Students at Piara Waters Primary School are among the first students in Western Australia to complete OzHarvest’s curriculum-aligned education program, FEAST (Food Education and Sustainability Training). FEAST aims to inspire Year 5 and 6 students to eat healthy food, waste less and become change-makers in their local communities.
OzHarvest WA State Manager, Jennifer Keen, said OzHarvest supports several schools across the state through its Food Rescue program, but FEAST is a great way for all schools to get on board with fighting food waste. “We are delighted that 46 schools have already started their FEAST journey. Students love the hands-on learning and creating their own recipes for their school cookbook! And with current Covid-19 disruptions, it’s easy to access lessons and activities online, there are even resources for home-schooling.”
“Thanks to funding support, OzHarvest can provide eligible primary schools access to the curriculum-aligned resources free of charge. WA primary schools interested in running the program should contact us to find out more about this funding offer,” said Ms Keen.
At Piara Waters Primary School, Brooke Baker, Year 5 teacher, ran FEAST in 2020 and since then, nearly 200 students have taken part in the 10-week program. “Our school community was thrilled with the entire experience. Our students were enthusiastic about cooking and trying new foods. They loved the social act of sharing the food they had prepared and enjoyed reporting back about the recipes they had tried at home,” said Ms. Baker.
Teaching children about the importance of good nutrition and protecting our planet is crucial to OzHarvest. With only 5% of children eating the right amount of vegetables1, programs like FEAST can have a positive impact on children and inspire them to eat healthier, waste less and share their knowledge with others.
The FEAST finale is the creation of the ‘School Cookbook’ – produced and written by the students, it showcases their recipes and all they have learned about preventing food waste. Piara Waters Primary School invited 50 family members to their cookbook launch to enjoy the food created by the students, look through the cookbook and talk about the experience. “It was an outstanding example of community engagement,” said Ms. Baker.
