Food for Thoughts
Lene Utklev Gaupen, AHO 2019
Abstract
This project is the result of a brief presented by Matdugnaden, a project led by a collaboration between the EAT Foundation,Norwegian Institute of Public Health(Folkehelseinstituttet) & Comte Bureau.The goal was to look into the Norwegian Food System, and identify leverage points for implementing a healthy and sustainable Norwegian diet.
One can separate the Norwegian Food System into three large sections;The Industry, Rules & Regulations and The Consumer. These again can be divided into multiple sub-sections. Our correspondent,Ove Kenneth Nodland from the EAT foundation, suggested the individual consumer as a research area. The individual consumers and the industrys relationship is a synergy with the industry producing product to the demand of the consumer. Thus, the hypothesis is that a change at the consumer level will create ripple effects throughout the whole system.
Today’s society is distancing the consumer further and further away from the reality and value behind food. Fast-food, ready meals,an overload of information and choices and urbanisation has caused a detachment from the reality around food for the individual consumer.
How can one influence the consumer to make healthier and more sustainable food choices, when the knowledge around these topics, and food in general, is severely lacking?
This project is an exploration into the individual consumer food environments,with a focus on traditions, health, and lack of knowledge. The project looks into a potential solutions for implementing healthier and sustainable choices withou tbeing overly intrusive on the individual consumer.
