What Happens When 200,000 Kids Learn Food Literacy?

Food is connected to our health, environment, economies and communities, yet many young people have little opportunity to understand where it comes from or how their choices affect the wider food system.

In this episode, Fabienne Ruault, FoodEducators Project Lead at EIT Food, explains how the Europe-wide initiative gives teachers the knowledge, confidence and practical resources to bring food education into the classroom. Its free lesson plans, training and career days help students learn how to plan meals, read labels and make informed choices, while encouraging them to think critically about sustainability and the food system.

Working through national partners, FoodEducators has reached close to 200,200,000 students across 15 European countries. Fabienne shares how teachers are adapting its resources to their local contexts, from visits to restaurants and food businesses to puppet shows and food environment mapping.

Key takeaways

Food literacy goes beyond knowing what to eat.

It combines factual knowledge with practical skills, critical thinking and an understanding of how food connects to society and the environment.

Teachers can multiply the impact.

By giving educators accessible resources and training, FoodEducators enables them to reach young people through many different subjects and activities.

Local adaptation is essential.

National partners translate and tailor the materials so they reflect local curricula, cultures and food environments.

Learning should be practical and engaging.

Challenge-based lessons, games, visits and conversations with food professionals help students connect classroom learning with the world around them.

The initiative has reached close to 200,000 students.

More than 100 teacher training sessions and 50 career days have helped increase students’ curiosity about sustainability and agrifood careers.

Food education can support lifelong change.

Building food literacy from an early age can help young people develop healthier relationships with food and participate more confidently in shaping its future.