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Food Literacy in the University of Hohenheim Students

Beschreibung

Summary:

Many students at the University of Hohenheim face challenges in navigating food choices due to limited food literacy, especially when moving away from home for the first time. A Humboldt Reloaded project on food literacy aims to explore differences among student groups, identify barriers, and develop effective tools—such as surveys, workshops, and cooking classes—to empower students in making healthier, more sustainable food decisions.

The project will be in English, but perfect language skills are not required. It’s also a chance to practice English, and support in German is available.

Background

As of winter semester 2023/24, the University of Hohenheim had 8,771 students enrolled with
1,345 international students. Many of these students are leaving home for the first time and
traveling to a foreign land with different cultural norms, cuisines and access to food.
Furthermore, young students from Germany are traveling away from their home city where they
will not have regular access to meals from their parents or relatives.

While definitions of “Food literacy” are not concrete Silvia & Lopes (2023) describe it as the
ability to understand, engage with, and make informed decisions about food in ways that
promote personal health, environmental sustainability, and cultural awareness. It includes
knowledge about food systems, nutrition, cooking skills, and the social and environmental
impacts of food choices. In essence, food literacy empowers individuals to navigate the food
landscape confidently, making choices that align with their health, ethical values, and
sustainability goals.

Unless students have a particularly personal interest in food or are involved in it through family
inheritance of recipes and skills, there is little to no formal structure in educating the masses.
Furthermore, family and consumer sciences or “home economics” classes have seen a long
decline in middle and high schools since the 1900’s (Cunningham-Sabo et. al., 2012). Ironically
these classes have popularized educational and professional fields that are essential to our
modern sciences like food science and nutrition sciences while itself as a topic has been
sacrificed (Wallace, 2020).

Like food science or nutrition sciences, food literacy is not something obtained easily. It requires
repeated exposure to a wide variety of ingredients, cultural cuisines, and healthy food options.
Unlike the former, it is not necessarily obtained in textbooks, lab experiments or through media
but technical repetition, especially when dealing with cooking.

A lack of food literacy can create a sense of intimidation in trying new cuisines, or having to
regularly cook for oneself. This habit can create a reliance on ready-to-eat meals, pre packaged
snacks or eating out at restaurants and fast food places. As it relates to students, this refers to
eating more at the campus cafeterias or surrounding cafes and less time cooking at the student
dorms or community living areas. As a consequence, students tend to spend more money
monthly, have less of a balanced diet which can impact a young adult’s physical and mental
health (Azevedo et. al., 2017).

When students are exposed to education, activities, workshops, that can improve food literacy it
can empower individuals to make smarter choices for their health, increase confidence when
purchasing food, and have more social connections when students from different cultural and
social backgrounds cook together.

Proposal:  We are interested in understanding:
- How does food literacy differ between international and non-international students?
- How does food literacy differ among German university students?
- What barriers exist in achieving food literacy among university students?
- What knowledge tools would be most effective in increasing food literacy among
university students?

Together we can decided on a focus for the research and practical activities.

We propose the following activities for research:
- Surveys
- Food workshops
- Cooking classes
- Plant and ingredient identification
Works

Beschreibung des interdisziplinären Teils des Projekts

This project is inherently interdisciplinary as it integrates insights from nutrition and health sciences, education, environmental sustainability, social sciences, and economics to explore and enhance food literacy among university students. It considers not only the health impacts of food choices but also the educational methods needed to foster practical skills, the cultural and social dimensions of eating and cooking, the environmental consequences of dietary habits, and the economic challenges students face in accessing nutritious food. By drawing from these diverse fields, the project aims to develop a holistic approach to food literacy that empowers students to make informed, sustainable, and culturally sensitive food choices during their university years.

Projektzeitraum

Sommersemester 2025

Bewerbungszeitraum

01. bis 13.04.2025

Durchführung

semesterbegleitend

Details zu Projektzeitraum und Durchführung

Potential Project Development Phases: 

Project Development Phases for Food Literacy Research (April 2025 - September 2025) 

1. Planning & Preparation (April 2025) 
Define research objectives and key focus areas. 
Finalize research methodology (surveys, workshops, mapping, etc.). 
Assign roles and responsibilities among team members. 
Develop survey questions and workshop outlines. 
Secure necessary permissions from Green office and other venues 

2. Data Collection (May - June 2025) 
Distribute and collect survey responses from international and non-international students. 
Conduct interviews and focus groups to gather qualitative insights. 
Organize and run food literacy workshops. 
Begin mapping food accessibility on and around campus. 

3. Data Analysis & Interpretation (July 2025) 
Clean and organize survey and interview data. 
Analyze findings to identify key trends and gaps in food literacy. 
Evaluate the impact of workshops and student engagement. 
Begin drafting reports and visual representations (e.g., healthy maps). 

4. Report Writing & Presentation (August - September 2025)
Compile research findings into a comprehensive report. 
Design infographics, visualizations, and the final version of the healthy maps. 
Prepare findings for the October Humboldt conference. 
Provide recommendations for improving food literacy and access to healthy food. 
Wrap up with a final reflection and potential objectives and key focus areas for Winter Semester.

Studienfach

offen für alle Studienfächer

Betreuende

Anna Struth, Amelie Schönhaar

Institut

Institut für Sozialwissenschaften des Agrarbereichs (430) (Nachhaltige Nutzung Natürlicher Resourcen 430c)

Sprache

deutsch/englisch

Teilnehmendenanzahl

min. 1, max. 6

Arbeitsaufwand

ca. 120 Stunden pro Teilnehmende:r | 4 ECTS-Punkte

Arbeitsaufwand (Stunden und ggf. ECTS) sind ungefähre Angaben. Die tatsächlich vergebenen ECTS-Punkte ergeben sich aus der tatsächlich geleisteten Arbeit.

 

Für dieses Projekt ist kein Motivationsschreiben des Studierenden erforderlich

Projektart

experimentell

Lernziele

Die Teilnehmende lernen in diesem Projekt:

Design and implement a student-led research project
→ Gain hands-on experience in planning, conducting, and evaluating empirical research using appropriate methods (e.g., surveys, workshops, focus groups).

Facilitate participatory learning processes
→ Develop skills to design and lead inclusive, engaging activities that support peer learning around food, culture, and sustainability.

Work effectively in an interdisciplinary team
→ Strengthen collaboration, communication, and project management skills while navigating different perspectives and roles.

Critically reflect on food systems and student life
→ Deepen understanding of the social, cultural, and institutional factors influencing food literacy and everyday food practices.

Communicate findings and insights to diverse audiences
→ Learn to present results clearly and impactfully to peers, university stakeholders, and the broader public through creative and academic formats.

Anmerkungen für Studierende

We’re excited to work with you and look forward to integrating your ideas, experiences, and interests into the project. Whether you bring research experience, cultural knowledge, cooking skills, or simply curiosity—your contribution is valuable!

Schlagworte

Food literacy, Nutrition education, Healthy eating habits, Student nutrition, Food knowledge, Food accessibility research, Eating habits study, Food mapping project, Sustainable food systems, Qualitative food research