Året inleddes med en ny organisation för Högskolan Kristianstad och bildandetav fyra nya fakulteter. Avdelningen för Mat- och måltidsvetenskapingår numera i Fakulteten för Naturvetenskap tillsammans med avdelningenför Datavetenskap och avdelningen för Miljö och biologi. Det varinte bara för HKR som det gångna året innebar organisatoriska förändringarutan även för vår avdelning.Bitte Müller Hansen gick i pension efter nästan tio år som programansvarigför Gastronomiprogrammet och avdelningschef. Bitte har betytt oerhörtmycket för utveckling av programmet och har lagt ner stort engagemangi såväl utbildningen, som i sina kontakter med studenter och medarbetsmarknaden.

Under året som gått har mycket hänt och vi utvecklas vidare! Denna upplaga av Mat- och måltidsvetenskaps verksamhetsberättelse sammanfattar händelser och utveckling av ämnesområdet vid Högskolan Kristianstad under 2019. Ett år där alla medarbetare på avdelningen bidragit till att arbeta för visionen att vi ska ha en ledande position för framtidens mat och måltider genom attraktiva utbildningar, framgångsrik forskning och aktiv samverkan.

This presentation reports from a focused ethnographic study on how teachers of Swedish Home Economics and their students in collaboration with each other and objects make sense of food. The study was based on a social constructionist perspective in combination with theories on space and culture. Food in Home Economics offers a challenging complexity. On the one hand Swedish Home Economics is a school subject with a long history, framed by certain conditions such as the syllabus and issues of time. Here, teachers and students meet according to plan with the expressed intention to teach and learn about food. On the other hand we as humans use food to make sense of the world. Home Economics can thus be conceived of as a space where a rich array of interests, beliefs, traditions and norms relating to food coexist and are being transformed. This study was conducted through what can be described as a focused ethnography where attention was directed towards a particular setting and by giving emphasis to particular behaviour in particular settings rather than attempting to portray a whole cultural system. Data gathering was initially broad and explorative with observations to find ways to proceed, which was followed by focus group interviews with students and teachers. Formal data gathering thus began in early 2007 with a short fieldwork and concluded with focus group interviews with teachers in the spring of 2009. This work resulted in three different data sets that was analysed both separately and in conjunction with each other with the help of different analytical theories. The main finding was that food in Swedish Home Economics could be described as contested: teachers and students made sense of food in opposing ways.

Föredraget bygger på den färska avhandlingen Contested food : the construction of home and consumer studies as a cultural space. Elever berättar att de upplever sig som delaktiga i matarbetet hemma - de får vara med och bestämma och anses som en viktig del i familjens mataktiviteter, även om de kanske inte lagar alla maten själva. I skolan däremot upplever de sig som utestängda från vissa för matarbetet väsentliga delar. Det här får som konsekvens att maten i Hem- och konsumentkunskapen upplevs som fejk och oautentisk - den handlar om ett liv långt bort i framtiden och inte om livet här och nu. I kontrast till detta finns lärarnas beskrivning, som är förankrad i de ursprungliga anledningarna till att införa mat som en del av skolundervisningen. Jag kommer att berätta om ett skolämne som är fyllt av motsägelser och paradoxer.

The syllabus for Home Economics in Sweden has a concrete culture perspective tied to cultural variations and food traditions (Skolverket 2011, 2016). Culture has been described as pivotal to how we socially understand the world around us (Burr 2003, Gerger 2009), which means that the world isn’t neutral to us but rather understood from one cultural perspective or another (Hastrup 2004). Research (Bohm 2016, Höijer 2013) has illustrated how food selected to be included in Home Economics education primarily is chosen by the teacher, and also that the teacher is embedded in the cultural and structural traditions that are (re)constructed in society and school. Education about food in Home Economics is contested in the sense that students and teachers’ cultural perspective are misaligned and students’ experiences rarely are taken as a starting point (Höijer 2013). So far there has been no research investigating how education about food traditions is realized, but experience suggests that it often entails baking traditional saffron buns in December or to speak about geographical regions rather than to investigate food as codes, images, values, experiences and ways of thinking that groups of people share. The main aim of the project was to develop Home Economic teachers competence in a Swedish municipality, the specific aim was to develop education about food traditions.

Between August of 2017 and January 2018 a competence development project was carried out in a large municipality near Stockholm. The project was planned as a combination between lectures and research in the form of a lesson study (Lewis 2002; Lewis, Perry & Murata 2006; Murata 2011). In the lesson study a specific lesson was planned by the whole group and carried out by one teacher, and observed by other teachers. Analysis and revision of the lesson was done by the whole group.

Mat och matlagning beskrivs ofta som själva kärnan i skolämnet hem- och konsumentkunskap (HK). Att utbilda nya lärare inom ämnet med för således att praktisk matlagning ingår som en central del. I och med Coronapandemin ändrades förutsättningarna för att bedriva undervisning, vilket påverkade förutsättningarna för undervisning i praktisk matlagning vid de fyra lärosätena som bedriver utbildning av HK-lärare. Vad innebär det för lärarutbildare att bedriva undervisning i praktiska moment under en pandemi?

I det här projektet samlades lärarutbildare från Göteborg universitet, Högskolan Kristianstad, Umeå universitet samt Uppsala universitet i fokusgrupper i två omgångar för att berätta vad pandemin inneburit för undervisningen i praktisk matlagning, vilka lösningar som har framkommit och vilka lärdomar man tar med sig in i framtiden. En första intervjuomgång genomfördes i oktober 2020 och uppföljningsintervjuer gjordes under april och maj 2021.

Preliminära resultat visade att den praktiska matlagningen inte bara handlade om matlagningsmetoder utan allt det som händer “runt omkring”. De förändrade förutsättningarna påverkade inte nödvändigtvis studenternas förutsättningar att uppnå lärandemålen men det uttrycktes en oro för att den tysta kunskap som ofta genereras i det nära fysiska mötet mellan människor gått förlorad.

Denna studie är den första i sitt slag som inkluderar lärare inom högre utbildning för ämnet HK från samtliga utbildningsorter och de preliminära resultaten väcker nya frågeställningar kring lärandemålens formuleringar och deras relevans för framtidens HK-lärare.

The world is facing a number of challenges related to food consumption. These are, on the one hand, health effects and, on the other hand, the environmental impact of food production. Radical changes are needed to achieve a sustainable and healthy food production and consumption. Public and institutional meals play a vital role in promoting health and sustainability, since they are responsible for a significant part of food consumption, as well as their “normative influence” on peoples’ food habits. The aim of this paper is to provide an explorative review of the scientific literature, focusing on European research including both concepts of health and sustainability in studies of public meals. Of >3000 papers, 20 were found to satisfy these criteria and were thus included in the review. The results showed that schools and hospitals are the most dominant arenas where both health and sustainability have been addressed. Three different approaches in combining health and sustainability have been found, these are: “Health as embracing sustainability”, “Sustainability as embracing health” and “Health and sustainability as separate concepts”. However, a clear motivation for addressing both health and sustainability is most often missing

Denna upplaga av mat- och måltidsvetenskaps verksamhetsberättelse sammanfattar händelser och utveckling av ämnesområdet vid Högskolan Kristianstad under 2020. Få kunde väl ana vad som väntade när vi inledde år 2020 – det blev ett år där mycket sattes på sin spets och som krävde stora och snabba krav på anpassningar, digital utveckling och flexibilitet för både lärare och studenter. Trots dessa utmaningar blev detta åter ett år där alla medarbetare på avdelningen bidrog till att arbeta för visionen att vi ska ha en ledande position för framtidens mat och måltider genom attraktiva utbildningar, framgångsrik forskning och aktiv samverkan.

The meal concept is used in varying contexts, and within several scientific fields, however often without a clear definition of what it includes. The meal has been identified as a subject in multiple research areas such as nutrition, medicine, sensory science, history, design product development, food service, biology, physiology, anthropology, sociology, psychology, marketing and so forth 1. A meal may be defined and identified by the time of the day, by its energy content and how the food is combined as well as by its social interactions, implying that it may be understood in relation to the food itself as well as to the social and cultural context 2. The meal has also been discussed in relation to the concept of “snacks”, where a meal has been defined as a “structured food event”, while “snacks” represent “unstructured food events”3 . Some attempts have been made in order to define the meal and also to present a more holistic model of what it includes. One way of defining the meal is by using certain cues related to food as well as the environment 4. Another example is the Five Aspects Meal Model (FAMM) which was developed as a model in the early 2000s 5, with the ambition to capture an entirety of the meal by including the room, the meeting, the product, the logistics and the atmosphere in defining and understanding a meal. Although there have been many attempts trying to find a general and precise definition, the complexity makes it difficult, and maybe impossible, to capture the meal concept in a single definition 6. Different disciplines focus on various aspects, which may complicate a common understanding 7,8,9.

It has been stated that meals are only one form of eating 10, and that the meal alone does not capture the diversity of todays’ eating. Still, it is recurrently used as a point of reference and as a norm for discussions concerning food and eating. The meal concept is however in constant change and must be understood in relation to societal patterns and norms, how we organize our eating and what role food plays as a social and cultural glue 2, but also in relation to our perception of health, sustainability, convenience and so forth. Other concepts, such as “eating episodes” 11,12, “eating occasions” see f ex. 13 and “eating events” 14 have also been used as attempts to illuminate the complexity of food habits. Nonetheless, the meal is still universally used and recurrent in various research works, and therefore it is of importance to investigate how the concept is actually used and understood in the different areas related to food- and meal science, an interdisciplinary field studying food and meals within Food science, Nutrition and health, and Food culture and communication.

The world is facing a number of challenges related to food consumption. Food conduces to far-reaching health effects as well as environmental impact. System changes are needed tomeet a sustainable, healthy food production and consumption. Public and institutional mealsplay a vital role in promoting health and sustainability. In many countries public meals, in this study defined as meals taking place in institutional settings, constitutes a substantial part offood consumption, and may exert a a normative influence on peoples’ food habits. The aimof this study was to exploratively review how, and if, health and sustainability are addressedin the European scientific literature dealing with public meals. Of >3000 papers, 20 werefound to satisfy the criteria and included in the review. The results showed that schools andhospitals are the most dominant arenas where both health and sustainability have beenaddressed. Three different approaches in combining health and sustainability. In the first“Health as embracing sustainability” health is the point of departure and sustainability isincluded as part of health. This is emphasized in relation to health promotion initiatives andhow these could also be more sustainable, claiming that health should embrace both aspects.In the second, “Sustainability as embracing health” sustainability is in focus and health is seenas part of sustainability. This was for example illustrated when focusing on sustainable foodprocurement which is then also motivated by better nutrition in terms of knowing where thefood comes from and how it is produced. Last, for “Health and sustainability as separateconcepts” the link between heath and sustainability was unspecified or undefined. This couldbe exemplified by the stated, but not inter linked or combined, role of the school meal totackle societal challenges related to health and sustainability. In general, a clear motivationfor addressing both health and sustainability is most often missing. This indicates a need formore research within all public meal arenas regarding issues of health and sustainability, forexample in order to provide a more comprehensive foundation for decision-making.

Background: There is a need for research both in relation to food education at preschools and in relation to how the individual teacher can handle and relate to the many different scientific facts and paradigms that are prevalent in relation to food, health, and a sustainable lifestyle.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the experiences and meanings that preschool teachers associate with involving food as a tool for learning in planned educational activities.

Design: An exploratory study was conducted in 14 preschools with 131 teachers. Twenty semi-structured individual or group interviews with 45 preschool staff were conducted, and 10 interviews were selected for analysis.

Results: According to participants, both children and teachers developed a sensory language; children became more positive towards tasting and teachers discovered new possibilities for interdisciplinary work. However, the results also show that an allowing system, with both an interested and confident teacher who recognises the competent child and a supportive organisation, is needed in order to make food a meaningful tool for learning in preschool.

Discussion: According to previous studies, food has the potential to play an important part in everyday activities at preschool, both in planned educational activities as well as at meal situations. Our results imply that a holistic understanding of food in preschool is required for long-term work with food as a natural part of the everyday activities.

Conclusion: The results imply that it is fun and meaningful for both children and teachers, and quite possible, to work with food as a tool for learning in everyday activities at preschool. In order to include food as a way to work with the preschool curriculum for a sustainable lifestyle, an allowing system is needed.

Food and Meal Science is an interdisciplinary research and education field at Kristianstad University with a vision to create a sustainable and healthy society. Here gastronomists (BSc in Food and Meal Science) and teachers in home and consumer studies (MSc in Subject Education) are educated. The field include the areas “Nutrition and Health”, “Food Science” and “Food Culture and Communication”. The BSC-programme comprise science, craftsmanship and creativity. Theory is turned into practice through laborative exercises and working life placements. In 2014, the programme was evaluated to be of “Very high quality” by the Swedish educational authority. Approximately 25 gastronomists graduate yearly and find work opportunities within industry, eg innovations and product development and within the public meal sector.Currently, efforts are made to develop a Masters degree programme for students interested in higher education. The research group MEAL was founded 2013. One of the aims is to reach a holistic understanding of food and meals. Research projects include sensory, consumer and nutritional aspects in relation to age, culture and health. Food habits and behavior are of interest as well as sociological aspects. Further key concepts, such as “cooking” and “meal“, are explored from different angles of the field. The research is a key factor in the academisation of the field and will lay a stable ground for education at MSc-level. Food and meal science has a great opportunity to combine and use aspects from the different areas in order to form a holistic understanding within research and education.