FOOD EDUCATION

Food education is vital to encourage children to try new dishes or ingredients. For advice tailored to SEN schools and pupils, head to page 45

In any school, food education doesn’t have to be a set class, it can be as simple as chatting during lunchtime about whatever is on the plate or when food comes up in the classroom. When our co-founder, Nicole, worked in a school kitchen, she was often seen carrying octopus or fish into classrooms to show children their lunch.

Your school can take part in Eat Them

To Defeat Them just like Head Chef Sergio, at Ickburgh School. Sergio is a passionate participant in Eat Them

To Defeat Them - he’s dressed up as a giant piece of pasta to get children talking about food. He puts on displays of pictures and vegetables to make food interesting to look at.

Get Growing

A vegetable garden or some herb boxes will enthuse any young chef. Whether you have a large patch of soil or some tubs, you can grow produce and get the children involved. Ask them what they’d like to grow and give it a go. In Hackney, Lead Food Educator Tom has planted wheat, which the children have nurtured.

Head Chef Charlie at Stormont House is a passionate advocate of food education. He says:

”IF CHILDREN HELP US TURN SEEDS INTO SOMETHING THEY CAN EAT, I THINK THAT’S KEY FOR CUTTING DOWN FOOD WASTE. IF THEY KNOW THE EFFORT THAT’S GONE INTO GETTING SOMETHING ONTO A PLATE, I THINK THEY’RE MORE LIKELY TO EAT IT AND LESS LIKELY TO THROW IT AWAY.’

Check out our Create Your Own Food Education Hub for lots of tips on growing vegetables in schools.