The Importance of Teaching Food Technology in Public Schools

As the global food system evolves, so must our outlook on education. Teaching students about alternative proteins, including cultivated meat, cow-free dairy, fermentation-enabled products, and plant-based meats, is no longer a lofty concept. It’s essential in preparing the next generation to engage with emerging technologies, address environmental challenges, and think critically about their food choices and future career opportunities.

Why Food Technology Belongs in the Classroom

Cultivated meat offers a groundbreaking alternative to conventional animal agriculture by producing real animal protein without traditional farming practices. This innovation could potentially mitigate many of the environmental and social concerns associated with industrial agriculture. As cultivated meat moves closer to more widespread commercial production, education can prepare the public with unbiased information about potential benefits and concerns. 

Public schools are uniquely positioned to provide equitable access to this knowledge. Informed students are empowered students, and early exposure to this topic creates a foundation for critical thinking about the science and ethics of food. Incorporating this topic into science, technology, and environmental studies not only introduces students to new and exciting technology but also ensures that young people are equipped to understand and evaluate their options in our rapidly changing food system. 

To help, the Educated Choices Program Library provides ready-to-use resources like videos and lesson plans to help teachers easily integrate food technology education into their classrooms. Free videos, lesson plans, discussion prompts, activities, quizzes, and follow-up resources are designed to fit into existing curricula, taking the guesswork out for already busy educators.

Alternative Proteins in STEM Education

Teaching about alternative proteins connects students to scientific topics, including cellular biology, tissue engineering, and biotechnology. These aren’t abstract concepts; they have real-world applications, shaping the foods available in grocery stores and the choices of future generations. By diving into the science behind alternative proteins and cultivated meat, students deepen their understanding of STEM topics and can even begin to see themselves in careers that will define the future of food production.

Although these topics may seem complex, the Educated Choices Program has designed free materials presented in an easily digestible format:

Thinking Critically About the Environmental Impact of Food

The environmental impact of traditional meat production is well-documented: significant greenhouse gas emissions, excessive water use, and land degradation.¹ Cultivated meat provides a promising alternative with a much smaller predicted ecological footprint.² Additionally, it addresses ethical concerns by eliminating the need for industrial farm animals and workers.

As the global population is expected to surpass 9.7 billion by 2050, the demand for sustainable protein sources will increase dramatically.³ Introducing students to alternative proteins now can help them understand the urgency of transforming our food systems, while encouraging them to be part of the solution.

Student feedback from the Educated Choices Program.

Understanding Public Perception and Social Change

The path to social acceptance of cultivated meat is crucial for predicting its future role worldwide. While 64% of U.S. consumers are unfamiliar with cultivated meat, many are willing to try it once they understand its benefits.⁴ This curiosity is particularly strong among younger generations, like Gen Z and Millennials, who value sustainable and ethical food options.⁵

66% of Educated Choices Program viewers say they plan to increase plant-based alternative consumption.

90% of Educated Choices Program viewers are inspired to make positive changes to their diets.

Additionally, research suggests that cultivated meat could make up as much as 40% of future meat consumption, signaling a major cultural shift.⁵ As tomorrow’s consumers and decision-makers, students will need to navigate these changes thoughtfully. Providing science-based foundational knowledge today will prepare them to engage with this change proactively.

Click to download the guide.

Preparing Students For Future Careers

As the cultivated meat industry grows, new career opportunities will emerge in fields like cellular agriculture, bioprocessing, and food safety regulation. By integrating this emerging sector into the classroom, we help students envision potential roles in a future food system. Whether they become scientists, engineers, or entrepreneurs, students who understand cultivated meat will be better prepared for the evolving job market.

Conclusions For the Next Generation

Teaching cultivated meat in public schools goes beyond science and technology, it’s about preparing students for the world they’ll inherit. By equipping them with accurate, accessible knowledge about food innovation, sustainability, and ethics, we will empower the next generation to make thoughtful choices and become active contributors to global solutions.⁶ This is more than education—it’s an investment in an informed, accessible, and resilient future.

Ready to learn more? Watch the first video in the Educated Choices Program and Good Food Institute's "Food Innovation Series."

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¹ Livestock’s Long Shadow. Pierre Wassenaar. FAO.org, FAO of the UN, 2024, https://www.fao.org/4/a0701e/a0701e00.htm.

² New Studies Show Cultivated Meat Can Benefit Climate and Be Cost-Competitive by 2030. The Good Food Institute, 9 Mar. 2021, https://gfi.org/blog/cultivated-meat-lca-tea.

³ World Population Projected to Reach 9.8 Billion in 2050 and 11.2 Billion in 2100. United Nations, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, https://www.un.org/en/desa/world-population-projected-reach-98-billion-2050-and-112-billion-2100.

⁴ FACT SHEET: Looking Ahead to U.S. Cultivated Meat Adoption. The Good Food Institute, Feb. 2024, https://gfi.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Looking-ahead-to-U.S.-cultivated-meat-adoption.pdf.

⁵ Survey Shows Consumers Open to Trying Cultivated Meat. Nutraceutical Business Review, 2021, https://www.nutraceuticalbusinessreview.com/survey-shows-consumers-open-to-trying-cultivated-meat-176567.

⁶ Using Food Science to Enhance STEM Education. Carrie Edwards. K-State.edu, Kansas State University, May 2018, https://krex.k-state.edu/items/41bc0f6c-3bed-432b-a283-026a0c1779ff.