Schools and nutrition learning

Food literacy is no longer a luxury; the focus must shift from just feeding children to teaching them how to eat well

Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit 2025

 Last month, world leaders gathered in Paris for the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit. 

United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition

It was also a time for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to announce the extension of the United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition, from its original timeframe of 2016-25, to 2030. 

This extension seeks to sustain the global momentum to end all forms of malnutrition and align efforts more closely with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

This could be a turning point in nutrition 

not only to accelerate progress but also to shift the focus beyond food access — to understanding 

• what people eat, 
• how they eat, 
• and why they eat, 
• especially when it comes to children.

 Nutrition 

is not just a health concern. It is intricately connected to education, equity and environmental sustainability.

first 1,000 days of life 

So far, global nutrition efforts have rightly focused on the first 1,000 days of life — from conception to two years of age — as a critical window to prevent malnutrition. 

next 4,000 days

But we now know that the next 4,000 days matter just as much. 

This includes the period of adolescent 

growth spurt — a time of rapid physical, emotional, and behavioural changes and offering a second window of opportunity to overcome early childhood deficits.

Good nutrition during this phase 

can help children catch up on growth and set the foundation for long-term health. 

we must shift our focus from just feeding children to teaching them how to eat well.

A side event at the Paris summit — 

“Learn to Eat Well: Bio-diverse Diets and Youth as Agents of Change” — made this point loud and clear. 

It signals a global shift in thinking: 

• that food and nutrition education must begin in schools, 
• go beyond counting calories, 
• and help children make choices that are good for themselves and the planet.

A changing world

Fast food and online order

Today, children are growing up in a world where food is everywhere — ordered with a tap, delivered to the door, and heavily marketed. Choosing what to eat has become increasingly complex.

Lack of knowledge

Most children lack the knowledge and the skills to make healthy choices. 

Their diets are often shaped by 

• habits, 
• peer influence, 
• or advertising rather than nutrition or tradition. 

As a result, many children skip breakfast, eat too few fruits and vegetables, and consume too much sugar and processed food.

Importance of dietary diversity

A key casualty is dietary diversity — 

eating a variety of foods to get all the nutrients the body needs. 

The UN recently adopted Minimum Dietary Diversity 

as a global indicator under Sustainable Development Goal 2 (End Hunger). 

It simply asks: did a child eat at least five of 10 food groups in the last 24 hours?

Sadly, in many places — including both cities and villages in India — most children do not. Their diets lack variety, which harms their health and reflects deeper problems in our food systems and education.

Poor diets are linked to 

malnutrition, childhood obesity, chronic diseases such as diabetes, and mental health issues. 

Research shows that almost 70% preventable adult diseases begin with habits formed in childhood — especially eating habits. This highlights the urgent need to start early, and schools are the best place to build healthy habits.

Yet, food and nutrition education is missing in most classrooms or is out-dated and not linked to real life. The absence of a proper curriculum and age-appropriate learning resources make it even harder to teach children how to eat well. 

Teachers often lack the training and the tools to teach it well. Without structured guidance, schools struggle to deliver meaningful food and nutrition education.

This is why we need a structured and age-appropriate curriculum 

that goes beyond food groups and includes lifestyle habits and environmental awareness.

 It should start early — at the preschool level — and grow with the child until at least the middle stage, helping them connect the dots between food, health, identity, and sustainability.

Such a curriculum could cover everything from 

• how the human body works 
• the importance of diverse foods in our diets, 
• how food systems impact the environment. 

A central part of this must be promoting bio-diverse diets — ones that include a variety of local, seasonal, and culturally familiar foods. 

These diets provide better nutrition, support local farmers, reduce environmental impact, and preserve traditional food knowledge.

It must be a part of school life

Not like a sessions or occasional activities

Teaching children to eat well should not be limited to one-off awareness sessions or occasional activities. It needs to be woven into school life. 

This means having 

weekly lessons with age-appropriate, well-designed learning materials, supported by healthier school canteens, kitchen gardens, simple cooking sessions, and student-led campaigns. 

These real-life experiences help 

children build lasting knowledge, habits, and values around food, health, and well-being.

Around the world, schools are already showing what is possible — students growing vegetables, cooking simple meals, reading food labels, and learning how their food choices affect their health and the planet.

In India, the National Education Policy and the School Health and Wellness Programme 

have created room for such integrated learning. 

But we need a clearer structure, comprehensive curriculum, at least one dedicated weekly session all through the academic year, appropriate learning resources, and properly trained teachers.

Children must be seen not only as learners but also as key influencers. With the right knowledge and tools, they can influence their families, friends, and even their communities — whether by asking for better school meals, reducing food waste, or spreading awareness about healthy eating. 

In the end, learning to eat well is not just about food. It is about helping children to care for their health, understand their culture, respect the planet, and grow into thoughtful, responsible citizens. In a world facing the dual burdens of under-nutrition and overconsumption, climate change and cultural loss, food literacy is no longer a luxury — it is essential.

If we want to raise a generation that is healthier, more compassionate, and better prepared for the future, we must start by making learning to eat well a part of every child’s education — starting today.

Source the hindu