Jacob (21, Glasgow) saw the people around him struggling with the cost of food day to day and it made him want to fight for food justice:
“What drives me to care about and take action on transforming the food system is the way I see it impacting my community every day. Access to healthy, affordable food is limited – not because people don't care about their health, but because the system isn't built for everyone. Grocery stores are far, prices are high, and processed food is more accessible than fresh produce. This isn't a matter of choice – it's survival in a system that fails to serve everyone equally.
“What motivates me most is watching my community adapt in ways it shouldn't have to. Families stretch unhealthy food to feed more mouths, elders grow what they can in small spaces, and youth go without proper nutrition. We've learned to get by with less, but that shouldn't be the norm. We deserve a food system that nourishes us, not one that makes us sick or leaves us behind.
“I care because food is a human right, not a privilege. Taking action means fighting for food justice – supporting local growers, advocating for better policies, and educating others on the power of a fair, sustainable food system. I believe change is possible, and my community’s struggle fuels my commitment to making that change real.”
Abdul (22, London) comes from what he calls ‘relative poverty’ but was inspired by the power of a delicious meal made by someone you love:
“I come from an overcrowded council flat, full of stress. But my mum’s food? That was our peace. No matter what was happening, I knew that I could count on a warm dinner after school. Those meals gave me something stable when nothing else was.
“That’s what food does. It grounds us. It allows us to focus, to learn, to grow.
“I knew we lived in relative poverty. But with food, I knew that I could invest in my future. Now, I’m graduating with a law degree from the LSE. I made it. But many others, just as capable, are held back not by lack of potential or ambition, but because a system failed them at the most basic level.
“Food poverty isn’t just about empty stomachs. It’s about living life. It’s about lost concentration, stunted development, quiet yet constant stress. It holds people from living life to the fullest, in ways that aren’t always visible but always felt.
“I’m driven to transform the food system not just because I believe everyone has a right to food, but because when people are deprived of their opportunity to think, to grow, to dream, the purpose of life itself is diminished.”
Mithesh (15, Belfast) focuses on the inequalities perpetuated by access to free school meals and the effects that can have on children’s compassion for others:
“The UK is one of the wealthiest nations on the planet; it must feed its children, right? This is one of the questions that I asked when I first moved here; coming from India, a much poorer nation which feeds more than 100 million school children successfully every day, I thought the UK would do even more for its children. But no! I was shocked to learn that in Northern Ireland, only children from families earning less than £15,000 a year can get free school meals. That is below what you would earn on minimum wage, and living on that means you have to choose between things like heating, school uniforms or food. The application process is also really complicated, which makes it even harder for families who need help.
“Moreover, this wasn’t just a cause I wanted to fight against. It’s personal. I saw my compassionate, kind classmates take dinner cards from other children because they couldn’t afford a basic human right: food. They were hungry and left feeling stigmatised for being different. For being part of the “have nots”. This strengthened my passion for change, because every child who doesn’t go to bed hungry is a win for humanity.
“Furthermore, England is moving forward with expanding its eligibility for free school meals to more than 500,000 more children on Universal Credit and free breakfast clubs for primary school children. Meanwhile, Wales has universal free school meals (UFSMs) for primary schools, and Scotland has UFSMs for P1-5. Now in Northern Ireland, as a young person I feel like we are falling behind. We don’t have UFSMs and breakfast clubs are rare. On top of that, political tensions and parliamentary shutdowns slow everything down. It took 18 years just to agree on a draft strategy against poverty. That’s why our voices here need to be louder if we want to change the food system. We cannot always sit in silence.”
Callum (16, North Wales) focuses on health and the impact of poor nutrition on education:
“My motivation for transforming the food system comes from the fact that it continues to let so many children down. In the UK, around 4 million children live in households that can’t afford enough healthy food. At the same time, childhood obesity continues to remain high in the UK, with nearly 1 in 4 children starting primary school already overweight or obese. This isn’t just down to individual choices, it’s a broken food system that surrounds children with cheap, unhealthy options and puts nutritious food out of reach.
“Many children are going to school hungry, while others are filling up on ultra- processed food. Both lead to poor health, lower concentration, and falling behind in class. A child’s ability to learn, grow, and succeed should never be dictated by what’s on their plate.
“Good nutrition supports academic achievement, mental health, and long-term outcomes like earnings and employment. If we want to improve social mobility, this is where we must start, by creating a food system that nourishes every child. As a young person, I would like to see governments be brave and bring in universal free school meals for all ages, ensuring no child is too hungry to learn. And under Article 24 of the UNCRC, it’s not a favour it’s a right. A right that we need to have. It’s time we delivered on it.”
Thank you so much to the Food Foundation Youth Ambassadors that took part in this article. We hope their stories will not only inspire others to get involved but go on to show that food systems effect everyone, and people of all ages can act to make a change.