The British Library has discarded their “no food or drink allowed” policy to design Food Stories.

Food Stories is an interactive online program intended to educate students on food, culture, and history. The platform showcases the developments that have taken place in the United Kingdom’s food culture during the last century. It lets visitors explore the historical relationships between food and identity, food and consumerism, and technology and food production.

Although you may become hungry in the process, Food Stories teaches kids of all ages that food is more than a simple product: its recipes and rituals link us to previous generations and cultures, and it also has deep political implications that affect the environment, our health, and the welfare of others. Food, then, may be considered the nexus that connects both our historical traditions and our global trade networks – makes you think that you’re eating more than just a donut. This may all sound very dry, but Food Stories brings your appetite for knowledge to life with colourful animations and fascinating audio interviews.

Carlo Petrini, founder of the International Slow Food Movement, said it best: “Food history is as important as a baroque church. Governments should recognize cultural heritage and protect traditional foods. A cheese is as worthy of preserving as a sixteenth-century building.”

Food Stories is available for viewing here.