Promoting sustainable food and food citizenship through an adult education leisure experience

This action research project investigates a community-based, participatory learning approach to promoting sustainable food choices and food citizenship through a project-based leisure experience. Drawing on understandings from radical adult education, community-based social marketing and practice theory, a project-based leisure experience was designed, implemented and assessed. This experience involved volunteers hosting friends for a sustainable meal in their homes. The meal included guided activities, critical reflection on food system issues, values-based dialogue and written commitments to shift habits. A combination of participant observations, surveys and follow-up qualitative interviews indicated that the meal program had an influence on those involved, shifting habits and increasing sustainable food choices. Changes seemed owing to increases in motivation that were anchored in reflection on personal values rather than on a reduction in external barriers. A synthesis of the empirical findings and literature suggests five key characteristics of an adult education approach to project-based leisure that can facilitate food citizenship: personal social context, engaged experiences, social norms, social networks and community-based resources.