Children Are Food Activists
We’ve all heard the saying ‘Children are the future’. However, they will inherit what we leave behind. They will live with the teachings and experiences we provided them and build their future for their own children carrying that baggage. Their interests often start to shape at school, they spend a big portion of their day discovering new things and experimenting new ideas, which will turn into behaviors and convictions. And it’s important that we facilitate them the tools for this change.
Food for Life (FFL) believes that making good food the easy choice for everyone is fundamental.
Good food has an impact not only on health, but the economy and the environment as well. It benefits everyone, including the ones who need it the most. But it is not just about food, it is about children having an experience, whether it is cooking or gardening. Once they have that experience, they take on those learnings and become passionate about better food themselves and where it comes from.
1. Unhealthy children are the symptom of a broken food system
The same food system that is draining the colour from our countryside and failing our farm animals is driving rising levels of ill-health and inequality, particularly among children.
2. By transforming school food we can begin to build a better food system
Millions of school meals are served every year, FFL not only ensures that healthier and higher quality meals are served, it helps to build local supply infrastructure and local food economies, benefiting communities and farmers.
3. Food For Life: it's about inspiration, not 'education'
Pupils in FFL schools eat significantly more fruit and veg – this isn’t because they have been ‘taught’ about healthy eating or the significance of food, it’s because they have had meaningful experiences growing, cooking and on farms which have inspired them to act differently.
4. Children are the food activists of tomorrow
By engaging children to participate at every stage of the food system, from farm to fork, we are nurturing and recruiting the next generation of food and environmental activists.
5. Food For Life is having a national impact
50% of English primary schools serve FFL meals, millions of pounds are being channelled to British farmers and local producers, organic and higher welfare produce is being served in some of the most deprived areas of the country – we’re causing a huge splash.