Sapere – Sensory food education

Learning about taste at school

The SAPERE Method

“A gateway into knowledge, taste is at the heart of education” – Jean-Michel Blanquer, Education Minister (France), October 2018

SAPERE was created out of the conviction that taste education is good for health. We believe that helping young children to understand and enjoy the pleasures of a varied and balanced diet helps lay the foundations for healthier eating in the longer term. That’s why SAPERE intervenes in schools and extracurricular environments.

The SAPERE Network news

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UN using taste education/Sapere as a case study

This is work our board member Jason O’Rourke have been doing with the UN that they are using as a case study for their new food education programme for developing countries. Great that sensory food education is being promoted to…

December 2^nd, 2022
SAPERE, sensory education, taste, UN

TastEd won the BBC Food and Farming Innovation award 2022

Congratulations to our colleagues from TastEd TastEd won the prestigious BBC Food and Farming Innovation award last night. You can find us here

November 10^th, 2022
award, BBC, TastEd, United-Kingdom

Video of the SAPERE e-conf: The relation of Sensory food education and Sustainability – 20 October 2022

On the last 20th of October 2022, SAPERE international organized its first e-conference. It was dedicated to The relation of Sensory food education and Sustainability. More than 60 participants joined the e-conference from Europe, Canada, and Japan. The e-conference was…

October 31^st, 2022
e-conference, SAPERE, sensory education, sustainability

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The SAPERE network

Belgium

In April 2018 and June 2019, teachers from Anderlecht took part in SAPERE training. If you’re also interested, contact us here!

Czech Republic

Many of you are reminiscent of the nationwide competition on nutrition and food features. It was one of the most successful SAPERE events on an international scale. In total, around 150,000 primary and secondary school children were involved. ...

Estonia

ETNÜ has been a member of SAPERE International since 2019. They have developed a curriculum and adapted program for Estonian children based on the SAPERE-method.

Finland

In the city of Jyväskylä, the SAPERE method is part of early years food and nutrition education in day care centres. You can read more about it in this guide by Aila Koistinen and Leena Ruhanen (2009) – available in English and Finnish, here.

France

In 1974, Jacques Puisais started the first taste classes in France. In the 1980s, many teachers received training from the Ministry of Education and introduced taste lessons into their classrooms. Those who were most convinced of the importance of teaching children about food issues, health...

Japan

After discovering the SAPERE method and trying Taste Classes in France, Mr Somei and Mrs Kawaguchi, both dieticians, decided to launch similar classes in Japan in 2017. The initiative was first carried out in a nursery in Kyoto and was very well received. Taste Classes for 2-3 year-olds have...

Netherlands

Taste education for primary school children, inspired by the SAPERE method, has been available through the Smaaklessen (taste lessons) programme since 2006. Embedded in over 4500 schools, it’s aimed at children 4 to 12 year olds. Recently, Smaaklessen was reviewed as the first effective...

Norway

In Norway, taste education is disseminated through two organisations: Norsk Kulturarv and Nofima. In 2018, there were seven teacher training courses delivered for around 200 teachers...

Sweden

The SAPERE method has been disseminated in Sweden for more than 20 years, in particular thanks to a collaboration with the Swedish National Food Agency. The SAPERE founder Jacques Puisais’s book, Taste and children, was translated from French to adapt the method for Swedish schools...

Switzerland

In Switzerland, taste education is integrated into a wider food education approach. It started with a pilot in the Valais canton in 2003. Following a successful first stage, the Senso5 Foundation was set up in 2012, as a non-profit with the goal of promoting healthier relationships with...

United Kingdom

TastEd is a group of educators, writers and campaigners working to change the way that food education is taught in the U.K. and beyond. Our aim is to help build a generation of children who have a wider palate for healthy foods, especially vegetables and fruits, and a positive relationship...