School food revolution: Cooking and nutrition education to be implemented across the UK

01 Dec 2022 --- The British Nutrition Foundation has launched a teaching program for nutrition and food education in primary schools. The two-year program – Teaching Primary Food and Nutrition - is supported by All Saints Educational Trust and aims to “refresh” the knowledge of professionals in the education sector about nutrition and food so they can impart learnings to their students. 

NutritionInsight speaks with Claire Theobald and Frances Meek, education services managers at the British Nutrition Foundation, about the new program and how it will work in practice.

“The Teaching Primary Food and Nutrition program aims to build and strengthen teachers confidence and competence in teaching food and nutrition to their pupils," they explain. "It will formally support their professional learning around teaching in the classroom and support a whole school approach. While teaching food and nutrition may take-up a relatively small part of the curriculum, it does have some unique management issues and the program offers support with teaching approaches, for example, managing and teaching practical cooking classes.”

“The Government Food Strategy [2022] states that it’s important that individuals build a better understanding of their food choices from a young age, as early childhood experiences have far-reaching implications for later in life,” they explain. “Several initiatives in schools already promote and provide children with high-quality, nutritious, tasty food and drink.”

“We want to help teachers feel more confident and competent in teaching food and nutrition to their pupils, in order to better impart knowledge and skills to children, and that’s what our new program aims to do.”

It takes a village
The British Nutrition Foundation says it promotes a “whole school” approach to food, with governors, teachers and caterers committed and empowered to work together toward a healthier food culture.

Going forward, the Government will require school leaders and governors to publish a school food vision on their websites. Additionally, schools will have greater support in procuring high-quality and value-for-money food through the “Get Help Buying for Schools” service.

The new program aims to build and strengthen teachers confidence and competence in teaching food and nutrition to their pupils.“Government will also review the current policy and delivery method of the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme,” say Theobald and Meek. “The recent launch of the joint Department for Education and Food Standards Agency pilot for local authorities to assure and support compliance with the school food standards will help ensure progress is aligned with our ambition.”

They detail that food is already a topic within the curriculum. Beginning in the early years, students receive quality teaching on the importance of healthy eating and nutrition.

“Our new program helps to  support teachers and school leadership, recognizing their crucial role in teaching the value of healthy and sustainable diets,” Meek and Theobald underscore.

Taking it to the next level
The government sponsored white paper Levelling Up details a proposed program for ending inequality across the UK and reveals further ambitions around food and nutrition education, as many young people leave school without the skills and knowledge to cook and live healthily.

“Government will invest up to £5 million (US$6 million) to launch a school cooking revolution, including developing brand new content for the curriculum and providing bursaries for teacher training and leadership,” highlight Meek and Theobald.

“To support this, the UK government will invest up to £200,000 (US$239,880) to pilot new training for school governors and academy trusts on a whole school approach to food.”Children should start their food education as young as possible when their minds and palates are still open to new experiences.

Sensory food education
Theobald and Meek elaborate that for children aged 3-5 years of age, the curricula will include learning about keeping healthy, although curricula in the different UK countries may differ.

“If we take England as an example, ‘Cooking and nutrition,’ which is where practical food work would be taught, is just part of the Design and technology curriculum, which is just one of around 12 subjects taught by primary teachers,” they stress. “A small amount of healthy eating and nutrition teaching is specified in the primary science and RSE and Health Education curricula,” they say.

“Some schools and teachers will use food as a ‘vehicle’ to teach other subjects, such as history and math, to increase time spent on practical food activities. However, as a discrete subject, practical food teaching probably makes up less than a twelfth of the primary school curriculum in England, and the story is similar in other areas of the UK.”

The two further explain that children should start their food education as young as possible when their minds and palates are still open to new experiences.

“Sensory food education should be added to the nursery and reception classes curriculum,” they conclude. “This teaching method – in which children are introduced to new foods and encouraged to explore them with all five senses – has shown to increase children’s willingness to try fruit and vegetables.”

By Beatrice Wihlander