Food for Thought: Developing Curricula for Sustainable Food Systems Education Programs

The study of food systems is a quickly growing field. In high demand by postsecondary students, new food systems studies programs are emerging from a range of disciplines. Food systems are inherently complex and are best understood from a range of academic perspectives and practical contexts. We review current scholarship on food systems pedagogy and present approaches for developing and implementing food systems curricula. A literature review and our experience indicate that effective food systems program approaches include emphasizing interdisciplinarity and a systems approach and balancing experience, theory, and practical skills acquisition. We discuss strategies, challenges and opportunities for building food systems curricula.