To: Wendy Sims-Motem, President of the Board, Santa Barbara Unified School District

We, the undersigned, believe that part of a well-rounded high school education involves empowering students with essential life skills that will facilitate a smooth transition into the increased independence they will confront after graduation. One of these critical skills is the ability to shop for affordable groceries and prepare simple, nutritious meals.

Distilling the findings from a varied body of research (Hagedorn et al. 2019, Soldavini and Berner, 2021, Murray et al. 2015), concerning trends emerge in relation to young adult’s food habits. Not only do a large proportion (~ 40%) of college-age individuals report rarely engaging in cooking their own meals, but it has been found that students who experience food insecurity cook even less often than students who are food secure.This is especially problematic considering that research has found that eating out is often 200-300% more expensive than grocery shopping and preparing food at home, even when one eats out at inexpensive restaurants.

Across these comprehensive studies, the main barriers that prevent young adults from shopping/cooking for themselves are perceived limited resources (a conception that healthy grocery shopping is expensive and time consuming), and a fundamental lack of skills/knowledge of how to shop for and cook healthy meals. With the proposed integration of Comprehensive Food Education into Santa Barbara Unified curriculum, we hope to:

1. Improve Health and Well-Being

Proper nutrition is a key facet of maintaining good health. Equipping students with knowledge/confidence in their abilities to shop for and cook balanced meals will give them better health, the ability to make informed decisions, and a greater sense of agency and power in their own well-being.

2. Increase Financial Literacy

Understanding that healthy grocery shopping is very much possible on a budget is an essential goal of this intervention. Most high school students are on the cusp of living independently, and with the relatively high percentage of SB unified students experiencing economic disadvantage (31.5% eligible for free and reduced price meal program), knowing how to eat both cheaply and well will significantly impact current and future financial well-being.

What This Looks Like:

Curriculum Integration

We propose that schools incorporate food education in their curriculum. This can include dedicated classes/workshops that take place during school hours, and count for school credits.

Budget Friendly Shopping

Teach students how to create a financially responsible grocery list. This can include education on cost effective ingredients, seasonal produce, bulk ingredients, minimizing food waste, etc.

Practical Cooking Skills

Students should learn basic cooking techniques and meal-planning skills. Specifically, hands-on cooking sessions should occur as research shows this instills greater confidence in meal preparing when compared to just education/observation (Lavelle et al., 2016).

Nutrition Basics

An overview of what a ‘balanced diet’ is, with meal examples/education on macronutrient requirements, as well as how to read food labels and determine the nutritional value of unlabeled ingredients.

We call upon the board members of Santa Barbara Unified School District to recognize the profound importance of comprehensive food education. With an understanding of the impact that this intervention can have - both in terms of health and financial well-being - we ask that you prioritize and invest in the well-being and future success of Santa Barbara’s students, both within and beyond the classroom.

Thank you for supporting this cause! Share this petition link with your friends/family, and post this on your social media so that together we can #makefoodeducationaccessible to all.