Food Eduction Research

What do we mean when we talk about food education? Is it broadly learning about food, in all its guises? Words are important, because what one person means by food education, could be wildly different to the next persons understanding of the term.

• A chef might understand food education to be learning about ingredient provenance, skills such julienning carrots and how to plate the perfect meal.
• A nutritionist might interpret food education as developing knowledge of the macro and micro nutrients in food, how different foods should be put together for the ultimate nourishing meal, or what types of food contain which nutritionist.
• A farmer might consider this term to refer to how food is grown, reared and prodcued. About different farming practices, pros and cons of organic or regenerative agriculture.
• A primary teacher might think food education is about finding the simplest, easiest and most impact 30 min lesson that won’t cause too much prep or tidying up. They might think simple recipes like fruit kebabs and wraps are accessible food education for their audience.
• A nursery practitioner migth see sensory food education as a form of food education, where the children simply explore the peeling a satsuma using their sense of touch to experience the skin, the pith, the segments, the juice.
• An academic might think about food education from a more holistic, theoretcial perspective, such as food literacy.
• A passionate allotmenteer might understand food education to be learning to grow food. Understanding the value and make up of the soil, how to sow seeds and plant out seedlings, then eventually harvest what has (hopefully) grown.
• A parent could think that food education is equipping children with the life skills they need to be able to feed themselves well for life.
• A child might think food education is a time where they aren’t doing school work. Immersed in the practical, fun and hands on work of making something to eat.
• A scientist think topics such as food processing, microbial activity, and plant biology as food education.
• The sociologist may see food education as covering food cultures, gender and social food practices.
• Whilst a school cook could interpret food education as school lunch itself. Eating together is a form of food education, providing opportunities to discuss food, preferences, and swap food stories.

There are surely more forms of food education not covered here. But, what is important to remember is, it depends who you ask, as to what they think food education is. Their perspective will inform the interpretation they make. They are all forms of food education, and they are all valid.

But the question for this space is what should we be teaching our kids? All of it? None of it? Some?