Nutrition bosses have called on the government to make food education a key part of the Food Nation 2040 plans, which were unveiled by Defra and the IGD last month as the next stage of the government’s food strategy.
An open letter to Georgia Gould, minister for school standards, has been signed by groups including the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF), Veg Power and the Jamie Oliver organisation.
It says Food Nation 2040 is a “unique chance” to put food at the heart of the government’s plans for children and the future of the food system.
“We welcome the forthcoming Food Nation 2040’s proposed set of prioritised actions and the opportunity presented by curriculum reform,” the letter states.
“Food education equips young people with practical life skills, supports healthier diets, improves food literacy, develops critical thinking about food information online, and helps prepare the future workforce for careers across the food sector.
“Yet provision remains inconsistent, practical lessons are often under-resourced, and opportunities for young people to continue studying food beyond Key Stage 3 remain limited.”
The Grocer revealed last month the IGD was collaborating with Defra on Food Nation 2040, which it said was the next chapter in the work started by Henry Dimbleby’s 2021 report and the ideas of the Good Food Cycle, which have been developed by the Food Strategy Advisory Board (FSAB).
Food Nation 2040 will seek to bring industry, government and NGOs together to focus on priority areas of action.
Ministers also announced last month what they called a “once-in-a-generation change” to school food standards, including banning deep-fried food and fruit juice from menus.
The Department for Education announced all meals must contain or be served with at least one portion of fruit or vegetables, while fibre and wholegrains will be increased.
However, experts said much more could be done to educate young people in key skills needed for a healthy food system and healthier diets.
“We believe the publication of Food Nation 2040 presents a timely opportunity to establish a clear national vision for food education and the role it can play in improving outcomes for children and young people,” adds the letter.
It said a recent roundtable hosted by the BNF had shown strong consensus that food education should be a core component of a modern education system and a key enabler of the ambitions that will be set out in Food Nation 2040 as more details emerge later in the autumn.
The letter has also been signed by several leading university food nutrition experts and academics.
A BNF spokeswoman said: “There was clear agreement that food education can support not only healthier lives, but also sustainability, workforce skills and economic growth.
“As the government develops its vision for the future of food, we believe food education should be recognised as a fundamental life skill and given greater prominence within policy and practice.”
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