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Kids set to learn about the climate impact of food
The new programme – named Canteen to Classroom – seeks to “empower children to make climate-friendly dietary choices at both school and home”.
According to UNICEF, 9 out of 10 children are worried about climate change, 89% think not enough is being done to tackle the climate crisis and 81% feel they are not being listened to.
Made up of 24 evidence-based lesson plans designed specifically for the programme, Canteen to Classroom includes presentations and additional resources aimed at saving teachers and education providers time.
The lessons were created in line with the national curriculum in England and aim to provide a well-rounded view of healthy and sustainable eating.
Lessons do not need to be taught sequentially and can be delivered as stand-alone sessions, as a half-term block, or as a way of supporting and enhancing themed weeks or special learning days.
The Department for Education has set a target for all schools in England to have a climate action plan in place by 2025, and ProVeg UK hopes that Canteen to Classroom can work in tandem with policy makers to help educational settings achieve their sustainability goals.
“Children today care deeply about the climate crisis and, in my experience, they want to know how they can make a difference,” said Martin Skingley, education manager at ProVeg UK and former teacher of 16 years.
“The food we eat is a super place to start. Educating children on the impact of their food choices is essential in nurturing future generations who are both health and environmentally conscious.”
School Plates programme
The new initiative is a complement to ProVeg’s School Plates programme, which has been running since 2018 and currently works with major catering partners across the UK.
In that time, the non-profit has helped switch tens of millions of school dinners to meat-free or plant-based alternatives, in addition to assisting with the development nutritious and sustainable menus.
Skingley continued: “Through our School Plates programme, we realised we were making positive changes in the canteen, but hadn’t prepared resources to directly support children in understanding the importance of these changes. Education was the missing piece.”
On the success of the School Plates initiative, he added: “Plant-based foods have numerous benefits and our programme for children in Foundation Stage right up to Key Stage 2 celebrates these in an engaging and informative way, making it easier for them to make choices and take actions that are good for themselves and good for the planet.
“We know that school timetables are already tight, so we have created ‘ready-to-go’ lessons that can fit in and around what schools already do.”
In other news, the Competition and Markets Authority has launched a phase 1 investigation into the proposed acquisition of Britvic by Carlsberg.
