Why it is important to make the education about food

In recent times, there has been a resurgence of interest in food and nutrition education, particularly for secondary students. This is in part due to the popularity of television shows featuring celebrity chefs as well as the rise in obesity, the increasing concern regarding our environmental impact as well as the varied diversity of the contemporary Australian food culture. This diversity of interests is evident in the food and cooking classes being being taught at Australian education institutions.

The renewed interest in the subject is evident in a variety of international innovations. One of them is mandatory cooking classes at English as well as Welsh school. These programs require that students create a delicious and enjoyable menu that is in line with UK diet guidelines and to sustainable sources for school food.

Cooking and food skills are taught within the technology course. Source: www.shutterstock.com

The other venture that is associated with it includes The Food Teachers’ Centre located in London. The center provides professional development at school for food educators.

What is the role of food education? How is food education taught in Australian primary schools?

The current Australian curriculum divides teaching about food into two parts, which are it’s the Health and Physical Education (HPE) track along the technology and design stream. The principles of nutrition are taught within the HPE stream, and food-related techniques (such as the art of making meals) are taught within the technology stream. If a school is lucky enough to offer a year 7 or 8 home economics class, both streams could be combined into a single course.

The length of food education classes in secondary schools is different, between zero or two hours per week, usually for less than a full year. In the senior grades (years eleven and twelve), optional subjects are offered across the states and territories, such as food Technology or the brand-new course in food science and nutrition provided by Victoria.

Research conducted with home economics educators in Queensland as well as elsewhere in Australia indicates that time and resources are usually not sufficient to impart the knowledge and skills that are associated with food preparation.

Read more: Poor nutrition can put children at higher risk of mental illness.

Aspects of food may be taught in science (such as food chemistry) hu,manities (such as cultural foods and environmental issues), or PE. But most food education happens in home economics, and contrary to many people’s opinions , it is alive and well in many parts of Australia.

Food education is offered in primary schools, preschools, and secondary schools, however, in various ways and to different degrees. Programs such as the kitchen garden program are well-liked by students.

Many teachers work with food in all its aspects during the school years. They can be involved in activities like cultivating food in the school garden, making it into food, studying the nutritional and environmental impact, examining local farms, stores, and food markets, and participating in barbecue or Masterchef-type contests as well as catering to schools as well as Fair Food Universities.

Research on secondary food education

An expanding evidence base mostly located in the US, Canada, western Europe, and Australia suggests that food literacy and education programs for skills can increase confidence in the execution of practical skills related to food, like making meals and planning them, and interpreting food labels, fundamental food safety, and food regulations. This can be connected to healthier diet choices.

Australian study in this field has risen significantly in the last ten years. This has provided evidence for the creation of various food literacy frameworks that focus on the food gatekeepers as well as families and also the broad environment-related factors that affect the food system.

Knowing how to read labels on food items can assist people in making healthier choices. Source: www.shutterstock.com

Recently, studies have revealed that many secondary school food educators prefer practical skills as well as related knowledge. They have less curiosity about the larger historical, environmental, social, and ethical questions. Health and food professionals remain highly committed to the idea of education about food, in particular for the development of practical skills. So are people in the the general population.