Sustainable Food

On Wednesday, 30 April, the La Fontana Youth Centre hosted the Healthy and Sustainable Masterchef, an event marking the end of this year’s Eat Sensibly micro-network course, promoted by Barcelona City Council as part of the More Sustainable Schools Programme.

The activity brought together around 60 children and young people aged 4 to 16 from seven schools in the city, who worked together to rethink eating habits through collaborative cooking. The day, designed as a space for meeting, reflection, and creation, began with introductory games for the students to form mixed-age and mixed-school teams.

Afterwards, each participant discovered the recipe they had been assigned and began to work. First, they obtained the necessary products from the shop that had been set up, and then they put the recipe into practice by following the given steps.

Creativity, Cooperation, and Critical Awareness

One of the main objectives of the activity was to transform the perspective on everyday eating habits. ‘With this event, we aim to change the mindset around breakfast and afternoon snacks, making them healthier, more sustainable, locally sourced, and organic,’ explained Aitana Martín-Aragón Navazo. ‘We try to reduce animal protein and work with the recipes that they can easily replicate at home or school.’

Thus, the selected recipes showcased a combination of creativity and simplicity in preparing tasty and healthy meals: mini toasts with vegetable pâté, oat porridge, crackers with vegan sobrassada, pita with vegetable salad, natural juices, toast with pistachio cream… Each team prepared one of these dishes, which was later presented to the rest of the group in a final collective tasting.

Inter-school Cooperation

The day stood out not only for its culinary focus but also for the educational approach applied. The activity brought together schools from different stages—early years, primary, and secondary—with the aim of encouraging peer learning and fostering intergenerational interaction. ‘It is wonderful to see 4-year-olds working side by side with 16-year-olds. This interaction is what makes the event so special,’ emphasised Aitana.

The participating schools were Escola Turó del Cargol, Jesuïtes de Gràcia—Col·legi Kostka, Escola Infantil Magnòlia, Escola Gayarre, Escola Els Xiprers, INS Jaume Balmes, and the ACIS Foundation Centre for Young People and Adults. All of them are part of the Eat Sensibly micro-network, which has addressed issues related to the right to healthy and sustainable food, food waste, critical consumption, and food sovereignty throughout the school year.

An end-of-year celebration with a taste of learning

The Healthy and Sustainable Masterchef was the culmination of an intense year of shared learning and community action. Throughout the year, schools have carried out projects centred around mindful eating, and the event served as an opportunity to share experiences, strengthen connections, and consolidate learning.

The day ended with a group sharing session, during which each team presented their creations, highlighting not only the final results but also the collaborative process they had experienced. The children had the chance to taste the other teams’ dishes, share their impressions, and take away ideas to apply in their schools and families.

‘It is a really fun day with so much going on, and it clearly shows how cooking can be a powerful educational tool for transforming habits and promoting teamwork,’ summarised Aitana.

Eat Sensibly: more than just a micro-network

The Eat Sensibly micro-network is part of the More Sustainable Schools programme, a municipal initiative that supports educational projects focused on sustainability. This specific micro-network focuses on transforming school food environments, addressing topics such as healthy eating, waste reduction, responsible consumption, and food justice.

With activities like the Healthy and Sustainable Masterchef, the aim is to create collective reflection spaces that combine enjoyment, learning, and the empowerment of children and young people as active agents of change.