Forth Valley Food Links

The pack is an awareness-raising tool about local food, and its impact on the environment, our health, our communities and our local economy. It will help people to think about making informed choices about buying more healthy and sustainable food, and provide information about local food, and local food initiatives.

The focus of the resource is on fresh and seasonal fruit and vegetables, and the story of their journey from ‘field-to-fork’.
The aim of the pilot phase is to find out how the resource works in different settings with different groups. The groups taking
part will feedback their experiences of using the resource through a short questionnaire. The results of the evaluation will be published in Spring 2009.

Issues covered are:

• Climate Change & Food
• Food Footprint
• Food Miles
• Food Packaging
• Food Processing
• Food Transport
• How Your Food is Produced
• Local Food Shopping
• Scottish Food Culture & Health
• Shopping Bags
• Shopping Trips
• What’s in Season

The pack contains eight ‘Pick n’ Mix’ activities including a quiz, building and comparing the food chains of different fruit and vegetables using a colourful set of cards or transport toys, tasting and cooking sessions based on suggested seasonal and healthy recipes, and visits to local food producers,growers, processors and retailers.

The activities range from 10 minutes to one day to suit the time that groups have available, their abilities and interests.

Groups Involved in the pilot phase include:

• Allotment & Community Garden
• Projects
• Churches
• Community Cafés
• Community Centres
• Community Food Initiatives
• Community Health Projects
• Food Co-ops
• Healthy Living Networks
• Schools (Nursery, Primary,Secondary)
• Youth Projects