Food for Thought: Food Standards Scotland launches online game
‘Cookin Castle’ highlights the importance of following a healthy diet and proper handling of food…
The regulatory body Food Standards Scotland (FSS) has launched a new online game aimed at promoting healthy eating and safe food hygiene. The browser-based ‘Cookin Castle‘ game was piloted among 500 Scottish schoolchildren, and sees players guided through a series of quizzes and activities by a friendly wizard, while learning about the importance of a balanced diet and correct food storage and handling procedures as they go.
Commenting on the game’s launch, FSS Chief Executive Geoff Ogle said, “The diet of children in Scotland needs to improve. The current intake of fruit, vegetables and fibre is too low and the consumption of sugar, saturated fat and salt is too high. As a result of this, almost a third (29%) of children in Scotland are already at risk of becoming overweight or obese when they enter adulthood….
“Our new online education resource, Cookin Castle, is just one step FSS is taking to provide children with a solid foundation for establishing healthy life-long eating habits. FSS aims for schools across Scotland to use the game as a tool in the classroom to help children make better decisions about food.”
As well as the game itself, the Cookin Castle website has a series of accompanying resources available for download, including a Teacher’s Guide, information sheets on healthy eating, posters and food cards. Browse resource ideas for Healthy Eating Week.
