According to UNICEF research nine out of ten children are worried about climate change, with 89% of children saying they don’t feel enough is being done to tackle the climate crisis and 81% feeling that they are not being listened to.
The Canteen to Classroom initiative aims to empower children to make climate-friendly dietary choices at both school and home through the provision of high-quality and evidence-based lessons developed specifically for primary schools.
The programme is made up of 24 specially-made lesson plans with engaging presentations and additional resources to save teachers and education providers time and effort. The new initiative complements ProVeg’s successful School Plates programme that has been running since 2018.
Martin Skingley, education manager at ProVeg UK, said: “Children today care deeply about the climate crisis and they want to know how they can make a difference. The food we eat is a super place to start. Educating children on the impact of their food choices is essential in nurturing future generations who are both health and environmentally conscious.
“Through our School Plates programme, we realised we were making huge positive changes in the canteen, but hadn’t prepared any resources to directly support children in understanding the importance of these changes. Education was the missing piece.
“Plant-based foods have numerous benefits and our programme for children in Foundation Stage right up to Key Stage 2 celebrates these in an engaging and informative way, making it easier for them to make choices and take actions that are good for themselves and good for the planet.”
All Canteen to Classroom lesson plans are available to download for free here.