Stephanie Alexander school program changing Aussie kids’ attitudes towards food, study confirm

Aussie kids have increased confidence in cooking and gardening and a willingness to try new foods, thanks to the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program, a research study has revealed.

The University of Melbourne and Deakin University this week released a new joint research report evaluating the Kitchen Garden Program, confirming it has created health behaviour change in primary school children across Australia.

The study was carried out over two years and shows there is a significant increase in children’s willingness to try new foods, with 39 per cent of children reporting they would try new foods, compared with 26 per cent at the start of the program.

Seventy-one per cent of children in participating schools reported they enjoyed cooking, compared with just 50 per cent at non-participating schools.

Cook, restaurateur, food writer and champion of the quality and diversity of Australian food, Stephanie Alexander said, “A fundamental aim of the program has always been to show children the benefits of healthy food preparation and how it can become part of their every day lives.”

“As adults, we’re all very conscious of the traditional health messages with which we’re inundated daily. When developing this program, we really wanted to show Australia’s future mums and dads that learning about healthy food choices can be fun, enjoyable and taste good,” said Stephanie

“This study is a real indication that children are benefiting from our innovative approach – growing, harvesting, preparing and sharing. We’re looking forward to expanding the program further to allow more children to experience the Foundation’s pleasurable food education philosophy.”

Children are not the only beneficiaries of the program, with forty-one per cent of parents in the survey claiming their children asked them to cook food they had made at school.

University of Melbourne Principal Investigator Dr Lisa Gibbs said, “The flow on effect of this program is significant, with many children asking their parents to cook healthy meals they have made at school.”

“Since the program has been introduced, teachers are also seeing a noticeable difference in the nutritional quality of food that children had been bringing to school for snacks and lunches.”

“Another important finding was that the program was considered by teachers to be particularly effective in engaging ‘non-academic learners,” said Dr Gibbs.

The program aims to expand further, and by 2012, it is anticipated more than 250 schools around Australia will be part of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program with 25,000 children participating.

For more information on the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program visit: kitchengardenfoundation.org.au