Throughout the 3 years of the project, students were encouraged to independently investigate and critically evaluate the challenges and opportunities of food production and nutrition. All under the guidance of teachers and food scientists. In the proejct, students were seen as full-fledged citizens, able to contribute to the discussion of relevant scientific issues, especially those that directly affect them. FoodScienceClass is making its materials and lesson plans available to all interested teachers and educators. The ready-to-use materials are free of charge, available in English, Spanish, Polish, Dutch, Finnish and Hebrew, suitable for working with students aged 9-14. They include lesson plans on processing, food waste, using data, science communication and more.EIT FoodScienceClass brings food science and technology into classrooms and turns students into young food researchers to help raise a new generation of empowered citizens:
Lectures serve as learning spaces on the topics of food production and processing, nutrition, cooking and sustainability. Students also learn how to critically evaluate food and health information in the media and online.
Students investigate the techniques and ingredients used to produce the food they commonly eat. With academia and industry as mentors, they identify the benefits and challenges of food production.
Students are trained in science communication and are responsible for spreading their knowledge in their communities.!
Strengths
The ready-to-use materials are free of charge, available in English, Spanish, Polish, Dutch, Finnish and Hebrew, suitable for working with students aged 9-14. Lesson scenarios on: (1) Food processing; (2) Data literacy; (3) Reading food labels; (4) Evaluating online sources (5) Science communication; (6) Food waste; (6) The Island Race EN
Supporting teachers in food knowledge education (teacher workshops)
Workshops for students on responsible food waste management
Reproducibility: The FoodScienceClass project has delivered a wide range of educational offerings that can be easily replicated and adapted to different contexts and audiences. The emphasis on online and digital resources makes the project accessible to a wide range of people, regardless of location or language. The project’s collaboration with schools and universities also provides a model for integrating sustainable eating practices into curricula that can be replicated in other settings.
Challenges in implementation
Funding: one of the main challenges of implementing a FoodScienceClass programme is securing adequate funding to support the necessary infrastructure, staff and resources. Funding is limited to the duration of the project.
Compliance with regulations: Schools have to comply with many regulations related to food safety, nutrition and procurement, which can increase the complexity of implementing the programme.
