awards, including President’s List recognition at Emmanuel University for maintaining a 4.00 GPA, Academic Excellence with Distinction, the Principal’s Award, the Mountaineer Award for Character Recognition, Pascal School Champion in Mathematics and Computing, and first place in the National Prep Division at the Canletes National Hoops Series.
More importantly, Jessi brings kindness, patience, leadership, and mentorship into every camp experience. Her dedication to personal growth, healthy living, and helping others reflects the same values Kids Food Art YYC hopes to inspire in every child who attends.
Every registration also helps support Jessi’s ongoing academic and athletic journey, allowing this meaningful family tradition to continue growing into the next generation.
What Kids Experience at Camp
Kids Food Art YYC (KFA YYC) is a fun, hands-on day camp in Calgary where children ages 7 through 12 can create, design, and enjoy their own edible masterpieces.
Here is what you can look forward to this July and August:
The Food: Campers will transform ordinary treats into extraordinary works of art, like crafting “wiener dogs” out of Twix and Tootsie Rolls or vegetables into epic sceneries.
The Education: Our curriculum is designed to be engaging and educational, offering kids a unique way to explore food engineering and chocolate creations.
The Safety: Your peace of mind is a priority; we maintain a professional staff-to-child ratio and ensure all activities follow Alberta’s food safety handling standards.
