Nutrition: App That Lets Kids See Environmental Impact Of Their Food Choices Being Developed

Kids can soon learn about climate change through an app that deals with something relevant to them - the food they eat. The app, called Food for Thought, is currently being developed by the University of Illinois.

In the Food for Thought app, there is a dinner plate that can be filled by dragging food choices onto the plate. According to EurekAlert, as kids fill the plate, the app will not only present nutritional data but also supply the carbon footprint of each component of the meal.

An app that helps children become aware of the #climate cost of certain foods https://t.co/buRv2aiXaq #edchat

— Broader Visions (@BroaderVisions) May 21, 2016

Kids Learn About Food And Climate Change

"There are two learning goals here: Make kids aware of the causes and impacts of climate change, and help them become data literate -- that is, knowledgeable consumers of the media," said curriculum and instruction professor Emma Mercier, as per Times of India. Students were able to use the Food for Thought app on a laboratory’s 55-inch multitouch tabletop computer screens.

The kids entered information in the Food for Thought app from food diaries they have made prior to being the laboratory and were able to see the carbon footprint of their food choices. The kids were coaxed to make meals that were both nutritious and environment-friendly.

Before this, they were videotaped learning about climate change both locally and globally through traditional learning materials and on 27-inch multitouch screens. Mercier and her team looked into the degree of support needed by the students in interpreting the data about climate change and how they used these data.

Climate Change Discussion Through Food

According to Big Think, the Food for Thought app may help science teachers who are looking for ways to discuss climate change in their classrooms. It was noted that having lessons through a digital platform can be an element of an alternative teaching strategy.

One day, the Food for Thought app may just be employed in classrooms in order to promote both good nutrition and the mitigation of climate change. Teaching kids to assess their food choices while considering the environment will make for a good discussion in science class.

What do you think about the Food for Thought app? Share your thoughts below.