Food tastings, workshops, and lectures on Food Literacy

Food tastings, workshops, and lectures will be organised by the students and mentors of the Faculty of Health Sciences (ETK) "Kávékör" to help university citizens eat more consciously. The central theme is Food Literacy, a cornerstone of healthy eating and a vibrant life. Starting March 11, this event series is part of the UP Blue Zone initiative. Viola Keczeli, a lecturer at PTE ETK whose doctoral research focuses on this very field, summarizes the background and the most important details.

Food Literacy
According to Vidgen and Gallegos, the term food literacy describes 

the everyday practicalities of navigating and using the food system to ensure regular dietary intake consistent with nutrition recommendations. 

Rawl defines food literacy as the ability to acquire, interpret, and apply information related to food and nutrition, contributing to health promotion. It is a proven fact that by increasing our food literacy, we can develop a more sustainable and healthier lifestyle—a topic that has gained even more prominence in the 21st century.
Globally, Palumbo’s observation might be the most fitting: food literacy can be a key determinant of population health and has proven to be a promising approach to addressing complex public health issues, such as obesity and environmental sustainability.
The study of food literacy is a relatively young field; the first measurements began in the United States in the early 2000s, with the methodology gradually spreading to other countries. The first measurement processes within the University of Pécs took place in 2025. The idea for "Become a foodACE" was based on my PhD research, which revealed that given the food literacy levels of UP students, there is a significant raison d'être for this programme at our university.

Who should we believe? How can we educate ourselves?
We encounter a vast amount of content lacking any scientific basis. Even for us professionals, it is often difficult to determine from a short, hurried video whether it has a basis in reality. In these videos, content is often extremely simplified to make it understandable and engaging for everyone. It is crucial to choose whose content we follow; let’s strive to find experts who don’t just use catchy slogans but back their claims with scientific research.

We invite everyone interested to join the UP Blue Zone "Become a foodACE" programmes and follow our content and advice. 

The foundation of this, of course, is motivation—striving for a healthier and more conscious lifestyle. Motivation can stem from several factors depending on our age, life situation, past health efforts, and how important sustainability, health, and prevention are to us. We provide UP citizens with plenty of useful content and advice toward a more conscious lifestyle based on scientific facts rather than clickbait claims.

A practical example: Meal Prepping (The "Box" Method)

Meal prepping is nothing less than the art of planning ahead, allowing us to sneak consciousness into our hectic daily lives. Moreover, it is a budget-friendly solution—essential given today’s food prices—and can be much healthier than grabbing a pastry every day on the go. 

Choose simple, quick-to-prepare dishes, such as one-pot meals made from millet or bulgur. However, we shouldn't forget that a classic vegetable stew (főzelék), meat with a vegetable side dish, or a pasta dish can also be great options. You just need an excellent container to transport your meals reliably—and you can even win one through our programme!

The engines and background of the event series
KÁVÉKÖR is part of the UP Unified Mentor Programme. Its goal is to allow students to spend quality time together, participate in personal meetings, and connect with one another, thereby experiencing a sense of community. KÁVÉKÖR HELPERS are students who care about their peers, enjoy talking, and are happy to organise community programmes. 

Participants in the "Become a foodACE" project include dietetics students Rozi Kurdi, Luca Balogh, Károly Kibédi, and Maria Shkilionak, along with mentors Viola Keczeli and Zsófia Gyócsiné Varga.

The UP Blue Zone programme aims to strengthen and maintain mental, spiritual, and physical health. Quoting Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. József Betlehem, the name is inspired by the "Blue Zones"—regions of the Earth where people live the longest and healthiest lives. The Blue Zone is also an ideal of how we can live as long and as healthily as possible. 

Since healthy nutrition is a pillar of both physical and mental health,

our " Become a foodACE" programme aligns 100% with the objectives of the UP Blue Zone. Furthermore, the programme can connect with other UP Blue Zone initiatives, such as those promoting physical activity.

How to join?
During the spring semester, we will hold three lectures in Hungarian and three in English. Additionally, you can count on our constant presence on social media. And so that we don’t just talk about nutrition—yes, there will be food!—we will always prepare food tastings, simple healthy snacks, and appetizers during the lectures. You can also meet us at two cooking workshops where participants can actually prepare dishes with us. We will also be sending out our regular newsletter. UP Citizens can register for the programmes on the UP University Sport website.

First Session:
March 11, 4:00 PM UP
ETK Building D (3 Vörösmarty Street) D 6 
Registration here

Author: UP Blue Zone
Picture: Wikimedia