Real Food for Play in Early Years: A Sustainability Debate
Using real food in play can be a rich part of Early Years practice. Children may explore texture, smell, colour, shape and change through cooking, tasting, sensory investigation and imaginative play. These experiences can support communication, physical development, understanding of the world and early awareness of healthy eating. However, in today’s context, practitioners also need to think carefully about sustainability, food waste, food poverty, hygiene and inclusion when deciding whether real food should be used as a play resource.
There are clear educational benefits when food experiences are purposeful and well planned. Preparing fruit, kneading dough, smelling herbs, tasting vegetables or helping to make simple recipes can build vocabulary, fine motor control, mathematical thinking and confidence. At the same time, there are important concerns about using real food in messy play or transient art. In communities affected by rising food costs, using pasta, cereals, fruit or vegetables purely for play may feel insensitive to families who are trying to stretch food budgets. It can also conflict with the sustainability messages that settings want to model. Throwing away edible food after a tuff tray activity does not reflect respect for resources, nor does it help children understand the value of food.
Finding the Balance: Sustainable Best Practice
A balanced approach respects both learning and the planet. Below are a range of ways you could do
this:
- Use surplus food; asking shops/parents for produce that is misshapen, bruised or past its retail prime but still safe for handling.
- Prioritise non-edible food scraps; peelings, tops, ends and leaves
- Choose long-lasting food; dry lentils, pasta, rice and oats
- Compost everything possible
A Sustainable Approach
Real food play is not essentially sustainable nor wasteful. It depends entirely on how practitioners source, use, and dispose of the food. When settings use surplus produce, minimise waste, compost responsibly, real food play can be both educationally powerful and environmentally responsible. The sustainability debate isn’t a barrier — it’s an opportunity to model thoughtful, ethical decision‑making for young children.
Useful Links
Teach Early Years - Food play – Is it responsible and what alternatives are there?: teachearlyyears.com/enabling-environments/view/food-play-responsible-alternatives
Early Years Blog: showcasetraining.co.uk/early-years/