In the training programs for the profession of nutritionist and catering services, the chef, confectioner still has too little time and lesson hours for teachers on new issues in gastronomy.Teachers often also lack the time and opportunity to raise their own competences with new trends such as Flexitarianism in the catering industry. Flexitarianism is a diet based on vegetables and other plant products, but meat and fish are allowed. Such a diet helps protect against cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. its use can cause weight loss. Switching to a flexitarian diet has many benefits, not just health benefits. We would like to explore this topic by establishing a partnership between public vocational schools in Kaunas (Lithuania) and Rezekne (Latvia) and implementing the above Flexiplant project. The main goal of the project is to enable access to practical solutions used in gastronomy and nutrition using a plant diet and new products. The main goal will be achieved when we achieve the following specific objectives: - acquiring knowledge through a prepared diagnosis and corresponding training in the gastronomy industry related to the plant diet, - exchange of experience and transfer of knowledge in the field of plant diet in Polish, Latvian and Lithuanian realities at school level. - developing new approaches to improve teachers' competences and equip them with new competences and skills related to dietetic cuisine based on flexiterianism, - supporting the professional development of teaching and scientific staff and enterprises (we learn from each other) - ensuring recognition of skills and competences acquired during training, - increasing the opportunities, attractiveness and international dimension of the organizations involved in the project. Activities planned under the project are: -Creating a report that is a collection of three analyzes (PL, LT, LV) containing research, diagnosis and comparative analysis in the gastronomy industry including plant diets. - Training in the field of flexible approach to nutrition with the use of a plant diet carried out by the RCK conducted by experts and entrepreneurs of the catering industry from companies cooperating with the Leader within the Food Cluster "Naturally from Podlasie", which one of the main goals is to promote knowledge of nutrition and health human and environmental protection. During the training, participants will learn the results of research and experience on new products and trends using machines and devices in the production of organic and dietetic food, learn the main issues related to the preparation of dietary dishes based on plants. The above issues related to new trends in nutrition such as flexiterianism and prepared training programs are based on the needs of employers and their experience in cooperation with vocational schools. - Preparation of a guide that includes the results of training implementation, results of testing training in schools, recommendations for teachers and practitioners developing vocational education in the gastronomy industry and substantive materials related to dietetic cuisine based on the use of plants. TARGET GROUPS AND NEEDS THAT THE PROJECT APPLIES TO: - vocational education teachers in gastronomy from Polish, Lithuanian and Latvian schools (cook, confectioner, nutrition technician and catering services) who are required to implement the subject section "Nutritional trends" and need to update their workshop with healthy eating methods, healthy diets and healthy cooking techniques and gastronomy trends, - entrepreneurs from the gastro industry, working as educators in practical forms of acquiring competences by students of vocational schools and cooperating with those schools, who need to meet the needs of clients with various dietary needs, - other trainers, mentors of vocational education and training in schools and in the workplace, who need to develop knowledge in the field of Flexitarianism for students who have acquired basic knowledge in school and want to develop it in extracurricular activities. Cooperation with foreign entities creates a huge European platform for the exchange of experiences, to which entities do not have access, because they cooperate with local or national institutions on a daily basis. Foreign partnership has been built around common problem areas, thanks to which these needs can be better solved. The diversity of the partnership ( Vocational Training Center LT- RCK foundation of 22 vocational schools PL- vocational school LV) affects the synergy effect, i.e. gaining some experience would not be possible for each institution in a separate operation, however partnership already creates such opportunities. These possibilities include, for example, access to international experiences, broadening the horizons of students and staff, improving language skills, building creative attitudes.
Through the implementation of the Flexiplant project, we wanted to introduce elements of plant-based cuisine and various methods and techniques of preparing plant-based dishes, taking into account the principles of flexitarianism, into the curricula of schools teaching nutrition and gastronomy. In addition, we wanted to achieve: - learn about new trends in nutrition, the main types of diets and current civilization diseases on a European scale that affect the development of new skills in already practicing educators and equip them with the competence and knowledge necessary to provide high-quality educational services and in response to current trends, - development creativity of teachers and entrepreneurs improving the quality and effectiveness of vocational education in the catering industry in response to current trends, - expanding knowledge on the principles of rational human nutrition (properties of nutrients, food pyramid, nutrition standards, rules for preparing meals and combining products). - update knowledge about nutrients, principles of healthy eating and current nutritional trends, - update knowledge on the principles of creating various nutritional menus resulting from a plant-based diet - flexitarianism.
The main objective of the project was to create a strategic partnership that allowed to improve the quality of the educational offer in the field of education in gastronomy and to provide access to practical solutions used in gastronomy and nutrition with the use of a plant-based diet and new products, Polish, Latvian and Lithuanian experiences at school level and the use of them through knowledge transfer. The created training materials, recipes and recipes of dishes as well as instructional videos in the field of plant-based diet implemented as part of the project allowed for the adjustment of vocational education and training in the catering sector to the labor market, the development of high-quality education based on cooperation with entrepreneurs, influencing the target groups: - covering the professional development of VET teachers, - increase in the skills of training participants - students working on the basis of new products used in nutrition and gastronomy as well as training materials, - enterprises receiving a better employee completing vocational training in schools using new education programs with the use of new products (e.g. herbs), semi-finished products, devices.