Food and drink education
We want Scotland's young people to know where their food comes from and how it affects their health, the environment and the economy.
In addition to the education children and young people receive about food and health at school through Curriculum for Excellence – Health and wellbeing we have invested around £5 million in food education projects between 2010 and 2017 (£876,000 over 2016 and 2017). We published an evaluation of our food education programme's success from 2012 to 2015.
Our initiatives are designed to educate young people on all aspects of food and drink, from production to consumption.
In June 2019, the First Minister launched the Good Food Futures programme, a food education programme designed to teach children and young people about Scotland’s food industry. This programme aims to give children a greater understanding of where food comes from and the many career opportunities available in the industry.
The programme also includes support for more farm visits, healthy cooking lessons, projects to grow food in schools, and putting more locally produced healthy food on school menus.
The Good Food Futures programme brings together Government-funded projects run by the Royal Highland Education Trust, Education Scotland, Food and Drink Federation Scotland and Soil Association Scotland.
It ensures a more joined up approach to food education planning and delivery, with enhanced opportunities for organisations in Scotland with an interest in food education and careers in the food and drink sector to work together effectively.
School meals
As well as teaching young people about food and drink, we are working to ensure the food and drink they consume at school is healthy and of a high quality.
Information on current efforts is available at Schools: Health and wellbeing in schools - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
We help support the Soil Association's Food for Life catering mark programme to encourage school caterers to improve the quality of their food which is now operating in 18 Local Authorities across Scotland.
The Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) Act 2007 sets high nutritional standards for all food and drink provided in schools.
We have published the following regulations and guidance to assist local authorities, schools and caterers in providing healthy and high-quality food for school children: