{"links":{"self":"https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/762525.json"},"data":{"type":"petition","id":762525,"attributes":{"action":"Make Cooking and Food Education a Mandatory Part of the UK School Curriculum","background":"We call on the Department for Education to make practical cooking and food education a compulsory part of the national curriculum for all primary and secondary school pupils.","additional_details":"Cooking is a fundamental life skill. Many young people leave school without knowing how to prepare simple, healthy, affordable meals. This has serious consequences for public health and long-term wellbeing.\r\nThe UK faces rising levels of obesity, diet-related illness, and food insecurity. According to the National Health Service, poor diet is a major contributor to preventable diseases. Teaching children how to cook from scratch empowers them to make healthier choices for life.","committee_note":null,"state":"rejected","signature_count":21,"created_at":"2026-02-25T23:20:13.331Z","updated_at":"2026-03-24T15:11:19.826Z","rejected_at":"2026-03-24T15:11:18.445Z","opened_at":null,"closed_at":null,"moderation_threshold_reached_at":"2026-02-26T00:00:50.000Z","response_threshold_reached_at":null,"government_response_at":null,"debate_threshold_reached_at":null,"scheduled_debate_date":null,"debate_outcome_at":null,"creator_name":null,"rejection":{"code":"already-happening","details":"The National Curriculum for Design and Technology (D&T) requires maintained schools to teach pupils about food, nutrition, how to cook and healthy eating. Cooking and nutrition is a discrete strand of the D&T curriculum and cooking is compulsory in maintained schools for key stages 1 to 3 (ages 5-14). The curriculum aims to teach children how to cook, with an emphasis on savoury dishes, and how to apply the principles of healthy eating and nutrition. "},"government_response":null,"debate":null,"departments":[],"topics":[]}}}