Food Chemistry

Food education at primary schools

In terms of societal relevance, the group of Food Chemistry contributes to a greater awareness of food at early age, by actively coordinating (food) programs at primary schools. To effectuate this our laboratory hosts the following programs.

Smaaklessen

Smaaklessen (Taste Lessons) is an educational programme about food and taste for primary schools in the Netherlands. It contains practical lessons based on five subjects; taste, health, food production, consumer skills and cooking. Children perform experiments, become aware of their taste preferences and of factors which have an effect on their preferences. They will discover new flavours and products, and in addition will learn more about food and aspects that are linked to food, like the composition of food, ways food can be produced and prepared and the effect of food on their health.

The aim of the programme Taste Lessons is to increase the knowledge of, the interest in and the ability to make choices concerning nutrition & health and food & food quality of youngsters. About 4000 primary schools have already made use of the programme Taste Lessons. 

To learn more: www.smaaklessen.nl (dutch)

Platform for Food Education

Since 2013 the programme Taste Lessons continued as part of the Platform for Food Education. This is a network of organisations and companies which find objective education on nutrition for children important. The Platform for Food Education extended the programme with Taste Missions.  These Missions include additional hand-on activities for every product category from the Wheel of Five. These activities range from excursions to farmers, home assignments, excursions with parents in supermarkets and cooking assignments.

Members of the platform make a financial contribution to the Platform for Food Education. This contribution is doubled by the Ministry of Economic Affairs from the top sector policy..

To learn more: www.voedseleducatieplatform.nl (dutch)(dutch)

European School Fruit Scheme

In the European School Fruit Scheme primary school children receive fruit and vegetables for free, for a certain period of time. During this period, teachers, children and their parents get the opportunity to get used to eating fruit and vegetables during the breaks at school. After this free period schools can stimulate fruit and vegetable consumption of their pupils by integrating it into their school policy. The European School Fruit Scheme is subsidized for 75% by the European Union. Fruit and vegetables suppliers in the Netherlands subsidize the other 25%. The School Fruit Scheme started in 2010. Until now, 5,500 schools participated.

To learn more: www.euschoolfruit.nl (dutch)

Wetenschapsknooppunt Wageningen University

The Wetenschapsknooppunt Wageningen University (WKWU) develops, together with scientists, primary school teachers and students, scientific activities and educational material for primary schools concerning themes of Wageningen University.

The aim of the project is to make scientific knowledge of Wageningen University available for primary school pupils, and to show them how much fun science is. The WKWU is a collaboration between Wageningen University and the Christelijke Hogeschool Ede (CHE).

To learn more: www.wetenschapsknooppunt.wur.nl  (dutch)