All children should be able to enjoy healthy food and develop healthy eating habits that will stay with them throughout their lives. This includes learning about where food comes from and how to cook healthily.

Cooking and nutrition are part of the National Curriculum for design and technology, which is mandatory in state-maintained schools from Key Stages 1 to 3. The curriculum aims to teach children how to cook, with an emphasis on savoury dishes, and how to apply the principles of healthy eating and nutrition. It recognises that cooking is an important life skill that will help children to feed themselves, and others, healthy and affordable food. The principles of a healthy and varied diet are also covered in health education, which became compulsory in state funded schools in England from September 2020.

A food preparation and nutrition GCSE was introduced in September 2016. This requires pupils to understand and apply the principles of food science, nutrition and healthy eating when preparing and cooking food. The first exams in this new qualification were taken in September 2018.

Furthermore, the Government recognises that a firm grounding in cooking and healthy eating can play an important part in enabling individuals to reach their full potential to lead fulfilling and healthy lives. The Levelling Up White Paper has furthered the Government’s ambitions to drive up food education in schools. This will include developing new curriculum content covering a basic range of cookery skills. The Government will also be investing up to £200,000 to pilot new training for school governors and academy trusts on a whole school approach to food.

The Department for Health and Social Care’s policy on childhood obesity, the Better Health Families programme, promotes healthy eating and being active amongst children, as well as supporting families and parents of young children. The programme is designed to empower children to make better choices by establishing healthier habits and modelling healthier behaviours, including on nutrition and physical activity. It does this by providing teachers with curriculum-linked lesson plans, pupil-led campaigns, whole-school activities, and information to help support their teaching around nutrition, physical activity and mental wellbeing.

The programme also includes materials that help children continue healthy choices at home and encourage dialogue within families. The resources, many of which are approved by the PSHE Association, are free to use.