With the decline in cooking at home and widespread community concerns regarding children’s health and fitness, Food Media Club Australia (FMCA) members wanted to find a practical way to contribute their skills and experience to the solutions.

Food Explorer is the not-for-profit initiative that has evolved after much research and discussion from a series of pilot programs conducted during 2004 and 2005 by FMCA volunteers in public primary schools.

The program has been developed to tie in with the New South Wales Board of Studies K–6 curriculum, to encourage an interest and a positive attitude to food and cooking and to foster informed, independent and healthy food choices for life.

It provides students in years 3 and 4 (Stage 2) with a unique and memorable food experience within safe food practices through hands-on, classroom activities to encourage them to become ‘Food Explorers’.

Food Explorer lessons began to be implemented in Sydney metropolitan public primary schools at the beginning of Term 1, 2006 and will continue through to the end of Term 2, 2006.

Initially the program will be presented by an accredited FMCA food professional in Sydney metropolitan public schools. It is planned to ‘roll out’ the program to schools throughout NSW and Australia over the next 5 years and ultimately to make it available to non-government and private schools also.