Chilled Food Association - Chilled Education

Chilled Education (CEd) was launched by Chilled Food Association in 2011 to address the skills gap in the chilled food sector by inspiring students, teachers and university colleagues to think about food – as a science subject, a classroom resource and, ultimately, an exciting career option.

During 2023, in response to demand, they built upon resources and outreach, adapting to create an online offer aimed at wider audiences and supporting Chilled Food Association members’ outreach to schools and colleges.

Partnerships were further developed to engage teachers and students in 2023 with British Nutrition Foundation, LEAF, Food Teachers Centre and Young Enterprise.

By applying a blend of approaches, Chilled Education acts as hub to enable CFA Member companies to deliver outreach and connect further to inspire new entrants into the sector with:

• Themed activity resources for teachers to support lessons both face-to-face and virtually.
• Tailored Support for CFA Companies and colleagues to share knowledge and best practice to deliver engaging activities to schools and youth groups.
• Bite Sized Resources & Store Cupboard Science, post covid to demonstrate and explain science experiments, demonstrating alternative, fun ways to explore food science at home.
• Teachers using practical hands-on resources such as the MicroTrumps card game (devised and developed by CFA). 
• Developing a wide range of career profiles and interviews to demonstrate the diverse routes and 55 ‘real-life’ pathways into the sector.
• Moulton College – Students & Twilight Teacher Interactive Session linking with local company, Greencore.
• Northampton College - Level 3 Applied Science and Level 4 Forensic and Criminal Investigation Courses, skills needed by food scientists and microbiologists. Wolverhampton University – it is also developing similar ideas with the forensic science course team.
• University of Northampton - by engaging with trainee teachers with taster sessions of lesson ideas.
• The Design and Technology Association (D&TA) and The Association for Science Education (ASE) to create free food teacher lesson plans for Key Stages 1-4.

CEd continues to develop resources and update the website as a knowledge bank to enable teachers to easily access resources. It will continue to develop relationships with Countryside Classrooms and British Nutrition Foundation to broaden its reach and further support teachers across the UK.