I gave a talk at TEDxBeaconStreet in November 2013 on why we need a Food Literacy Revolution in schools, what I take Food Literacy to mean, and some strategies I have found successful in practice. These include:
Make New Traditions. Parents and teachers can lead by example by bringing in healthy, unprocessed, delicious treats for special occasions. Make watermelon flowers for birthdays, and substitute savory for sugary treats.
Supercharge the Food Curriculum. Invite yourself to stage a hands-on, student-led food exploration in class. Dissect a commercially made yogurt parfait, and compare to the ingredients of its component parts. Conduct a snack-burning experiment, comparing the burn times of a walnut, a pretzel and a cheeto.
Create Grazing Opportunities. Stage a classroom food banquet or school wide food festival for kids together with their caregivers to see, sample and learn about new fruits, vegetables and DIY meals. Include a topping bar!
Food profoundly affects our health and quality of life. In spite of this, the Standard American Diet is ruled by highly processed low-nutrient food products, and healthy food has become a de facto luxury good. In this talk, hear the case for a food literacy revolution aimed at anyone in the U.S.- whether individual, educational institution, government or industry – who has a hand in feeding and teaching kids. Kids who learn how to engage with real food and its importance to health acquire the skills they need to take control over their food landscape. Food movement and policy makers take note: food literacy is a cornerstone of a successful food justice revolution, and is a life skill that must be universally taught.
The video is still in edits, but will be up soon!