Betty Crocker, Barbie launch science-based baking lab to encourage girls
BettyLab recipes will teach chemistry, culinary science as a way to inspire girls interested in STEM
Food experts often say cooking is an art but baking is a science, which might be the reason why Betty Croker has teamed up with Barbie to launch a new online kitchen lab.
The baking and toy giants recently unveiled the venture, which has been named the BettyLab. It is focused on “culinary science and personal expression,” according to a press release issued Wednesday.
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When families visit the BettyLab, they get access to baking tutorials with a STEM twist. Each recipe will delve into the chemistry behind the baked item.
Betty Crocker’s BettyLab will teach culinary science through step-by-step online tutorials. (Betty Crocker)
Examples of recipes that will be covered include rock candy, ice cream in a bag, s’more cake that’s made in a slow cooker and soda pop cupcakes.
“We believe the kitchen is more than a room and baking is just the beginning,” said Betty Crocker Brand Experience Manager Stephanie Lensing, in a statement. “We created BettyLab so that every ‘Betty’ can use their kitchen and the resources they have to unlock new possibilities and potential.”
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The BettyLab is a part of the Barbie Dream Gap Project, which is targeted towards young girls.
Kids will be able to follow along with BettyLab recipes through the interactive hub. (Betty Crocker)
According to the initiative, girls around the age of 5 reportedly start developing “self-limiting beliefs” that make them “think they're not as smart and capable as boys.”
The Barbie Dream Gap Project is meant to address this problem by providing resources and support to help girls pursue their dreams. And this year, Betty Crocker is donating $100,000 to the global initiative, so girls can explore STEM through baking and culinary science.
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The BettyLab is a part of the Barbie Dream Gap Project, which is focused on inspiring girls to pursue their dreams. (Betty Crocker)
A data-driven report from the World Economic Forum shows that women are underrepresented in STEM throughout most countries, which it based on the percentage of women researchers.
The few countries where this wasn’t true was in Central and South America (Bolivia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Guatemala, Argentina and Panama), Central Asia (Myanmar, Azerbaijan, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Armenia and Kuwait), North Africa (Tunisia) and North and Southeastern Europe (Latvia, North Macedonia and Lithuania) – all of which have women making up more than half of researchers.
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“As a purpose-driven brand, Barbie is committed to reminding girls across the globe and those around them that they can do anything,” said Mattel Vice President of Consumer Products Diane Reichenberger. “Together, Barbie and Betty Crocker can inspire the limitless potential in every girl by making learning even more fun and by dedicating resources to remove barriers for the next generation.”
Betty Crocker isn’t the only baking company that is investing in science.
Nestlé Toll House recently launched a “cookie coach” named Ruth that uses artificial intelligence to address frequently asked baking questions for customers in need of assistance.