# Empowering Food Projects The Campus Kitchen Uses Gardens to Educate Kids on Food Waste and Hunger By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2015-04-13 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/campus-kitchen References: [3blmedia](http://3blmedia.com/News/Garden-Based-Nutrition-Curriculum-Helps-Student-Volunteers-Implement-Innovative-Solutions) & [campuskitchens.org](http://www.campuskitchens.org/curriculum/) Sowing Seeds for Healthy Kids is a new education curriculum from The Campus Kitchen organization that uses gardens as the teaching point to inform students about issues in their own households, communities and beyond like hunger, nutrition, healthy eating, food systems and waste. Developed in part by food services company Sodexo, the educational program empowers young student volunteers to apply what they learn to make a difference in their own homes and local communities. The six-part program includes lesson plans, discussions and gardening guides to balance theory and hands-on learning. So far, there are 43 Campus Kitchens that have been established across the United States. Surplus food that comes from the gardens is collected and given out to dining halls, community gardens, restaurants and grocery stores. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.8/10 - Popularity: 27% | Activity: 50% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Gen Alpha - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Community Gardens:** Opportunities for food companies to invest in and support community gardens, contributing to sustainable and locally sourced produce. - **Food Waste Reduction:** Education programs designed to teach children about food waste and how to reduce it present opportunities for innovative solutions in food waste reduction. - **Youth Empowerment:** Investments in programs that empower youth through volunteerism and education provide opportunities to positively impact local communities and inspire future generations of leaders. ### Who This Affects Most - **Food Services:** Food service companies can invest in community gardens and educate children about healthy eating as a way to provide locally sourced produce while promoting nutrition and environmental sustainability. - **Education:** Educational institutions can partner with food services companies and community organizations to incorporate experiential learning through garden projects into the curriculum. - **Non-profit:** Non-profit organizations can invest in programs that empower youth through volunteerism and education, creating opportunities to positively impact local communities and inspire future generations of leaders. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Nourishing School Meal Programs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nourish-to-flourish.md) - [Virtual Community Kitchens](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mission-hunger.md) - [Simplified Food Waste Reducers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kitro.md) - [Food Insecurity-Fighting Partnerships](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/feeding-americas-mission.md) - [Shared Kitchen Initatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shared-kitchen.md) - [Beginners Vegetable Garden Kits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gourmet-garden.md) - [Accessible Healthy Food Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/healthy-food-initiative.md) - [STEM Gardening Kits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/organic-terrarium-kids-grow-kit.md) - [Child-Friendly Cooking Camps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/little-lion-cooking-camps.md)