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The students who are members of the project have carried out theoretical-practical workshops with which they aimed to improve eating habits and sustainability in disadvantaged people with low economic resources. All of this has been carried out during the 2023-2024 academic year within the project 'Promoting the SDGs for safe, healthy and sustainable eating (II ed)' funded by the University Service-Learning Office (ApS) of the URJC.
To carry out this project we have collaborated with the IES Jaime Vera (Madrid) and with the Department of Social Welfare of the Fuenlabrada City Council.
Thanks to this joint work, between the months of April and May 2024, 2-hour theoretical-practical workshops have been taught in these centers. The aim was to raise awareness among attendees about the importance of having a healthy and sustainable diet, emphasizing the increase in the consumption of fruits and vegetables, and the need to minimize the consumption of sugary foods, energy drinks and ultra-processed foods.
In addition, the workshops had a practical part in which games adapted to the theoretical content of the workshops were used so that attendees could put what they learned into practice. Also, the students have prepared a 'Simple guide of advice for a safe, healthy and sustainable diet' that has been disseminated among those attending the workshops and among the university public. The online version of this guide can be accessed here. link.
The workshops were very well received by the beneficiaries and received excellent ratings from both participants and social educators. The latter thanked the students for their dedication and their work in food education for the disadvantaged community. Through the Learning and Service approach, the students of the Degree in Food Science and Technology were able to apply their knowledge in a real environment, developing social skills such as empathy and involvement with social problems.
With this social work of awareness and training, students have become key actors in the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda. Highlighting, especially, SDGs 2 and 3, which focus on raising awareness about the nutritional benefits of food and the importance of maintaining a balanced diet for good health, and SDGs 8, 12 and 13, which emphasize the need to reduce food waste and minimize environmental impact through responsible consumption and sustainable.
As conclusions of the project, it is worth highlighting the need to carry out food education, which is essential in disadvantaged social environments, since it can be a powerful tool to combat malnutrition and diet-related diseases. In short, by carrying out food education you can contribute to the construction of healthier, more sustainable and fair societies.