Plantas Alimentícias Não Convencionais (PANC) na alimentação escolar: potenciais, desafios e perspectivas

Abstract

The dominant agri-food model in contemporary society has been characterized by a production and consumption system that prioritizes large-scale production, to the detriment of healthy and sustainable food. This context, reflected in the educational and food systems of schools, generates food insecurity and makes the knowledge of the peoples of the territory invisible. Non-conventional edible plants (NCAP), with their nutritional and sustainable properties, emerge as a valuable alternative to diversify the diet and value biodiversity and traditional knowledge. Thus, the study aimed to investigate the potential, challenges and perspectives of the use of NCAP in school meals, through bibliographic and documentary research. The study identified several potentials of NCAP in school meals, highlighting them as a strategy to promote food and nutritional security. In this context, they play a fundamental role in promoting food biodiversity and decolonial and biodiverse food, as well as in valuing traditional knowledge. It was also identified that NCAP represent a promising source of nutrients, as well as an opportunity for gastronomic exploration. Their culinary potential is vast and diverse, offering a wide range of creative possibilities in the kitchen. By valuing and incorporating these plants into the diet, it is possible not only to enrich the diet with healthy and tasty ingredients, but also to promote the conservation of biodiversity and environmental sustainability. In the school context, PANC can contribute to questioning this dominant agri-food model and foster a greater connection between students and nature, contributing to a more critical and conscious education about food systems, considering the territory in which they live. Despite this, challenges in acceptance and consumption among students, teachers and school administrators were identified, which demonstrates the need for training, information and the creation of public policies on PANC, aiming to contribute to a fairer, healthier and environmentally sustainable food system.