Taste Education

The idea that we have to teach kids to taste seems a little surprising. Those of us who have ever fed a baby know little ones have definite taste preferences from the minute they get their first sample of puréed peas.

Modern food preparation and eating habits as well as urban life, though, has put distance between our kids and the source of their food. And it’s surprising that some children who love their French fries may not be able to identify a potato.

To help children become engaged with food through their senses, Slow Food International has put together a learning package for children called “To the Origins of Taste.”  Through a series of workshops, children are encouraged to think about the ingredients that make up their food, where those ingredients come from and to experience food through taste, smell, touch and hearing.

More and more, educators are recognizing the importance of teaching children about the food they eat. Vegetable gardens are cropping up at many schools, giving kids a chance to dig in the dirt, plant some seeds, care for the garden, and most satisfyingly, eat produce fresh out of the garden.

According to Slow Food Canada, school gardens and taste education support the Slow Food philosophy of good, clean and fair.

“Good because the sensory analysis workshops train children and parents to recognize food based on its sensory qualities, learning to demand and monitor quality in school canteens. Clean because the youths learn to use organic and biodynamic production methods, to research and safeguard the seeds of local varieties, to consider as vital the reduction of food miles by privileging local foods. Fair by endorsing the transmission of knowledge from generation to generation, giving value to the social role of the elderly and of volunteers and encouraging collaboration between diverse realities, also through partnerships with developing countries.”

For your own “To the Origins of Taste” Sensory Education Kit, contact Slow Food International at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

For more information and resources on getting kids involved in food and food production check out the following links:

Slow Food Canada: Taste Education

Environmental Youth Alliance

Terra Nova School Yard Society

UBC Farm offers school workshops and summer camps for children aged 6 to 11.