Businesses and schools in Northeast Brabant launch unique food education program

In Feasting on Edible Greens, the children actively work on various projects in which they immediately put the knowledge they have acquired into practice. They learn how to create food forests and vegetable gardens at school. They also develop, for example, a water promotion campaign for sports club canteens, interview the chef of a local restaurant about the quality of the children's menu, or design vegetable advertising posters for nearby supermarkets.

The initiators of this innovative education program are Jong Leren Eten, Stichting Spoony, IVN Natuureducatie, the province of Noord-Brabant and RNOB. They developed an interactive teaching package for the program. Feasting on Edible Greens is made possible in part by Regio Deal Noordoost Brabant.

Practice- and experience-oriented

The program begins in the classroom, where teachers use the teaching package to teach primary school children what healthy, fair and sustainable choices are. This theoretical component is seamlessly connected to practice, as schools, with the help of a school garden coach, show pupils how food actually grows in their own school garden. This combination of learning and doing strengthens the children's food skills and understanding of where their food comes from.

Food environment

In addition to the cheerful activities in and around the classroom, the children are involved in the food environment through experiential lessons and activities at local supermarkets, restaurants, care institutions and greengrocers, including creating and putting up their own menus and posters. The 45 participating businesses thereby make an important contribution to the development of a healthy and sustainable generation in which children know where their food comes from and make conscious choices.

Financial support for schools

Schools in Northeast Brabant can get started with gardening or an educational food forest with financial support and practical guidance from a school garden coach. Interested schools can find here more information about the options and conditions of this program.