Bit of a waffle coming, relevant though.
My daughter had a rare syndrome, so as well as her diabetes, her diet has to be very low calorie and restricted. When she was at primary school, her last year, they had the usual end of term party. Her support teacher and class teacher were pretty clued up on her condition and came to a decision. There would be none of the usual crisps, sweets, fizzies etc - the kids would tuck into fruits and veg, plus cheese and hummus.
I was horrified. I had visions of parents hating me, the classmates hating and bullying my daughter for making them miss out on the usual goodies. We lived in a "deprived" borough and lots of the kids came from poverty backgrounds, so the class party was really an occasion.
Anyway, the day came. I worked in the school too and kept peeking in, expecting to see chaos and mayhem. Laughter yes, mayhem no. I finished work and popped into the classroom - the kids were happily tucking into what was on offer. I distinctly recall a lad saying "what's this miss?" - it was a red pepper. Many things that would be taken for granted to many of us were alien to these kids - they had never eaten these things before.
Home ec and food Education are ok, but boring. Let the kids eat, try the tastes, the feel of the foods - capture their interest. THEN teach them how to put meals together, show them how cheap the foods are. Plant the seed of interest in young minds, and you're halfway there.