In the globalized food systems, consumers, especially children, are increasingly disconnected from the understanding of how and where their food is produced. This has an impact on eating habits and food choices that might affect health, the environment and other ethical dilemmas such as animal welfare and fair trade. Teaching children about food, health and nutrition is, therefore, an essential part of not only securing the public health and well being of future generations, but also ensuring a more balanced and sustainable environment and world.
According to scholars, the school is an essential arena to address this knowledge gap; an ideal environment to nurture a connection and understanding between children and nature, a good context for promoting health and an understanding of food and food production. This has added benefits; research underpins and documents what educators already know: Healthy pupils and students are better prepared to learn.
It is on the basis of these issues, and on the understanding of the school as an essential arena that the Learn4Health project was started. Learn4Health is an EU Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership consisting of twelve partners representing six European countries, which aim to create, strengthen and sustain health, nutrition and food literacy
among pupils in primary and secondary schools in Europe. The Learn4Health project has developed new, interdisciplinary and innovative approaches, i.e. innovative teaching methods and learning contexts, aiming at teaching children about food, nutrition and health, providing hands-on learning contexts to strengthen their understanding of the origin of food, and the structure of food production. This way, Learn4Health strives to promote food literacy and educate children to be able to act on the basis of this knowledge, to create a healthier self and a better, more sustainable world.
Scientific publications
- Learn4health, a European project creating health and food literacy through innovative interdisciplinary teaching and learning methods
- The Mobile Sprout Wagon – an innovative new approach to improving pupils’ health through interdisciplinary hands-on food activities
- Taste Missions – A New and Innovative Approach to Improve Pupils’ Health Through Food Literacy
- Learn4health: New Innovative Approaches to Teaching Children about Food, Nutrition and Health
