Design and Technologies
Sustainable and Healthy Food Choices
Year 8 and Year 11 Food Studies students have been exploring a range of issues impacting our local and global food systems, including sustainable and healthy food choices that can make a difference to the health of individuals, communities and globally.
This study enables students to:
- develop as informed, discerning and capable food citizens
- research and discuss issues relating to economic, environmental and ethical dimensions of our food system
- analyse and draw evidence-based conclusions in response to food information, food advertising and current food trends.
Examples of topics explored include fair trade, single use plastic, food miles, food waste, sustainable fishing, impact of climate change on food supply, healthy food choices.
Below is a snapshot of a few food issues and some photos of the food that students have prepared in practical classes.
Fair Trade – with Easter just around the corner, the question many are asking - Which chocolate brands have ethical Easter Eggs and where can I get them?
The good news is that in recent years there's been an increase in consumer demand for ethical and sustainable production methods, which has resulted in growth of certified chocolate products including ethical Easter Eggs.
By supporting Fairtrade at Easter, we are empowering small-scale cocoa farmers in developing countries to improve their lives and livelihoods, invest in their communities and control their futures.
For more information on fair trade chocolate brands and where to buy them, click on the links below:
http://fairtrade.com.au/Media-Centre/Blog/2019/March/Easter-2019
https://www.choice.com.au/food-and-drink/sweets/chocolate/articles/ethical-easter-eggs
Focus on food waste – Did you know?
- Australians discard up to 20% of the food they purchase – that is 1 in 5 shopping bags!
- This adds up to 4 million tonnes of food waste worth 8 billion dollars per annum
- The methane greenhouse gas produced by this food waste is 25 times more powerful than carbon pollution out of your car exhaust
- The hidden impact of food waste includes the water, fuel, energy and resources it took to get food from the paddock to the plate.
For more information click on the links below:
https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.vic.gov.au/
A snapshot of Australia's health in 2018: The evidence behind the importance of learning about healthy food choices
- Two-thirds of adult Australians are overweight
- More than one-quarter of children are overweight or obese
- 4 in 5 adults don’t eat enough fruit and vegetables
- As a result the risk of diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, reflux, and many cancers including bowel, breast and liver cancers have all increased dramatically.
Food Studies uses the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating to inform healthy food choices and the recipes students prepare are based around the recommendations of the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.
For more information click on the links below:
https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/
Penny Golding
Food Studies Teacher