The politics of food: inside and outside of school

Two questions drive this discussion. First, what should young people know and understand about food that will enable them to choose and use food wisely? And second, what are the influences both inside and outside school that will inform this knowledge? The paper begins with a narrative describing how young people develop some of this knowledge and understanding at home and through attending school. The paper then considers four stakeholders in food in the world outside school: a) the food industry, b) the government, c) a range of food-concerned independent organisations and d) the consumer; and current concerns involving these stakeholders. The paper will then discuss how the concerns might be address through the secondary school curriculum with particular regard to the recently revised Key Stage 3 curriculum in England. The paper will conclude by suggesting how a collaborative approach across existing subject disciplines might be used to help young people acquire the knowledge and understanding needed to appreciate the complex nature of food in our society.