Food for Life workshops

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The Food for Life workshop is a one day workshop for key stage two pupils. It is run by the Soil Association's education department. The workshop provides children with an opportunity to consider healthy eating, local and organic food through the theme of choices. The objectives are:

• To appreciate that there are a range of factors that influence our food choices
• To realise these choices have an impact on our health, other people and the environment
• To understand that other people including advertisers can influence us.

The workshop begins with a focus on breakfast time, as the children trace various foods back to the original plant or animal they came from. The importance of not missing breakfast is emphasised.

Children then brainstorm all the reasons they might choose food, beyond the obvious one of taste. This leads to a series of hands-on group activities where children explore the following choices in more detail:

• Health: Children sort pictures of foods into the sections of the ‘balance of good health plate’, debating where to put ambiguous foods such as chips, chocolate covered cereals and orange drinks with ‘added vitamins’. They also discuss how a healthy diet affects the way they feel and their bodies’ growth and development
• Local versus global: Children explore issues surrounding food miles by investigating where a bag of supermarket shopping comes from. They consider the environmental impact of transporting apples or honey from Australia, that the seasons affect the availability of UK produce and that buying local food benefits the local economy.
• Organic: Using a set of vibrant head dresses, the children act out a food chain found on a farm. They understand how the use of pesticides can destroy food chains, and ways in which organic farmers encourage biodiversity on their farms.
• Influences on our choices: In the afternoon, children focus on how other people including advertisers can affect food choices. They develop their own TV adverts for local, organic and healthy foods. The day finishes with a ‘fruity’ prize giving, and all children receive a copy of the Soil Association’s Little Book of Organic Farming.

Feedback from the teachers

“A brilliant most inspiring workshop which reached all levels of the class.”

“Excellent demonstrations and visual aids.”

“It was an excellent day – the staff and children thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The material was presented enthusiastically and clearly enabling all four year groups to benefit from the day.”

Feedback from the children

“It is good to support your county and buy local food, as food from other countries equals pollution from the vehicles.”

“Next time I go to the supermarket I will think about what I buy and why I bought it.”

“I am very pleased you came in, and ‘spechlus’ about all the fun we had. As well as having fun I have learnt a lot. Please come again.”

Arranging a workshop

Contact our education team on 0117 914 2440 to talk about running a Food for Life workshop in your school.

Food for Life: campaigning for local and organic school meals and food education.
© Soil Association 2003. Curriculum pack supported by Organic South West through European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund and All Saints Educational Trust