Local Food strategies for children and youth in public institutions (Ph.d.-project)

Aalborg University, MENU, is conducting this researchproject in collaboration with University College, Little Bælt, - MaddannelsesLab - with Dorte Ruge as PhD. fellow.
LOMA stands for 'Local Food', and this researchproject takes a local perspective on production and consumption of healthy, public food in schools and kindergartens ads well as local communities. The hypothesis is that establishment of a professional kitchen and cantina, can promote food education and health, and thus contribute to social innovation and inclusion, provided that the kitchen is staffed by professional people having the competences to involve children and youth in cooking with local food, in cooperation with teachers, employees and the local community.
For the major part of public institutions in Denmark, absence of proper kitchens and canteens is one of the main reasons why healthy meal systems are not available. This research project is based on a casestudy in a secondary school in Svendborg and aim to investigate the possibilities of local food strategies in order to share knowledge about organisational, educational and environmental issues with decisionmakers and stakeholders in public institutions for children and youth.
Due to the nature of the subject an interdisciplenary approach is necessary, drawing on theories and analytical framework by Kevin Morgan, Roberta Sonnino, Andy Pike, Keith Tones, Tim Lang, Etienne Wenger, Bjarne Bruun Jensen and Bent Egberg Mikkelsen a.o.