Remember when school taught you about, well, school? Turns out, some forward-thinking educators are adding a critical life skill to the curriculum: how food actually works.
On September 25, Food Tank and Pilot Light are teaming up for "The Future of Food Education" during Climate Week NYC 2026. The goal? To turn kids into mini food-system masterminds who make healthier choices, understand where their dinner comes from, and maybe even fix some of the world's most pressing food issues. Because apparently, that's where we are now.
Educators, school leaders, and policymakers will descend upon New York City to swap notes on what’s working and, more importantly, how to get food education onto every single student's plate (and into their brain). It’s about more than just nutrition labels; it’s about empowering the next generation to actually understand what they're putting in their bodies and why it matters.
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Alex DeSorbo-Quinn, Executive Director of Pilot Light, points out that while some fantastic food education is already happening, the real challenge is scaling it. How do you go from a few great programs to a nationwide movement? The summit aims to tackle just that, bringing together the best minds to share strategies and map out the future. DeSorbo-Quinn hopes attendees will leave inspired, armed with practical ways to integrate food smarts into every child's learning journey.
They'll dive into the nitty-gritty: the hurdles schools face, the models that actually work, and how local partnerships can extend learning beyond the classroom. Because let's be honest, you can learn a lot more about a tomato in a garden than in a textbook.
One of the speakers, farmer Linda Carmen Bryant, co-founder of the San Antonio Million Gardens Project, will share how she helps families get their hands dirty, growing their own food and, in the process, cultivating knowledge, community, and connections. Which, if you think about it, is both impressive and slightly terrifying for anyone who's ever tried to keep a houseplant alive.
The Recipe for a Good Event
The gathering kicks off at 1:30 PM at WNYC-NPR Studios’ The Greene Space in New York City, promising food, drinks, and live music. The program wraps up at 4:30 PM after a reception, giving everyone ample time to digest all that knowledge (and maybe some actual snacks).
The speaker lineup is a who's who of food education, including Alex DeSorbo-Quinn, Nancy Easton from Wellness in the Schools, Gerardo Martinez from Wild Kid Acres, Taylor Meredith, Shanon Morris from Harlem Grown, and Danielle Nierenberg from Food Tank. Journalist Kim Severson, Jeremy Walter from the NYC Department of Education, and food justice advocate Karen Washington will also be sharing their insights.
For a dash of entertainment, Broadway actor and disability rights advocate Jenna Bainbridge will perform, joined by New York-based composer and pianist Maria Caputo. For those who can't make it to the Big Apple, the summit will be streamed live on FoodTank.com and Food Tank’s YouTube channel. So you can learn about the future of food education from the comfort of your own kitchen.
