Preschool children’s knowledge and ideas about food and the sources of food in Sweden

Research aim Learning about the sources of food at early age is essential for developing early food literacy, healthy eating habits, and building pro-environmental awareness and values. Preschool plays a central role in introducing sustainability to children (Skolverket, 2025). Research shows that there are great benefits to engaging children in practical learning about the environment and sustainability from an early age (McCrea 2014; Sepp et al. 2016). By understanding the importance of not wasting food, children can develop a more responsible attitude toward food and resources (Bjørgen et al., 2023). However, studies on what children know about where the food comes from are limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore Swedish preschool children’s knowledge and ideas about the sources of food. Theoretical framework Bandura’s (1986) social cognitive learning theory framework is used to examine children’s understanding of the origins of food. Children’s learning occurs through explicit instruction, but also by observing, interacting, participating in activities, and accessing information from books and other media. Methodology This study is part of an international project “FOOD4Kids” funded by the Research Council of Norway (Dnr. 344271). A qualitative cross-sectional design (Cohen et al., 2018) was applied to interview 52 children, who are 5-6 years old, from eight preschools in two municipalities in Sweden. Interviews were conducted using a set of photos of food and sources of food. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. Ethical approval was sought, and no objections were raised. A content analysis was conducted. Results The results showed that some of the children in Sweden understand the word “nature”, but they mostly used the word “forest” to talk about the environment. Most of the children know the sources of milk, sausage, ham, Ketchup and wheat flour, but they had less knowledge about the origin of chips, caviar, ice-cream, cheese, and pasta. Relevance to Nordic educational research The findings are relevant to Nordic educational research since preschool education in Sweden shares some common values, such as preschool education as a foundation for a life-long learning, children’s rights to participation, and democracy, and the inclusion of sustainability. The project provides insights about children’s knowledge of the source of food, which can be useful knowledge for both in Sweden and internationally. References Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. New Jersey, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc. Bjørgen, K., Moe, B., Wold, P.-A., & Melis, C. (2023). Children's knowledge about the origins of food in early childhood education and care institutions (ECEC) in Norway. Education 3-13, 51(7), 1118-1129. Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2018). Research methods in education (8th ed.). Abingdon: Routledge. McCrea, N. (2014). Food first: Beginning steps towards children’s sustainable education. In J. M. Davis (Ed.), Young Children and the Environment: Early Education for Sustainability (2 ed.,pp. 187-208). Cambridge University Press. Sepp, H., & Höijer, K. (2016). Food as a tool for learning in everyday activities at preschool – an exploratory study from Sweden. Food & Nutrition Research. Skolverket. (2025). Läroplan för förskolan Lpfö 18, rev 2025. Acknowledgement: This study belongs to the project titled, Sustainability through food literacy in early childhood education and care institutions (FOOD4kids), funded by the Research Council Norway, Project number: 344271