New education resource to help Scottish pupils learn about the food journey from farm to fork

Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Scotland and Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) have teamed up to develop a new food education resource to help young people learn about the people and processes involved in getting quality food to the table.

Based on the familiar process of creating a burger and targeted at S1-3 pupils, ‘Make it With Meat’ will support interactive sessions that cover everything from the nutritional content of ingredients to product development, testing and labelling. Students will also hear about the important people and careers in our food chain on their journey to discovering more about the farm to fork process.

Offering a flexible approach, teachers can pick and choose the lessons that meet their teaching requirements using videos, PowerPoint and other resources. Each lesson has a ‘go further’ section which can be used in class, for at home learning or for fast finishers.

Trialled at Hawick High School in the Scottish Borders, Home Economics teacher Shona Murray commented on both the ease of use and positive reaction from the children:

“We were asked by QMS to trial the new Make it with Meat resource and we had the opportunity to give it a go with some of our S1 and S3 pupils. It’s great because everything is there for you in the six lessons, from farming through to nutrition, and costing to careers.

“Depending on your preferences and stage of your pupils, lessons can be selected and adapted as necessary. Doing the entire project as part of a block is, of course, also an option.  

“Our S3 pupils did all six lessons and then designed their own burger, and they all thoroughly enjoyed the project.”

This educational resource is based on a successful initiative - Make it with Meat - that FDF Scotland and QMS have run in partnership with Bathgate Academy for several years. Teams of pupils from the school were challenged to create a new burger, design packaging and to create a marketing campaign for their product. The winning teams went on to sell their burgers to local shoppers with proceeds going to the charity of their choice.

Food and Drink Federation Scotland’s Skills Manager, Moira Stalker, said:

“Over the years FDF Scotland, QMS and Bathgate Academy have worked together to develop and run the Make it with Meat Challenge and it has become a highlight of the S2 year for pupils.

“I am excited that even more teachers can help their pupils understand where their food comes from, the many exciting and varied careers that the industry offers and the real skills and qualifications that employers are looking for.”

Quality Meat Scotland’s Health and Education Manager, Jennifer Robertson, added:

“We are excited to offer this free resource to Home Economics departments across Scotland. It allows pupils to learn about the nutritional and sustainability credentials of Scottish produce, as well as learning about the processes and careers involved in our vital food supply chains.

“Make it With Meat is part of Farming Foodsteps which has been designed to provide ready-to-use resources, linked to the Curriculum for Excellence for time-strapped teachers looking for engaging content for their classes.”