The Power of a Carrot ~ Why Food Education Matters Now More Than Ever

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how we learn to care for ourselves, and one another. One significant way is through food. Consider the attention that goes into creating a culinary experience for those you love. A birthday dinner. A weekend BBQ. A holiday celebration.

Some of what we learn about food happens at home, if we’re lucky. But increasingly, that knowledge is being lost. We’re living in a time when more and more people can’t afford fresh food, don’t have the space or skills to grow and/or prepare their own. Far too many don’t know where their next meal will come from. Food insecurity is on the rise across the country, and that includes right here in London, Ontario.

Which is why organizations like Growing Chefs! Ontario matter so deeply.

They don’t just feed people (though they do that, too). They teach. They connect. They empower. They remind us that food isn’t just fuel, it’s culture, community, and care.

And Growing Chefs! is so much more than a job to Andrew Fleet, founder and Executive Director, it’s a mission.

Potatoes, not carrots, but how can you possibly resist those sweet dirty hands that have done the harvesting, perhaps for the first time? Photo curtesy of growingchefsontario.ca

If you haven’t heard of them, Growing Chefs! is a London-based non-profit dedicated to changing the way children, youth, and families learn about and experience food. They work directly with schools and community organizations, teaching kids how to grow, cook, and understand the food on their plates. That education starts in the soil and ends in the kitchen, with knife skills, teamwork, nutrition knowledge, and a growing awareness of where our food comes from.

It’s joyful work. It’s also radical.

In a time when nearly 1 in 7 households in our region are food insecure, teaching people how to grow and cook their own food isn’t just a life skill—it’s a form of resistance. It’s how we build healthier communities. How we create independence. How we move toward systems that are more local, sustainable, and just.

According to the Conference Board of Canada, “Improving food literacy in Canada will support better choices in diet, nutrition, attitudes, and food skills leading to improved health and safety. In addition, food literacy will positively impact environmental sustainability.” Andrew has worked diligently to ensure that food literacy is included in the Ontario Elementary and Secondary School curriculum.

Growing Chefs! programs are grounded in values that resonate deeply with me:

🌱 Social impact—especially for kids who might not otherwise learn how to cook, or taste fresh food, or understand how food connects to wellbeing.

🌍 Environmental impact—through local sourcing, reducing food waste, and nurturing school and community gardens.

🤲 Long-term impact—because a child who learns to cook today may grow into someone who feeds others tomorrow.

As a social enterprise, events, catering and the Beet Hot Lunch Program act as the financial backbone of the organization and that revenue is supplemented by support from grants, individual donors and private foundations. The organization has a staff of close to thirty epic people and is a certified Living Wage employer.

Growing Chefs! delivers community produce boxes, harvests thousands of pounds of fresh food, rescues even more from going to waste, and have reached over 100,000 children and youth.

That’s not just impact. It’s transformation.

Food education doesn’t fix everything. But it plants seeds. And in a world where so much feels uncertain, I take comfort in knowing there are still people showing up to tend those gardens. Literally and figuratively.

If you’d like to learn more about Growing Chefs! Ontario and the powerful work they’re doing, visit: growingchefsontario.ca

They’re always looking for volunteers, supporters, and curious learners.

Because sometimes, the path to a better world really does begin with a carrot. Ok, ok, or a potato!