The Intersection Between Food Literacy and Sustainability: A Systematic Quantitative Literature Review

Abstract

Achieving a sustainable global society is dependent on effective modern food systems and sustainable food literacy competency. This study aimed to make visible the nature of the intersection between food literacy and sustainability (sustainable food literacy) by employing a systematic quantitative literature review reported through PRISMA principles. It explored the representation and intersectionality of these research concepts to reveal the knowledge, skill, and attitude/behaviour dimensions of sustainable food literacy and Education for Sustainable Development to support SDG 4: Quality Education. The inclusion criteria of English language, peer-reviewed, full-text articles where food literacy and sustainability intersect through minor, major, or focus article links yielded N = 114 articles. Although experiencing rapid growth between 2013 and 2022, sustainable food literacy research was identified as fragmented and incomplete. This review reveals and conceptualises 19 sustainable food literacy research topics, including knowledge, skills, and attitudes/behaviours (86%), education (51%), food systems (45%), consumers/consumption (44%), and sustainable diets (34%). This study confirms that education with foundational and critical knowledge, skills, and attitudes/behaviours is pivotal to developing sustainable food literacy competency. Eight propositions are provided to guide further research to support SDG 4: Quality Education, focusing on exploring teacher capacity, successful educational approaches, and supportive policy.

1. Introduction

Safe and nutritious food access is critical to human survival and optimal health [1]. Conversely, it is also detrimental to achieving a sustainable society. It is inextricably linked to non-communicable diseases, including experiences of hunger [2], malnutrition, obesity, overweight, underweight, stunting [3], dental caries [4], and heart disease [5], alongside food-borne microorganism and chemical-based communicable diseases attributed to poor food hygiene and safety practices [1].

Food, in this paper, a term used to encompass all aspects of the food systems, poses food insecurity sustainability challenges, where individuals lack adequate access to nutritious and safe food to support health [2]. Food insecurity and nutrition are also impacted by unsustainable agricultural practices [3], generating water and soil quality degradation, decreased biodiversity, and climate change [6]. Other food system components also impact climate change, from agricultural production to food disposal [7], with household food waste being a significant greenhouse gas emission contributor [8]. These sustainability challenges are inextricably linked: declines in one directly impact others. Therefore, food poses a complex and significant challenge to achieving global sustainability.

The following will detail the intersection between food and sustainability. Then, a description of food literacy and its education will be discussed, juxtaposed with the principles of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), to demonstrate their alignment. Finally, the significance, study aim, and research questions guiding this investigation will be presented.

1.1. Food and Sustainable Development

The United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development aims to achieve a sustainable world that benefits humanity and the environment. It is driven by 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) encompassing 169 targets to achieve sustainable development [9], with food forming one contextualisation. Modern food systems are demonstrably failing, impacting health, education, economics, and food security, among others [10], and were further impaired by the COVID-19 pandemic, where food systems failed to consistently supply consumers with nutritious food [11].

Insights from the UN 2024 SDG Report reveal the dire global situation, with critical food-related transitions essential to achieving the SDGs by 2030. Global hunger, food insecurity, stunting, and malnutrition remain prevalent post-COVID-19, creating a desperate need to improve human nutrition, diet, health, and hygiene. Food prices remain at an all-time high in nearly 60% of the world, restricting many individuals’ food access, security, and nutritional intake. Around 2 billion people lack safe drinking water access, and around 40% do not have public transport access in urban areas, limiting food acquisition and exacerbating food insecurity [12].

It is estimated that global edible food waste totalled 1.05 billion metric tons in 2022, equating to approximately 1 billion meals. The food system’s harvest, transportation, storage, wholesale, and processing stages accounted for 13.2% of this waste, with consumers and retailers responsible for 19%. Annual household food waste was estimated to be 79 kg, with food waste estimated to contribute 8–10% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Global fishery sustainability, deforestation reduction, and productive lands also declined, impacting food security [12]. Consequently, the report indicates the prevalence of food-related sustainability challenges.

In 2021, the UN hosted the Food Systems Summit to develop strategies to achieve the SDGs through food system transformation [10]. The Summit explicitly linked all 17 SDGs to food challenges to stimulate sustainable food system transformation [10]. Another summit in 2023 reviewed progress in mitigating food sustainability challenges [13], confirming that transformative ideas are critical to supporting SDG achievement. One such contextualisation is developing global food literacy competency.

1.2. Food Literacy

Food literacy is a multidisciplinary concept describing the skills, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours individuals require to plan, manage, select, prepare, and eat food to interact effectively with food environments [14]. It is influenced by food systems, culture, society, policy, economics, and environmental needs [15] and embeds many complex and linked aspects, including food knowledge, skills, and critical decision-making capabilities based on attitudes and beliefs that empower individuals to effectively interact with or act upon sustainability challenges, food technology, public health, food systems and infrastructure, business, consumption, and agricultural systems [16].

Critical food literacy traverses food and critical literacy [17], requiring higher-order cognitive engagement to investigate, assess, critique, and reflect upon food myths, norms, practices, and situations using critical thinking [18] while being critically aware of modern food challenges [19,20]. Thus, critical food literacy competency enables individuals to engage in and advocate for sustainable food systems [18] as they extend their basic food literacy knowledge, skills, and attitudes, gaining greater confidence and empowerment with food interactions [20].

Food literacy research is experiencing exponential growth, demonstrating increased value recognition [21]. This was highlighted during COVID-19 with lockdowns and mandated food outlet closures forcing people to access and prepare food within constraining conditions, including shortages and the lack of availability of products [22]. Consumers typically shopped less frequently [23] while negotiating food shortages [24], triggering immediate changes in household food interactions and behaviours [25]. Consequently, individuals who were food literate could pivot and negotiate these challenges effectively [22], while others without this literacy experienced a decline in nutritional consumption [26].

Food literacy competency is critical for public health [27] to support healthy dietary consumption [28] and safe and hygienic food handling [29]. It is essential for everyday life participation [14], maintaining food security [30], and acting as a critical consumer. This is evident, for example, when interpreting food labels [31] and shopping to reduce food waste [32]. Food literacy competency is also essential for understanding food agriculture and origins [33] while supporting individuals entering food-related employment pathways [34]. Of importance to this study, food literacy competency is also critical for sustainability, as food is linked to all 17 SDGs [10].

Effective food literacy education is delivered through the food literacy educational nexus [35], which concurrently develops food literacy knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviours (see Figure 1). It is influenced by culture, society, family, gender, and emotion [36] to empower individuals to act critically when interacting with food [37,38]. This holistic approach argues that food knowledge alone is insufficient to enable healthy food interactions and the development of food self-efficacy [39], as individuals must be able to apply food knowledge to make critical decisions [37,40,41]. This holistic approach best commences during childhood [39].

1.3. Education for Sustainable Development

ESD is an approach to teaching and learning recognised as the key educational driver and enabler of the SDGs [42]. It strives to empower individuals to address sustainability challenges across all age groups by provoking critical thinking, informed decision-making, and action. It is critical to SDG 4: Quality Education and promotes holistic, transformative education through the priority action areas of policy, education and training settings, educator capacity, the youth, and local community action. This holistic approach concurrently develops cognitive, behavioural, and social/emotional dimensions to ensure transformative education relevant to modern society while empowering individuals to think and act critically on sustainability challenges [42].

A complimentary comparison between the food literacy educational nexus and the ESD dimensions is evident. As illustrated in Figure 1, the holistic and concurrent development of food literacy knowledge, skills, and attitudes/behaviours reflects the ESD dimensions. Furthermore, both approaches are best when commenced in childhood and strive to empower individuals to think and act critically.

1.4. Study Aim

Education is critical to SDG achievement by 2030 [9,42], and the literature confirms links between food, sustainability, food literacy, education, and ESD. As ESD can be contextualised to varied sustainability challenges [42], food literacy is a valuable contextualisation in the face of global food sustainability challenges. This study aims to demonstrate how food literacy and sustainability intersect [sustainable food literacy] using a systematic quantitative literature review (SQLR). It will do this by exploring how research represents this intersection to reveal the knowledge (cognitive), skill (behaviour), and attitude/behaviour (social/emotional) dimensions of sustainable food literacy in the published literature: a novel insight which is yet to be explored.

This review provides a unique contribution to knowledge, as no prior research examines sustainable food literacy knowledge, skills, and attributes/behaviours within the ESD framework presented in Figure 1. Related work includes Slater et al. [20], who generated an educational critical food literacy competencies framework embedding cognitive, psychomotor, and affective dimensions for youth with one section focussing on sustainability. Similarly, Rosas et al. [43,44] developed a food literacy conceptual wheel embedding sustainability as one of nine influential food literacy components. Rosas et al. [43] noted that although food literacy–sustainability links appear in some frameworks, they do not comprehensively link the two concepts. Similarly, Perry et al. [45] briefly mentioned sustainable food choices within their food literacy conceptualisation, and Cullen et al. [15] were the first to include sustainability within their food literacy definition. Despite sustainability being recognised as a food literacy component in these studies, it was beyond their scope to detail the nuances of sustainable food literacy knowledge, skills, and attitudes/behaviours, creating the gap this study will fill, making it unique within the field of food literacy research.

This study, therefore, sets out to contribute to the achievement of SDG 4: Quality Education, and, specifically, SDG Target 4.7, “...ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development...” [9] (p. 17). It will do this in three phases. Phase one involves conducting an SQLR to establish evidence-based knowledge. Phase two involves the construction of evidence-based, sustainable food literacy conceptualisations applicable for use as educational guides, curriculum policy informers, and advocates for food literacy ESD. Phase three critiques these conceptualisations to highlight what is known about sustainable food literacy alongside limitations in the current literature through which future research lenses [46,47] emerge to drive future sustainable food literacy research. The research questions guiding this study through these three phases are the following:

Phase One:

• What methodologies, research areas, data types, demographics, and research growth patterns are associated with sustainable food literacy research?
• What proportion of research makes minor, major, or focus article links between food literacy and sustainability?
• How comprehensive are the SDG, ESD, and advocation representation in sustainable food literacy research?

Phase Two:

4.

How can the research topics and their embedded nuances within sustainable food literacy research be conceptualised within the knowledge [cognitive], skill [behaviour], and attitude/behaviour [social/emotional] dimensions?

Phase Three:

5.

What are the emerging research lenses within sustainable food literacy research?

The following section will detail this study’s SQLR methodology and review protocol.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. The SQLR Methodology

Systematic literature reviews provide a rigorous avenue for exploring a research domain to gain valuable and novel insights. They facilitate research progression by synthesising the extant literature through a specific lens using a transparent and reproducible protocol [46,48]. Pickering and Byrne’s [47] 15-step SQLR fits this criterion as a comprehensive, explicit, reproducible methodology applying systematic inclusion criteria within a clearly defined scope. It captures transdisciplinary and heterogeneous data alongside diverse research methodologies, highlighting critical subject matter and research gaps [49]. The SQLR complements the food literacy research domain due to its diverse research data and methodological nature. To complement the SQLR, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 statement [46,50] guided study reporting. Figure 2 presents the Pickering and Byrne [47] methodology application in this study alongside the review protocol, now reported by PRISMA requirements.

2.2. Eligibility Criteria

All included articles made an explicit food literacy–sustainability link in one of three ways:

• Minor article link: a brief link, for example, a sentence or small paragraph, but was not the article’s primary focus;
• Major article links: the link formed a major point within the article but was not the main focus;
• Focus articles: the article focused on sustainable food literacy research.

The extended inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in Figure 2.

2.3. Information Sources

As food literacy and sustainability are multidisciplinary constructs, a broad range of databases were searched to ensure comprehensiveness. The article reference lists were also scanned to identify articles for inclusion. The database searches were conducted on 22 May 2023 (see Figure 2).

2.4. Search Strategy

Following trial and error testing, the search term ALL FIELDS (“food literacy” AND “sustainab*’) was selected to ensure the capture of a broad scope of articles. The use of ALL FIELDS was based on McManus et al. [21], who identified that food literacy research was under-represented by the keyword ‘food literacy’ and recommended searching ALL FIELDS to comprehensively capture food literacy research, as using keywords only will not achieve this need [see Figure 2].

2.5. Selection Process

The search strategy yielded n = 1852 records uploaded to Covidence Version May 2023 [56]. One reviewer screened the titles and abstracts against the inclusion criteria, followed by the full-text screening of 20 articles against the inclusion criteria by all reviewers to ensure inclusion consistency and consensus. Original disagreement over including minor link articles occurred, leading to a discussion regarding the value of including this information. Consensus was achieved to include these data as it was decided that they provides valuable insights, for example, the level of representation (minor, major, and focus article) of sustainable food literacy research in the published literature and future research lens detection by identifying under-researched focus areas. Following this, one reviewer completed the full-text screening. N = 114 articles were included in this review (see Figure 2 and Figure 3).

2.6. Data Collection Process

Covidence Version May 2023 [56] software was used for data extraction. To commence, one reviewer extracted 20 articles, and all reviewers reviewed and critiqued the data to ensure consistency and consensus. This included the assessment of article risk of bias. During this process, the SQLR data collection categories were tested and revised with additions made to add countries, research areas, methodologies, and research topics. Each article was re-extracted after these additions to ensure accurate and consistent data collection (see Figure 2). Multiple data items were constructed within Covidence, and Figure 2 provides a detailed list.

2.7. Study Risk of Bias Assessment

Due to the heterogeneous nature of the included studies, two risk of bias assessment tools were used. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) [51,52,53] assessed mixed methods, quantitative, and qualitative studies, and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Checklist for Systematic Reviews and Research Syntheses [54,55] was used to assess reviews. Six studies were excluded for not meeting the criteria of these assessment tools as they lacked critical details regarding methodological applications, study demographics, and data analysis strategies.

2.8. Effect Measures

As this review did not focus on collecting statistical outcome data, effect measures did not apply to this review.

2.9. Synthesis Methods

Once complete, the dataset and PRISMA statement were extracted from Covidence into a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet and Word document, respectively. The data were checked for completeness through comparison with the data held within the Covidence software, and accuracy was confirmed. The quantitative data were analysed using Microsoft Excel v.16.89.1 [57] to produce frequencies and the growth rate percentages of sustainable food literacy research. The sustainable food literacy research exponential growth rate was calculated using the Excel ‘GROWTH’ formula [58]. The frequency calculations were then graphed and charted. The qualitative data were synthesised using Excel by collating evidence to contextualise the quantitative frequencies presented for ESD, SDG, advocation, and research topics. This process was conducted by generating summaries specific to each topic, such as evidence to contextualise the sustainable food literacy research topic of education, which was visually conceptualised. These collated data can be viewed within the Supplementary File, providing evidence of the reported outcomes.

3. Results

This section will present the demographics and study characteristics of the articles included in this study to report on phase one. It will also conceptualise the sustainable food literacy research topics through the ESD/food literacy nexus contexts of knowledge, skills, and attitudes/behaviours, alongside the benefits of competency and impacts of incompetency, where relevant, to report on phase two.

3.1. Study Characteristics

Most of the included articles consisted of original research (76%) (see Figure 4a). Over 70% were published between 2019 and 2022, with nine articles recorded as of May 2023. Sustainable food literacy research grew exponentially (49.8%) between 2013 and 2022, with 2022 providing the most articles (n = 38) (see Figure 4b). The research mostly originated from Australia (15%), Canada (13%), and the United States of America (8%). A geolocational spread of 42 countries was detected and was under-represented by African, South American, Antarctic, Southeast Asian, and Central Asian authors (see Figure 4c).

The articles were multidisciplinary, mainly derived from the nutrition and dietetics (n = 35, 31%), public, environmental and occupational health (n = 25, 22%), and environmental sciences (n = 23, 20%) InCites research areas. The disciplines of agriculture, education, sociology, food science, technology, and business, among others, were also evident (see Figure 5a). The study data type was mostly qualitative (48%) (see Figure 5b).

Of the articles embedding major and focus article links with sustainable food literacy research (see Figure 6a), the general public (39%) and industry professionals (27%) were the most studied demographics. Qualitative research methods were more common, with the survey methodology being the most utilised (37%), followed by literature reviews (29%) and interviews (17%). Experimental studies were uncommon (5%) (see Figure 5c). A complete list of the included studies and their characteristics are presented in the Supplementary File.

3.2. Links to Sustainable Food Literacy

Most of the included articles embedded minor links (64%) to sustainable food literacy, with the minority focussing on the topic (6%) (see Figure 6a). Sustainable food literacy advocation was not evident within 80% of the articles; however, advocation for sustainable food literacy education (11%), campaigns/marketing/awareness (11%), and research (7%) were identified (see Figure 6b). Links between sustainable food literacy and the SDGs were sparse (69% no links) (see Figure 6c) and will be further contextualised alongside the embedded research topics.

Only 3% linked food literacy with ESD (see Figure 6d) through a minor link, with none focussing solely on their intersection. McManus et al. [59] linked the concepts by highlighting that food literacy education for sustainable development needs to transform to support the achievement of the SDGs by 2030. Mikkelsen [60] linked food systems literacy to ESD to engage students in sustainability solution development. They proposed that ESD programs should include theory, understanding evidence, digital technologies, working with mentors and role models external to schools, project-based learning, setting clear performance goals, and developing science communication skills. They noted that teachers must be skilled in these components, with a whole-school approach being best. Derler et al. [61] linked transdisciplinary food literacy education to ESD, proposing that it enables students to address real-world problems, such as developing sustainable food products, through teamwork to develop innovative solutions to food sustainability concerns. They posed that this enables students to understand unsustainable food practices’ economic, social, and environmental impacts.

3.3. Sustainable Food Literacy Research Topics

The included articles revealed 19 research topics, with 86% discussing critical sustainable food literacy knowledge, skills, and attitudes/behaviours. Education (51%) was positioned as essential for developing knowledge, skills, and attitudes/behaviours to negotiate the sustainability constructs of food systems (45%), consumers/consumption (44%), sustainable diets (34%) (embedding ethical food choices (16%), animal welfare (14%), alternative proteins (9%), organic food (7%), meat consumption (7%), and genetically modified organisms (1%)), food waste (32%), agricultural practices (23%), public health (22%), climate change (14%), food security (13%), food infrastructure (13%), food labels (8%), and ecological footprints (6%) (see Figure 7a) Critical food literacy competency was considered essential for addressing sustainability challenges in 12% of the articles (see Figure 7b).

These research topics will now, in turn, be conceptualised according to the food literacy educational nexus and ESD dimensions of knowledge (cognitive), skill (behaviour), and attitude/behaviour (social/emotional) to address RQ4 and phase two of this study. Foundational food literacy knowledge includes essential information for each topic, and critical food literacy knowledge aligns with the notion of critical food literacy. The benefits of food literacy competency and the impacts of food literacy incompetency for each research topic will be detailed where identified. The Supplementary File holds the supporting evidence for this section, which also guides further reading references. This section also shows that each research topic does not exist in isolation but intersects with others.

3.3.1. Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes/Behaviours

The research topic of sustainable food literacy knowledge, skills, and attitudes/behaviours was most dominant (86%). Competency in these aspects was reported to support sustainable lifestyles [62] through effective negotiation of a complex and multifaceted contemporary foodscape [63] on a global scale [64]. The references to knowledge are directly related to each of the identified research topics and will be presented within their conceptualisations. Sustainable food literacy skills were discussed through the phases of growing, planning, selecting, purchasing, using, assessing, preparing, cooking, eating, disposing, and storing food. They, too, directly relate to the identified research topics and will also be detailed within their conceptualisations. The identified food literacy attitudes included the values, emotions, empowerment, actions, motivations, decisions, and choices required to act sustainably with food. Some statements were specific to the identified research topics; however, most could be adapted to all food sustainability concerns (see Figure 8).

3.3.2. Research Topic: Education

Sustainable food literacy education was revealed as essential for developing knowledge, skills, and attitudes/behaviours [62,65]. Critical food literacy education was identified as the most effective [65,66] for developing an understanding of food sustainability challenges [67,68], for example, food security, waste [69], and health [70], thus enabling individuals to understand how and why they need to make sustainable food behaviour changes [71] (see Figure 9).

It was indicated that sustainable food literacy education needs to be contextualised to individual needs and environments [72] and taught by specialist teachers [73] to be successful. Both formal school-based [74] and informal education [75] were discussed, as was education through alternative avenues such as media and marketing [76]. Aside from developing sustainable food literacy knowledge, a common theme was the implementation of experiential/hands-on learning, for example, growing and cooking food or developing practical skills [77] such as composting and cooking food that the students grow, which can be achieved using kitchen gardens [70], project-based learning which engages students in understanding school food systems [60], and engaging in hands-on practical work on school farms to understand how food is produced on a small scale compared to family farms or mass agribusiness production [78] (see Figure 9).

Barriers to sustainable food literacy education were noted. Smith et al. [73] reported that comprehensive teaching is rare across the globe, and McManus et al. [59] indicated that some teachers have low knowledge of sustainable food literacy, challenging quality education. Multiple sustainable food education topics were also identified, intersecting the research topics revealed in this review (see Figure 8). Therefore, further context will be added throughout the results.

3.3.3. Food Systems

The topic ‘food systems’ revealed that sustainable food literacy competency provides essential foundational [79] and critical knowledge [20] and skills to support sustainable food system development and maintenance [79]. The data favoured knowledge over skills and did not identify specific attitudes. The food systems topic highlighted that food literacy decreases sustainable food system misinformation through standard terminology use [74]. Consequently, sustainable food literacy education, particularly critical [65,66,80], was noted as essential for building [81] and transforming sustainable food systems [66] alongside their navigation [82]. Figure 10 conceptualises the food systems topic.

3.3.4. Consumers and Consumption

Food literacy competency was reported to include critical thinking skills essential for consumer sustainable food choices [83]. This can be enhanced through ecological and social food consumption behaviour impact education [61]. Foundational and critical sustainable food literacy knowledge and skills were evident. However, no record was found regarding the attitudes consumers require to act sustainably with food. Rather, having knowledge and skills in sustainable food literacy was positioned as an avenue for finding meaning and joy in food and mindful eating [84]. Consumer sustainable food literacy knowledge and skill competency revealed a strong link with being able to plan and shop for/purchase food sustainably [29,85,86]. Thus, the topic is directly linked with the topics of food waste [76] and sustainable diet consumption [33] (see Figure 11).

3.3.5. Sustainable Diets

The topic ‘sustainable diets’ was included in 34% of the articles. It indicated that sustainable food literacy competency enables the consumption of sustainable diets [87], especially when supported by food literacy education [68,88,89]. Conversely, food literacy incompetency was noted as a barrier to sustainable diet consumption [90]. Extensive sustainable food literacy knowledge, skills, and attitudes were identified to support sustainable diet consumption, extending from foundational to critical (see Figure 12).

Sustainable diets intersected with the topics of ethical food choices (16%), animal welfare (14%), alternative proteins (9%), meat consumption (7%), organic food (7%), and genetically modified food (1%). Genetically modified foods were tokenistically represented through statements that sustainable food literacy competency includes understanding genetically modified foods [79,91] without elaboration on what this entails. Organic foods were also described minimally alongside sustainable food literacy competency, with reports that individuals should know how foods can be organically cultivated, are important for sustainability [61], and produce less soil contamination [92]. Sustainable diets were also linked to reducing food waste [93].

3.3.6. Food Waste

‘Food waste’ was discussed in 32% of articles. Food literacy competency was reported as a driver [94], enabler [69], and a sound strategy for reducing food waste, including its pollutive emissions [93], through consumerism, households [95], families, and institutions [96]. Conversely, food literacy incompetency was listed as a food waste causal factor [97] due to individuals being uninformed and unskilled in food interactions [98]. Education was reported as critical to developing sustainable food literacy competency, including knowledge and skills regarding food waste reduction [86] (see Figure 13).

Extensive foundational and critical knowledge and skill competencies were identified, spanning food planning, purchasing, assessment, preparation, cooking, eating, storage, and disposal phases (see Figure 13). Having positive attitudes towards reducing food waste was also evident; for example, a willingness to explore attitudes, beliefs, and values impacting food waste [97], a willingness to reduce or minimise food waste [32], and having the confidence to assess food safety [99] (see Figure 13). A link was made between sustainable food literacy competency, food waste and SDG 12.3 [95], which targets reducing consumer food waste [9]. Food waste was also linked to agriculture [100].

3.3.7. Agricultural Practices

The topic ‘agricultural practices’ was evident in 23% of the articles. This topic embedded sustainable farming [66], aquaculture [101], food gardens [70], and urban agriculture [81] as agricultural avenues, demonstrating an array of agricultural methods requiring sustainable practices. Food literacy competency was reported as supportive of sustainable agriculture [83], with a strong emphasis on educational experiential learning in sustainably growing and harvesting food [82], followed by the preparation of meals through preparing and cooking the food produced [78] (see Figure 14).

The emphasis on food production skills argued for foundational and critical food literacy knowledge, which focused on understanding agricultural practices [102]. This included how they can negatively impact sustainability [34,78], which produces knowledge and skills in sustainable food production [75]. Sustainable food literacy competency development was also viewed as supportive of considering farming as a career option [20] while valuing the role of farmers [103]. Agricultural practices were also linked to public health due to understanding its impacts on food nutritional value [33] (see Figure 14).

3.3.8. Research Topic: Public Health

‘Public health’ was discussed in 22% of the articles and was considered to be a sustainability construct due to its inextricable links to food and nutrition [104], with food literacy competency bestowing knowledge of how unsustainable diets are linked to non-communicable disease [64] and food-borne [105] communicable diseases due to a lack of food safety [106]. Food literacy incompetency was reported as a barrier to reducing non-communicable disease development [107] (see Figure 15).

Food literacy education enables positive health outcomes [85] and increases healthy food demands [108]. The identified foundational and critical sustainable food literacy knowledge focuses mostly on healthy eating, nutrition [109], and non-communicable [61] and communicable disease development [106]. Food literacy skill competency to enable sustainable diet consumption to enhance positive health outcomes was also a focus [109]. Competency in making critical food decisions for health was also featured [83,110], as was food health attitudes influencing food behaviours and relationships [86] alongside family, culture, and emotions [104]. Direct links were also made between public health and food insecurity [30,67], sustainable diets [109], and environmental sustainability [110] (see Figure 15).

3.3.9. Climate Change

The sustainability issue of ‘climate change’ was discussed in 14% of the articles. Food literacy competency was reported as a positive contributor to addressing climate change as competent individuals understand the relationship between food and climate change [87], how climate change impacts daily life, and how daily food behaviours can be changed to mitigate climate change [74]. Positive sustainable food literacy attitudes were important due to increasing sustainability consciousness [74], as was understanding climate change theory and science [60], including food system greenhouse gas emissions [111]. Food literacy education was reported to develop critical food literacy knowledge and skills [88], including dispelling climate change myths [74] and food interactions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions [109] (see Figure 16). Hedin et al. [111] also highlighted that current food literacy definitions neglect to define the link between food and climate change.

3.3.10. Food Security

‘Food security’ was discussed in 13% of articles, with its definition listed as a knowledge component of food literacy competency, which involves sufficient access to safe and nutritious food for health [43]. The link between food literacy and food security was substantiated as bidirectional: food literacy impacts food security, and food security impacts food literacy [30]. Therefore, food literacy incompetency is a barrier to food security [69]. This makes food literacy policy and education critical to address the causes of food insecurity [112], especially the school curriculum [67]. This includes the development of food literacy skills, knowledge, and attitudes [113,114] on individual, community and global levels [20]. Food security was the topic most linked to the SDGs, including SDG 1: No Poverty [30], SDG 2: Zero Hunger [114], SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing [115], and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities [9,69]. It was also linked to poverty, health [43], sustainable food systems, and agricultural practices [78] (see Figure 17).

3.3.11. Food Infrastructure

Although discussed in 13% (n = 15) of articles, ‘food infrastructure’ was minimally explored concerning sustainable food literacy. This topic indicated that food literacy competency provided the understanding that economics, policy [116], governance, food system stakeholder authorities [66,117], transportation, the food industry [78], food distribution [118], and modern food production [34] are infrastructure components impacting sustainable food systems [78]. It was also reported that food literacy competency aids autonomous and educated decision-making supporting food sovereignty, which encourages just, sustainable food systems [116], provides an understanding of how growing populations and unstable economies impact sustainable food systems [64], and incorporates an understanding of the structural inequities within unsustainable food systems [80]. Due to the complexity of this knowledge, these points pertained mostly to critical food literacy knowledge competency.

3.3.12. Food Labels

The topic ‘food labels’ (8%) was linked to sustainable food literacy through public health and sustainable diets. The foundational food literacy knowledge listed in Figure 18 includes food label information about nutritional data [108], health impacts, sustainability data [72], and product safety such as use-by dates [119] to encourage healthy sustainable diet consumption and informed food decisions [120]. The intent is to develop consumer confidence in food selection and purchasing decisions [84] through developing food literacy skills. Tian and Kamran [84] proposed using sustainable food design, which requires food literacy knowledge and skill to accurately develop food packaging, marketing, and labelling to enable consumers to make healthy and sustainable food decisions (see Figure 18).

3.3.13. Ecological Footprint

The ecological footprint (n = 7, 6%), mostly mentioned within minor link articles (n = 6, 5%), was not discussed in depth within the sustainable food literacy literature. Food literacy competency was reported to provide knowledge that food miles [29,86], which inform individuals of the impacts of transportation fuel use, environmental pollution, and the disruption of seasonal food production and local food consumption [43], were components of food’s ecological footprint. It was also discussed that urban agriculture develops food literacy through food production process knowledge, which may change consumer behaviours to encourage purchasing sustainable and low-carbon footprint foods [121].

4. Discussion

This study aimed to make the intersection between sustainability and food literacy visible to explore concept research intersectionality and representation. The knowledge (cognitive), skill (behaviour), and attitude/behaviour (social and emotional) dimensions of sustainable food literacy were explored through the construction of evidence-based conceptualisations of sustainable food literacy to support SDG 4: Quality Education (see Figure 7, Figure 8, Figure 9, Figure 10, Figure 11, Figure 12, Figure 13, Figure 14, Figure 15, Figure 16, Figure 17 and Figure 18). This discussion addresses the research questions (see Figure 2), noting the study limitations and applying the outcomes to policy, education, and future research implications. This will be achieved through eight propositions that traverse the ESD priority action areas of policy, education and training settings, educator capacity, the youth, and local community action to support transformative sustainable food literacy education.

4.1. Methodological Influences in Sustainable Food Literacy Research (Phase One, RQ1)

The exponential growth rate of 49.8% between 2013 and 2022 reflects the increased focus on sustainable food literacy research in the contemporary literature (see Figure 4b). This finding aligns with McManus et al. (2024) [21] who identified that food literacy research in general has exponentially grown by just over 50% since 2012, validating the contemporary relevance of this topic in society. Developed countries dominate the research, highlighting the need for studies within developing countries, particularly as they experience unique food sustainability concerns (see Figure 4c). For example, the World Bank highlighted that 62% of individuals experiencing obesity and overweight live in developing countries where food systems are currently failing, placing them at a greater risk of food-related non-communicable diseases. This generates a desperate need for effective intervention strategies to address this sustainability challenge, including education and research [6].

The multidisciplinary nature of the included research confirmed that food sustainability issues are cross-disciplinary; however, just over 50% was embedded within the public health fields of nutrition and dietetics (31%) and public, environmental, and occupational health (22%), indicating the dominance of these fields on research outcomes. This finding aligns with Thompson et al. (2021) [122], who also noted the dominance of public health-focused food literacy research. Despite education being extensively noted as essential for developing sustainable food literacy competency, which is required for positive food sustainability outcomes, the discipline only constituted 12% of the disciplinary influences identified (see Figure 5a).

Proposition 1.

A focus on education research is essential to develop sustainability-aligned pedagogies, delivery contexts, and the conceptualisation of knowledge (cognitive), skills (behaviour), and attitudes/behaviours (social/emotional) domains required to support the achievement of the SDGs. ESD should guide this process.

Surveys, reviews, and interviews dominated the methodologies. Experimental studies were sparse, as was the documentation of case studies outlining the successful implementation of sustainable food literacy education. Students and adolescents were only studied within 10% of the articles. This points to the need for research focussing on the childhood, adolescent, or school student demographic, especially as the UN [9] and UNESCO [42] identify youth as the agents of change for achieving the SDGs.

Proposition 2.

Case studies detailing the successful implementation of SDG-aligned sustainable food literacy ESD for youth would support identifying successful educational approaches to guide and progress global educational practice. Experimental studies exploring the effectiveness of youth-focused sustainable food literacy ESD programs would provide evidence of their benefit, supporting educational policy development.

4.2. The Representation of Sustainable Food Literacy Research (Phase One, RQ2 and RQ3)

Although 114 articles were included in this review, most (64%) were minor link articles, and 69% did not embed SDG links. Substantive links to SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production were identified; however, this indicates that 71% of the SDGs were not represented in these studies. There was no advocacy for sustainable food literacy in 80% of the articles, and ESD was mentioned in just 3%.

These findings confirm that sustainable food literacy research is fragmented and incomplete as an area of study. When reviewing the domains of knowledge, skills, and attitudes/behaviours conceptualised in the results, there is an opportunity to link this information to the SDGs, ESD, and advocacy. This deficiency is problematic as it limits the advocacy for and progression of sustainable food literacy in research, education, and policy while incompletely addressing the link between food literacy and sustainability through fragmented representations. This can be remedied through future research, as when using the identified research topics as examples, sustainable food literacy education may be linked to SDG4: Quality Education, agricultural practices to SDG 14: Life Below Water and SDG 15: Life on Land, public health to SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 2: Zero Hunger, and SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, and climate change to SDG 13: Climate Action, where appropriate.

Proposition 3.

Sustainable food literacy research is a fragmented and incomplete field of study.Focus article research aligned with sustainability constructs, the SDGs, and ESD must be advocated for and conducted to progress evidence-based sustainable food literacy policy and education and, by extension, support the achievement of the SDGs.

4.3. The Conceptualisation of Sustainable Food Literacy Research (Phase Two, RQ4)

Although this study identified sustainable food literacy research as fragmented and incomplete, the collation and conceptualisation of these fragmented data provided 19 intersecting research topics (see Figure 7a) that could be conceptualised through the dimensions of knowledge (cognitive), skill (behaviour), and attitudes/behaviours (social and emotional). Education was argued to be vital in developing an understanding of these domains.

This study aimed to contribute to the achievement of SDG 4: Quality Education. It confirmed that competency in foundational and critical sustainable food literacy knowledge, skills, and attitudes/behaviours is critical to providing quality sustainable food literacy education. This can be achieved through the food literacy educational nexus, which aligns with the ESD domains. This is best commenced during childhood and should include experiential learning approaches and be supported by curriculum policy. Quality education is most effective when contextualised to individual learning environments and taught by specialist teachers. The evidence presented in Figure 9, Figure 10, Figure 11, Figure 12, Figure 13, Figure 14, Figure 15, Figure 16, Figure 17 and Figure 18 indicates that foundational food literacy knowledge and skills, such as general food and nutritional knowledge, how food is grown, and planning, purchasing, preparation, and cooking skills, are just as important to develop as critical knowledge and skills. Therefore, educational approaches should commence with the essential ‘basics’ of sustainable food literacy, which students can develop and build upon to achieve critical domain competency.

Prior research has long indicated that these quality sustainable food literacy education requirements are perpetually neglected despite evidence supporting it. Food education is often marginalised in schools and positioned as ‘non-academic’ and a ‘women’s subject’ when viewed through a patriarchal lens that devalues the educational focus [38]. Many jurisdictions have removed food education from mandatory school curricula [20], and Australian school food education does not meet its true potential [29]. Comprehensive teaching is rare [73], and some teachers have poor food literacy knowledge [59], challenging quality education. Hawkes et al. [40] stated that supportive curriculum policy can dissolve some of these barriers; however, McManus et al. [123] identified that in Australia, it may act as a barrier to effective food literacy education due to challenges with cross-curriculum delivery, removal from the core curriculum, and lack of support for practical skill development.

Proposition 4.

The devaluing and marginalisation of food literacy education in schools is a priority for remedial action.Disruptive transformation to value sustainable food literacy education is an essential strategy to reduce the global sustainability food challenges. To support this proposition, evidence-based policy, curriculum, teacher professional development, and advocacy by international experts are urgently needed.

Proposition 5.

To contribute to the achievement of SDG 4: Quality Education, the evidence-based, sustainable food literacy conceptualisations can be used to guide ESD education and curriculum policy development. These conceptualisations can aid teachers, school administration teams, policymakers, researchers, curriculum developers, and university educators in this task.

4.4. Implications for Future Research (Phase Three, RQ5)

This SQLR has highlighted limitations in the sustainable food literacy literature. Figure 8 combines insights from the literature about the attitudes associated with sustainable food literacy competency through values, emotions, empowerment, actions, motivations, decisions, and choices. This is the most comprehensive presentation of food literacy attitudes to date; however, this information does not indicate the most effective educational methods required to develop them in the context of sustainability.

Proposition 6.

Future research should focus on how to support educators and policymakers in developing positive youth sustainable food literacy attitudes for individual and community benefit.

The literature outlines the challenges facing sustainable food literacy education, with teacher knowledge of sustainable food literacy competency forming one barrier. Therefore, building teacher capacity is critical to achieving quality education.

Proposition 7.

The global exploration of teacher self-efficacy in sustainable food literacy education is essential to highlight strengths and limitations. This would provide valuable information to inform teacher professional development to build teacher capacities to address food sustainability challenges in their classrooms.

Although comprehensive, the presented conceptualisations are incomplete. This is due to the majority of included articles embedding minor links to sustainable food literacy alongside most originating in developed countries. Some topics, such as genetically modified organisms, ecological footprints, and food infrastructure, were briefly described and require further contextualisation to benefit quality education. These conceptualisations do, however, extend upon the sustainability components of the youth competencies framework developed by Slater et al. [20] and the food literacy conceptual wheel by Rosas et al. [43,44] while also addressing the need for comprehensive and explicit links to be made between food literacy and sustainability as highlighted by Rosas et al. [43]. Therefore, these frameworks and competencies can be used in conjunction with the conceptualisations developed through this study to guide further sustainable food literacy research.

Proposition 8.

Multidisciplinary research focussing on sustainable food literacy is essential for further conceptualisation to aid comprehensive quality education, focusing on how sustainable food literacy can be contextualised to developing countries, among other contexts. This will inclusively enhance the global understanding of food sustainability challenges in various contexts.

4.5. Limitations

The main limitation of this review is the inclusion of articles only published in English. This establishes a bias against those written in other languages, which may have extended the conceptualisations presented. However, only nine articles were excluded on this basis, which only formed a small proportion of the articles screened for inclusion. Also worthy of mention is the exclusion of food research linked to sustainability that was not directly linked to food literacy. For example, food research focusing on food waste, food purchasing and consumption, and food and climate change. The inclusion of these forms of food research may have extended the conceptualisations. However, the focus was on food literacy, not food in general, which fell outside the scope of this review.

5. Conclusions

This review confirmed that quality education embedding the ESD-aligned food literacy educational nexus of knowledge, skills, and attitudes/behaviours is critical to support SDG achievement. To contribute to this aspirational goal, the conceptualisation of sustainable food literacy research has provided educators, policymakers, and educational institutions with curriculum and teacher education guidance on the essential aspects required to develop individual food literacy competency. However, further work is essential to achieve this goal.

Future research is critical to developing and growing sustainable food literacy data to progress evidence-based sustainable food literacy policy and education and, by extension, support the achievement of the SDGs. Research focussing on successful sustainable food literacy education implementation, the development of sustainable food literacy curriculum guides, effective pedagogies, contextualisations, teacher self-efficacy, building teacher capacity through teacher training programs, and ESD and SDG alignment, can guide educators to achieve SDG 4: Quality Education. The devaluation and marginalisation of sustainable food literacy education are priorities for remedial action. Disruptive transformation is essential to achieve this, which can be supported by research, transformative curriculum policy, and expert advocation. Addressing these research needs will contribute to SDG achievement and benefit individuals, society, and the planet.