Blooming Baker

Sahana Vij went from writing term papers to penning her own cookbook. Learn how this California student made the grade with her collection of recipes.

- LISA KAMINSKI

FOR SAHANA VIJ, food and giving back have always gone hand in hand.

As a kid growing up in Redmond, California, Sahana served meals with her mother at a women's and children's shelter, and as a high school student, Sahana started volunteering at a nearby elementary school.

That's around the same time she decided to take her passion for food to the next level. Sahana spent school nights and weekends developing recipes inspired by her family's travels across America. Sahana knew, though, that her aim was to do more than just create recipes. "I wanted to combine my love for baking and writing," she says.

Eventually, Sahana's stories and treats became Bake Away, her 2021 cookbook.

While releasing her first volume of recipes as a teenager was a major accomplishment in itself, Sahana pushed herself for extra credit with this project. As she assembled Bake Away, Sahana searched for a nonprofit organization with which to share her success. She found the perfect partner in No Kid Hungry.

"I chose to work with No Kid Hungry because it works on the national and local levels to give kids access to free school meals," she says.

Prior to publishing, Sahana set a goal to contribute 500,000 meals to the organization a goal she met within just three months. Now, nearly a year after the release of Bake Away, that number is still climbing, much to Sahana's delight. "I'm happy to turn my passion into something that gives back," she says.