Healthy Traditions connects culinary heritage, healthy living and environmental responsibility through youth work. Implemented by the Austrian Association for Cultural Relations and EMINA Foundation, this Erasmus+ partnership explores how traditional Austrian and Hungarian dishes inspire healthier, more sustainable food choices while retaining their cultural identity.
The project brings together young people, youth workers, educators and culinary professionals. Through research, cooking, storytelling and international cooperation, participants discover the traditions behind everyday meals and develop practical skills they can use in their communities.
Our objectives
Healthy Traditions uses food as a starting point for learning, creativity and intercultural dialogue. Its main objectives are to:
- Promote sustainable food practices by exploring seasonal ingredients, reducing food waste and adapting traditional recipes.
- Preserve cultural heritage by documenting Austrian and Hungarian dishes and the personal, family and community stories connected to them.
- Support healthier choices by developing recipes that balance nutritional considerations with traditional flavours.
- Strengthen digital and creative skills through photography, video production and storytelling.
- Enrich youth work with practical methods that use cooking and gastronomy as tools for non-formal education.
Inclusion runs throughout the project. Activities pay particular attention to young people with fewer opportunities, including those facing economic barriers and those from migrant or refugee backgrounds. Cooking together creates opportunities to share experiences, build confidence and contribute to a common result.
Project activities
Research into food traditions
Participants explore national and regional eating habits, visit food-related events and gather recipes, stories and audiovisual material. This research examines the connections between cultural heritage, nutrition and sustainability, providing the foundation for the practical activities and digital cookbook.
Local cooking labs and workshops
Cooking activities in Austria and Hungary bring young people together with youth workers and food professionals. Participants test traditional recipes, experiment with healthier alternatives and explore ways to use ingredients more efficiently. The workshops combine practical learning with discussion about food choices, cultural identity and environmental responsibility.
Storytelling and digital media training
A four-day international training course in Hungary develops participants’ ability to communicate food traditions through digital media. Practical sessions cover visual storytelling, photography, video editing and social media communication. Participants create digital stories that connect recipes with the people, places and traditions behind them.
An interactive digital cookbook
The partners develop a freely accessible cookbook in three languages, featuring at least 12 traditional Austrian and Hungarian recipes adapted with health and sustainability in mind. Step-by-step instructions, photographs and short videos accompany information about each dish’s cultural background. The publication also includes practical approaches for youth workers who use cooking in educational activities.
Sharing results and building local cooperation
Public presentations, workshops and online communication introduce the project’s resources to young people, educators, youth organisations and the wider public. Cooperation with community kitchens, culinary professionals and educational institutions supports the continued use of the recipes and learning methods.
EMINA’s role
EMINA Foundation contributes its experience in non-formal education, youth work and international cooperation. We support the project’s educational design and quality assurance, coordinate the analysis of the research findings and organise local cooking activities in Hungary.
We also host the storytelling and digital media training course, contribute Hungarian recipes and cultural content to the cookbook, and coordinate its Hungarian translation. Through the final dissemination event in Hungary and our communication networks, we help bring the project’s results to wider audiences.
Results and lasting value
Healthy Traditions develops practical cooking skills, environmental awareness and digital competences while encouraging young people to learn from one another. Youth workers gain tested methods for turning shared food experiences into opportunities for learning and inclusion.
The digital cookbook, storytelling materials and educational methods provide resources for future workshops, intercultural events and youth programmes. Partnerships with local food and education professionals help embed this approach in the organisations’ ongoing work.
Project information
Duration: 1 September 2026 – 31 August 2027
Coordinator: Austrian Association for Cultural Relations, Austria
Partner: EMINA Foundation, Hungary
Programme: Erasmus+ KA210-YOU – Small-scale partnerships in youth
Project budget: €60,000