It is time to take food education seriously

Published last week, the National Food Strategy (NFS) report made a number of recommendations to bolster and boost food education. We have written to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson MP, as well as the PM and other key figures, urging them to finally take food education seriously and implement the NFS recommendations.

The NFS recommendation for a new ‘Eat and Learn’ initiative proposes curriculum change, including early years sensory education and the reinstatement of Food A-Level. Supporting this is a call to boost recruitment and training of food teachers, and ensure lessons are funded so that families are not asked to pay for ingredients.

Quality food education is an important element of the ‘whole school approach’ to health and wellbeing, something which is encouraged by the NFS report. This quality must be ensured by having Ofsted inspect food lessons with the same rigour as they do maths and English.

We write to ask the Department for Education to become a cheerleader for more and better food education, and to offer our support in delivering the NFS recommendations. You can read the letter here.