The Collaborative leads a Campaign for Food Literacy which aims to ensure all Massachusetts K-12 students have access to food system education in school so they can learn about food systems, including topics such as agriculture, nutrition, food justice, and culinary skills. We are excited to share a Food Literacy White Paper & Action Guide to elevate the importance of all students across the Commonwealth learning about food systems in school.
What is Food Literacy?
Food literacy is having the knowledge and skills needed to navigate a complex food system – the web of actors and activities from food production to disposal – in ways that support individual and community health, the economy, and the environment.
Food literacy standards should promote an understanding of food systems including but not limited to:
- nutrition and the impact of diet on personal health;
- culinary skills and menu planning;
- food production, including farming, fishing, and processing;
- the connections between the food system and the environment;
- hunger, its causes and efforts to alleviate it;
- racial and other inequities in access to food and jobs in the food system;
- cultural connections to food;
- local food producers and their livelihoods; and,
- careers in the food system
Why is Food Literacy Important?
- Students who are food literate are better equipped to make healthier choices.
- Students who experience hands-on food education have improved educational outcomes.
- Students who are food literate are more civically engaged and prepared for civic life.
- Students who are food literate are prepared for careers in the food system and beyond.
- Students who are food literate make better choices for their communities and environments.
“When we teach students about how food is grown; different cultural aspects of food; how to cook food and then pair that with a high quality, scratch cooked school food program, we are able to provide students with the education and tools needed to develop life long healthy eating habits. Food is such a powerful educational tool that can tap into children’s creativity, food identity, interest in sustainability and so much more.”
-Campaign for Food Literacy Steering Committee Member
What examples of food education are there in Massachusetts?
There are many great examples of teachers, schools, and districts providing food systems education. Our Action Guide provides a range of vignettes on the many ways people are promoting food literacy around the state.
How do we ensure all students are food literate upon graduation?
Currently, some students learn about food in school through classroom lessons, school gardens, cafeteria programming, field trips, and more. However, across Massachusetts, there is inequitable and limited access to food system education.
- Food literacy is not included in the Massachusetts state frameworks,
- Food education is often championed by one or a few passionate individuals making it difficult to sustain if the champion leaves, and
- Access to resources varies by school, even within a district
To provide equitable, consistent access to food system education and foster food literacy,
Massachusetts must make systemic changes that require and support meeting food literacy educational standards in every school district. Incorporating food literacy into educational standards is an essential step towards ensuring equitable access to food education for all students. Read more about the vision and our campaign’s approach in the White Paper.