Food Literacy Program (from Public Health: Food Literacy for Life)

 

Food and Nutrition Knowledge 

 

Food Knowledge: To know the variety of foods within all food groups. To know where food comes from and what is in it. To make an informed decision on food choices including what is available locally.

 

Nutrition Knowledge: To understand the nutrients in food and how these can affect health and well being.

 

Food and Nutrition Language: To understand commonly used words to describe characteristics of nutrition in food (e.g., high fibre, low sodium) and preparation of food (e.g., sauté, fold).

 

Food Skills

Food Skills: To be able to prepare meals throughout the life span using basic skills like chopping, measuring, reading recipes, and being food safe.

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Self-Efficacy & Confidence

Nutrition Literacy: To be able to distinguish between credible and false nutrition information. Knowing how to find reliable nutrition information and how to make sense of it (e.g., reading a food label).

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Food and Nutrition Self-Efficacy: To believe in one’s ability to apply food and nutrition-related knowledge to make healthy choices in a complex food environment.

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Cooking Self-Efficacy: To have confidence in one’s ability to use cooking equipment and prepare tasty meals with available food.

 

Food Attitude: To understand one’s attitude towards food and trying new foods. Having the desire to choose and prepare healthy and safe food to enjoy at all times.

 

Ecologic Factors (external)

Food and other systems: To have an understanding of how the broader food system and society as a whole impacts an individual’s decisions about food and how an individual’s food choices impacts the broader food system (e.g., buying local food and the impact on the local farms or food industry).

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Social Determinants of Health: To understand the social and environmental conditions (e.g., inadequate income and education) that can result in inequities in health status (e.g., adequate income) which can impact the capacity to make decisions about food and cooking.

 

Food Decisions

Dietary Behaviour: To be able to apply knowledge and skills to make healthy food choices