Kids invited to explore a secret food world

THE Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth), in partnership with the City of Greater Geelong and Geelong Regional Libraries, is bringing the successful The Secret World of Food program to Geelong this school holidays, providing an immersive and fun experience aimed at boosting food literacy for young children and their families.

The Secret World of Food will encourage children to become mini food explorers, to learn about where food comes from and how it connects us to other people and the world around us.

In this free, hands-on pop-up experience, children will be equipped with a food passport to collect stamps as they move through various stages of the food cycle – from growing, to delivery, to buying and selling at the market, cooking in the kitchen and then reusing food or putting scraps in the compost.

The Secret World of Food is part of VicHealth’s push to reshape food systems and aims to set children up for success by helping them build a positive relationship with healthy food early in their lives.

VicHealth’s Kitchen Connections May 2024 survey – which asked 500 Victorian children aged 4 to 12 years how much they want to get involved with food-related activities at home – revealed about 9 in 10 want to help plan family meals and pack their lunchboxes, and that they enjoy learning where food comes from.

The Secret World of Food sprouted up at Corio Library earlier this week and will head to the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre and Biyal-a Armstrong Creek Library next.

It will allow children to move through various stages of the food cycle:

• Start in the soil – Children begin by picking fresh “produce” from the soil
• Loading the truck – Next task is to load the fresh food on the truck and deliver it to the market
• To market, to market – Here, young food explorers can buy different varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables, or step into the role of a helpful shop assistant and sell the produce
• Kitchen capers – Next, they move to the kitchen where they assist a messy chef in cooking up some delightful dishes, and
• Worming about – Finally, children help clean up by placing any leftover food ‘scraps’ into the compost, so the worms can work their magic.

VicHealth chief executive officer Professor Anna Peeters said she was looking forward to seeing regional communities engage with The Secret World of Food, and expressed excitement for the young minds that will have the chance to embark on a memorable, educational journey that will deepen their understanding of food.

“Most of us don’t think twice about how food arrives on our plates. The Secret World of Food pulls back the curtain on this journey in a fun, accessible way.

“After successful activations at Melbourne Museum, I’m thrilled that more kids and families will have the opportunity to become food explorers and learn more about the food cycle through play this school holidays.”

Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj said he was excited to have The Secret World of Food be part of the Tastes of Greater Geelong 2025 program.

“We are pleased to partner with VicHealth to bring The Secret World of Food to our Geelong libraries.

“This activation will plant seeds of knowledge in the minds of our youngest community members about where food comes from.

“If we give kids the opportunity to get involved in the experience of picking, buying and preparing food, we can get them more excited about food and eating healthy.”

The Secret World of Food will be at the Geelong Library & Heritage Centre today (Thursday, July 10) from 9am and 4pm tomorrow (Friday, July 11) from 9am to 4pm, Saturday, July 12 from 10am to 3pm and Sunday, July 13 from 10am to 3pm; and at Biyal-a Armstrong Creek Library from Tuesday, July 15 from 10am to 4pm, Wednesday, July 16 from 10am to 4pm , and Thursday, July 17 from 10am to 4pm.