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Seaweed pizza and bugs - kids predict the culinary delights of the future

BBC Scarlett seen smiling while wearing a hard hat and high-vis jacketBBC
Pupils from Bready Primary School have been predicting what people 200 years from now will be eating as part of a time capsule project

A group of schoolchildren have buried a time capsule under part of a new urban farm in Londonderry, which aims to help tackle climate change and create a discussion around food in the future.

Pupils from Bready Jubilee Primary School placed the object in the foundations of the Acorn Farm Project's 20m-high dome at St Columb's Park in the city's Waterside on Wednesday.

It contains vegetable seeds, coins and work by the children which documents the food they eat and what they think people will eat in the future.

The £6.2m farm project will see a working urban farm, community education facility and sustainable food venue developed at the Derry site.

'I think we all will be eating bugs'

The project aims to teach children about the environment and climate change.

Wyatt, aged 9, told BBC News NI that he was really excited to be part of the project and thinks people in the future will have very different dinner plates to what we are used to nowadays.

'Food in the future may be 3D-printed food and I think it will be meat made in a lab," he said.

"I hope there will still be burgers, but I think we all be eating bugs in the future."

Wyatt in a high-vis jacket and hard hat
Wyatt, aged 9, thinks people in the future will have very different dinner plates to what we are used to nowadays.

Scarlett, aged 10, said it was great to help the environment and think more about growing local food.

"In 200 years' time, I think people will be eating bugs for protein and 3D-printed food, which I think is amazing," she said.

"They will be eating seaweed as well and lab-grown meat.

"I've never had seaweed myself, but I wouldn't mind trying it."

A number of school children in high-vis jackets and hard hats with mayor Lillian Seenoi-Barr
Pupils from Bready Primary School were joined by mayor of Derry and Strabane Lilian Seenoi-Barr on Wednesday

Schoolfriend Rachel agrees with Scarlett and thinks seaweed is definitely on the menu of the future, but she thinks it would make a great addition to pizza menus.

"My favourite food is chicken nuggets, but I don't think we will have that in the future," she said.

"I think seaweed pizza will be tasty."

The school pupils were joined by Derry and Strabane Mayor Lilian Seenoi-Barr as part of the event on Wednesday.

"There is no doubt that we are faced with many challenges when it comes to climate," she said.

"But the message we leave for future generations in our time capsule today is a hopeful one that demonstrates our commitment to changing things for the better."

Derry's Acorn Farm, near the city's Ebrington site, is being delivered by the council with funding from the UK Government's Levelling Up fund.

When constructed, the mayor added, the farm "will promote sustainable living, environmental education, and community involvement and become a hub for local events, activities and learning experiences."

DCSDC A design drawing of a geodesic dome that will form part of an urban farm in Derry. It is glass fronted and has steps at its front leading down to a grassy areas. a smaller dome sits to its right.DCSDC
When complete, the dome will be a key feature of the farm

The burial of the time capsule in Derry comes 10 years after another capsule, dating back to 1839, was discovered and subsequently opened in the city.

DCSDC a lead capsule is removed from rock by archaeologists. a pair of hands is seen lifting it the capsule out of the rock. a tape measure is seen in the background, as are a workers boots.DCSDC
A capsule discovered in 2015 was part of a planned excavation of the old Derry orphanage site

It was found in 2015 in the foundations of a building as part of a planned excavation at Brooke Park and later found to contain a collection of coins and a damp scroll of paper.