The local JOGG team in Bunschoten wants to devote more attention to food education and a healthy living environment for children. Together with the Jong Leren Eten (JLE) coordinators from the province of Utrecht, they are taking concrete steps to achieve this. The kick-off took place during National Outdoor Play Day on 10 June.
Students in grades 3 and 4 at Groen van Prinstererschool got to work in the vegetable garden boxes on the school roof together with JLE coordinator Sanne Meerman, JOGG coordinator Anne van Hoof and vegetable garden coach Maartje Puts. They planted herbs and vegetables, sowed sunflowers and learned about the growth of food through play. The children discovered familiar and unfamiliar herbs and got to know nature using all their senses.
The activity marked the starting point of more intensive cooperation between JOGG and Jong Leren Eten. The shared goal is not only to offer food education through individual activities, but to structurally embed it in the policies of schools and the municipality.
According to Anne van Hoof, the partnership helps schools and local partners better support the creation of a healthy living environment. JLE provides advice, inspiration and a network of professionals who put food education into practice.
Sanne Meerman emphasizes that children need to develop food skills and learn where food comes from and why healthy and sustainable choices are important. School gardening is a valuable form of experiential learning in this regard.
JLE and the local JOGG team meet every two months to discuss new initiatives. During the Week of Our Food (3 to 10 October), they want to explore how school gardening can be expanded to more schools. They are also looking at local activities, such as a ‘Friday Fish Day’ in cooperation with fishmongers in Bunschoten. With this approach, JOGG and JLE hope to give food education a permanent place within education.