Food Sustainability Strategies for NSW PDHPE and CAFS

Teaching Food Sustainability in PDHPE and CAFS

If you have been in a NSW Primary, PDHPE or CAFS classroom lately you would know that sustainability is becoming an essential part of everyday learning. Many of our students face rising food costs, confusing nutrition messages and growing pressure around the environment. Families are stretched, canteens are under strain and more young people are arriving at school without enough food to get through the day. 

This is where our teaching makes a difference. Food choices are shaped by access and equity, but they are also shaped by what we model and what we discuss in our lessons. That is why this week’s conversation with Hollie from OzHarvest felt so important. It brought us back to the heart of PDHPE and CAFS: helping young people build habits that last.

Why Food Sustainability Matters

Food waste is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gases in Australia, yet it is also something students can influence quickly. The challenge is that many young people do not understand where food comes from or what waste actually costs. When NSW primary and PDHPE students learn that throwing out one hamburger means throwing out the water, energy and labour behind it, their choices shift almost immediately.

Hollie explained that most students want to make positive changes. They simply need practical ideas and confidence. This is where the FEAST program shines. It gives students the chance to cook, learn about waste, understand the food system and take ideas home to their families.

What FEAST Looks Like in Schools

FEAST has been rolled out in more than 1700 schools across Australia. It gives students hands-on experience in:

• Cooking simple, healthy meals
• Reducing waste through food audits and planning
• Understanding the environmental impact of food choices
• Advocating for change in their schools

OzHarvest provides recipes, resources and even kitchen kits for eligible schools. Students learn how to use food creatively, how to manage leftovers and how to make nutritious choices with confidence. This is real-life learning that connects beautifully to NSW K-6 Primary PDHPE and 7-10 PDHPE outcomes and CAFS concepts such as needs and wants, resource management, wellbeing and advocacy.

Where This Fits in PDHPE and CAFS

The new K-6 Primary PDHPE and 7-10 PDHPE syllabus encourages students to examine needs, wants, decision making, nutrition, sustainability and responsible behaviours. CAFS focuses on equity, access, advocacy and resource management. Food sustainability links to every one of these ideas.

Here are a few ways to embed it naturally:

Teach the story behind food
Help students understand what is required to grow, transport and prepare food.
This builds respect instantly.

Set up a Use It Up zone
Use the OzHarvest tape or a simple classroom box to show students how to prioritise foods that need to be eaten soon.

Run a mini food audit
This can be done individually or as a class. Students enjoy the hands-on experience and it gives them something practical to take home.

Connect sustainability to wellbeing
Less waste saves families money and reduces pressure. Many students have never considered this link.

The Power of Advocacy

Teachers of PDHPE and CAFS know that young people care deeply about fairness and the environment. When we teach sustainability with clear, hopeful actions, students step into advocacy with confidence. This is the type of learning that shapes the adults they will become.

A Future Focus for All Teachers

Food sustainability is not a one-off unit. It is something we can revisit through cooking, health promotion, wellbeing lessons, PDHPE and CAFS concepts. When we teach it well, students take these habits home and whole families benefit.

To explore more ideas and hear from OzHarvest, listen to the full episode.

Listen here: www.thelearnnet.com/157

Explore OzHarvest resources: https://education.ozharvest.org/

View the Slide Deck from the OzHarvest Presentation: https://education.ozharvest.org/wp-content/uploads/OzHarvest-FEAST-Fight-Food-Waste-Presentation-for...

Check out the OzHarvest Brochure: 
https://ozharvestltd.sharepoint.com/sites/Education/FEAST/Forms/AllItems.aspx?id=%2Fsites%2FEducatio...

Get the Fight Food Waste Toolkit Here:https://education.ozharvest.org/fight-food-waste-toolkit/

Find out more about OzHarvest’s NEST program: https://www.ozharvest.org/education/nest/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=7235275608&gclid=EAIaI...

Find out more about the Nourish hospitality training program: https://www.ozharvest.org/education/nourish/