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This part of the project assessed the impact of a range of school-based educational activities (including playing Beantopia, a co-designed game) on children's consumption and willingness to try bean-based meals in six schools in Leicestershire ().

The BeanMeals project team included researchers from different disciplines with expertise in food systems (agroeconomics, systemic innovation, food policy, legume breeding, public health, and behaviour change), as well as project partners , local city and county councils, and a game designer. The project team worked closely with headteachers, teachers, school children, cooks and caterers, and lunchtime supervisors to offer bean-based meals on the school food menu, bean-related educational activities (sensory activities, cooking activities, growing activities, and playing the Beantopia board game), and farm visits.

The research team highlighted the importance of building on pre-existing connections with schools developed by project partners, Food for Life. 

Beneficial outcomes of BeanMeals interactions between schools and research team were noted. For example, interactions with universities were thought to be valued by schools to raise aspirations and create awareness of different job roles among school children, e.g., in the horticultural sector through farm visits, providing a variety of new experiences for school children. 

Following completion of the BeanMeals project, there has been further collaboration with some of the schools involved. The 'Food is Not Rubbish' project emerged from conversations with BeanMeals schools, who were keen to address levels of food waste in school meals while maximising intake of nutritious foods.

The project team provided training for the cooks but noted the importance of ensuring the sessions were participant-led, with interest in cooks' views and expertise on cooking bean-based meals in a school environment. The project team recognised the school cooksÂÌñ»»ÆÞ™ extensive knowledge of school food, the catering system and school childrenÂÌñ»»ÆÞ™s food preferences.

The project team also noted the value of listening to the concerns of school cooks and lunchtime supervisors and being an advocate for them, in building trust and relationships with this group.  

The project team highlighted an increased awareness of the complexity of issues and the diverse range of partners that need to be engaged for changes to be implemented in schools. Support from headteachers, teachers, cooks and caterers, lunchtime supervisors, school children and their families were considered key, with adaptation of approaches to meet the specific needs and culture of each school essential.