Home Economics (HE) is an important site for education about food and health, which is crucial in the striving for sustainable development. The aim of this study is to contribute to the understanding of health education as a part of HE, specifically targeting how food, meals and health is constituted as educational content. The study is a part of a comprehensive case study where one school class and two HE-teachers were followed throughout a school year, using a variety of qualitative methods such as interviews, focus groups, audio- and video documented classroom observations. The analysis, including audio recordings from thirteen classroom observations and eight teacher interviews, is guided by a research methodology grounded in pragmatism, and a conceptual framework based on three functions of education: i) qualification, ii) socialization, and iii) subjectification.
The results show how the qualification function comprises nutrition knowledge, competencies in food selection, and practical cooking skills. The socialization function entails dichotomous values of food and eating as “right” or “wrong”, and valuation based on foods instrumentality in terms of physiological potential and risk. The subjectification function entails students acting as conscious consumers by taking personal responsibility for food and health. Environmental sustainability becomes part of the education as conscious consumers know how to prepare their own meals, evaluate the nutritional content of food, and adjust what is eaten in relation to personal nutritional needs as well as to the “needs” of the planet.
To conclude, this study unpacks how education about food for health is constituted in HE. It contributes to reflections on teaching practices with regards to food, health and sustainability. Thereby, it has implications of relevance for HE-researchers and teachers alike.
2022.