About the Program
Students love kitchen and garden classes because they’re fun. Pleasurable food education is about children experiencing the joy of digging in the garden, picking fresh veggies, smelling and tasting the food they prepare and sharing the experience with their classmates and helpers.
Research shows that fun has a powerful and positive impact on learning. When students are relaxed, happy and engaged, their senses are on full alert and their brains are perfectly primed to absorb the learning opportunities that surround them.
Research
There is significant evidence of outdoor learning and kitchen gardens contributing to improved learning and student behaviour. School kitchen garden programs are increasingly popular, with schools embracing the benefits of teaching and learning around sustainable living. In searching for real life experiences to enhance learning, teachers are turning to gardening and other school grounds projects to develop lifelong healthy eating behaviours in children and provide an exciting resource for learning.
UK study finds gardening boosts literacy and numeracy
A 2011 study undertaken by the National Foundation for Educational Research has found that children given gardening as part of their education display more independence and are better at solving problems.
Food
Pleasurable food education teaches students to grow fresh, seasonal produce and use it to prepare nutritious, delicious food. Students are given all the skills, experiences and role modelling they need to learn to love their veggies and make healthier choices about what to cook and eat, for life.
Get the Facts
In 2016, one in every four Australian children is overweight or obese. Obesity is mainly the result of lifestyle behaviours such as unhealthy eating and low physical activity. Teaching children to grow, harvest, prepare and share their own fruit and vegetables is proven to have a positive impact on the food choices students make. This learning extends beyond the classroom – research shows that engaged, excited students are likely to share their new skills with their family.
Read more about the challenges faced by our kids:
Learn more about how to promote healthy eating habits for kids by reading some of the Healthy Kids fact sheets:
