Introduction: Food poses a significant and complex sustainability challenge. As food-literate children are critical to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) achievement, this study explored Queensland (Australia) home economics teacher perspectives of school leaders' privileging, or otherwise, of home economics food literacy education.
Method: A fixed convergent mixed methods study utilising an online survey collecting Likert scale and free text responses was implemented in February-March 2021. The study participants included N = 69 Queensland Home Economics teachers. Inductive thematic analysis using Leximancer software and statistical analysis with SPSS was undertaken, followed by integrated data interpretation.
Findings: Home economics food literacy education was not privileged by all school leadership teams in Queensland (Australia). Respondents rated heads of department as placing a higher status or priority on home economics food literacy education than Administration (p<.001, d =.747). Respondents reported challenges, including inadequate timetabling, planning time, resources, budgets, support, and subject value and priority, alongside unqualified leaders, which limit the effectiveness of food literacy programs.
Conclusion: To empower children to address food-related sustainability challenges and achieve SDG 4: Quality Education, transformative leadership actions in the areas of education, support, planning and proactive culture are critical to privilege home economics food literacy education.

Mealtimes come in great variety, but many have one thing in common – they are eaten on plates. The plate is widely used as a graphic model to convey dietary guidelines and promote healthy eating. Given the extensive adoption of plate models as part of official dietary guidelines, and the common belief in their educative potential, questions arise regarding how plate models are utilized in practice. The present study aims to gain understanding of the plate model as a food educational tool in Home Economics. The research question is: “How is the plate model utilized in a food educational practice, and which are the possible didactic implications?” The study draws on qualitative data generated through a case study, including classroom observations, teacher interviews and student focus groups. Using thematic analysis, we investigated how the plate model was utilized in relation to personal, interpersonal, and institutional dimensions of Home Economics food education. Preliminary results show how the plate model was used to communicate the “proper” meal by bridging nature (nutritional content) with culture (meals). By providing insight into the implementation of the plate model in Home Economics food education, this study can contribute to development of more resourceful food educational practices.

Introduction: Developed for literacy courses, the Food Literacy nutrition framework (Johannsen et al., 2019) can also be used to plan, develop, and evaluate nutrition education programmes. This study explores how this framework can be adapted as a theoretical basis for developing nutrition education initiatives with mobile kitchens that aim to increase the sustainability of cooking. These mobile programmes can facilitate outreach nutrition education in the living environments of target groups.

Methods: To evaluate the existing framework, interviews were conducted with three experts experienced in developing and evaluating climate-friendly and health-promoting nutrition education programmes. Approximately ten standardised written questionnaires and four observations on the implementation of outreach nutrition education programmes in sustainable cooking were qualitatively analysed to identify missing competencies.

Findings: Initial findings suggest that the framework could be improved by highlighting the environmental impact of food choices, for example by affirming that reducing consumption of animal products is a climate-friendly approach to eating. Application examples could also be expanded to include energy efficiency in food preparation.

Conclusion: While the existing food literacy framework can be adapted to better support the planning, development and evaluation of nutrition education, further discussion with experts from the international community is needed.

Introduction: Food literacy(hereafter, FL) has gained significant importance from a competency perspective beyond just culinary skills and dietary information. South Korea's food education curriculum has some shortcomings in nurturing students' FL. However, the education curricula in Oregon, Ontario, and Victoria that are the most active advanced states in research related to FL may offer valuable insights for South Korea's education curriculum.
Objective: Analyzing the curricula of Oregon, Ontario, and Victoria and South Korea, and proposing a way to integrate FL into Korean sustainable dietary education curriculum.
Methods: Content Analysis. K-12 education curricula in Oregon, Ontario, F-10 Victoria and elementary and middle school level South Korea curriculum are analyzed with a conceptual framework which has ‘functional FL’, ‘communicative FL’, ‘critical FL’.
Results: While the curricula of three states are situated within health subjects rather than home economics, they all successfully encompassed all aspects of FL. In these states' curricula, it was evident that considerations extended beyond the personal dimension to encompass societal and well-being. In contrast, South Korea's curriculum exhibited minimal content related to critical FL, especially at the elementary school level.
Conclusion: Critical FL necessitated the development of content elements encompassing citizenship, responsibility, participation, and a will to take action.

Curriculum specifications for GCSE (NI) and Junior-Cycle (ROI) post-primary Home Economics (HE) each emphasise the importance of integrating science and nutrition theory alongside skills-development during practical food lessons. This research aims to ascertain the perceptions and experiences of post-primary HE teachers on their execution of food lessons at Junior-Cycle and GCSE stages. Using purposive sampling, a survey was undertaken with HE teachers from both jurisdictions. A total of 139 completed the survey, 52 from NI and 87 from ROI, and the majority enjoyed teaching food practical classes. Similar experiences and concerns were reported by teachers in both jurisdictions. Many believed the time allocation for food practical classes was insufficient. All teachers recognised the value of integrating theory and practice in food lessons, and while most teachers reported that they integrated these elements frequently, time was a limiting factor. Incorporating demonstrations into practical classes was commonplace and supported skill development. Unlike ROI, in NI, most schools had HE technicians to purchase and weigh out food ingredients. Teachers highlighted that tailored professional development for HE teachers across the island was required to strengthen the link between science/nutrition theory and practical culinary skills.

Objectives: This study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of food citizenship content in home economics curricula in Japan and Australia. The findings will serve as a basis for future examinations of food citizenship content in home economics.
Methods: The food citizenship contents in the Japanese and Australian home economics curricula were compared and analyzed.
Findings: Food citizenship involves forming and practicing a sustainable food system that ensures the well-being and freedom of humans, in harmony with nature. It also aims to guarantee equality and justice, in solidarity with others and society, through the provision of safe and nutritious food. The Japanese curriculum includes content on food literacy, but it does not emphasize forming food systems in solidarity with others. In contrast, the Australian curriculum introduces students to individuals involved in food production and explores both traditional and innovative ways of living in harmony with nature. It also prioritizes solidarity with diverse communities.
Implications: It is imperative to integrate the concept of food citizenship into home economics curricula. This will ensure equality and justice both locally and globally, prioritize coexistence with the natural environment, and establish solidarity with those involved in the entire process of food production and disposal.

Abstract

Food can be a pedagogical agent for supporting student’s learning processes in schools. Further, food education in various school subjects, not only within home economics, can contribute to increased food-related knowledge which is connected to sustainable food choices. Today, there is a gap in research on food education in primary schools. Additionally, the possibilities of subject-integrated food education (food education within various school subjects) in primary school are not sufficiently explored. A qualitative case study grounded in a real-world school context was designed to close this gap. With the case study approach, the teaching strategy of subject-integrated food education was developed, implemented, and explored through co-design. The aim was to illuminate teachers’ experiences with a subject-integrated food education project in a Swedish primary school. Data were collected through teacher discussions, researcher field notes, and classroom observations. Thematic analysis showed that there was a need for food education in early primary school. Food was regarded as a concrete, familiar, and experience-creating pedagogical tool. However, systematically integrating food education in primary schools requires clear food education goals in the curricula and support for the teacher´s role as a food educator.

Keywords: food education, subject integration, food as a pedagogical tool