You’ve chosen to imagine eating meat-like foods printed from pea protein, layer by layer. You might want to learn more about 3D-printed food, which can shape plant proteins into new textures. But be careful; your peas may demand tiny chef hats if they’re making dinner now!
This scenario explores 3D-printed food, which builds food one layer at a time. We can make printable mixtures using proteins from plants like peas. Scientists study how printing with these proteins can create textures that resemble meat, giving us more choices about where our protein comes from. But be careful; your peas may demand tiny chef hats if they’re making dinner now!
If more people ate meat made from peas, how might that affect farmers, animals, and the foods we grow?
Design your own 3D-printed future food using clay, play dough, or homemade salt dough. Instead of shaping it all at once, build it with thin layers like a printer would. Experiment with the shape and layers to create your own meat alternative, then give your invention a name.
With an adult, ask ChatGPT:
“Invent three surprising foods a future 3D food printer could make from plants.”
Choose your favorite idea and redesign it. Decide what ingredients it uses, what shape it has, and what its layers would look like inside.
You’ve chosen to imagine eating real meat grown from animal cells instead of raising an entire animal for food. You might want to learn more about cultivated meat, which grows animal cells in special containers. Good news, chickens—the nugget factory may not need the rest of you!
This scenario explores cultivated meat, which grows meat from animal cells rather than raising an entire animal for food. The cells receive nutrients and grow under carefully controlled conditions before being formed into food. Scientists and companies are studying how to produce cultivated meat safely, affordably, and at much larger scales. Some cultivated meat has already passed food-safety reviews in several countries, but each product and production process requires its own review. Good news, chickens—the nugget factory may not need the rest of you!
If we can make meat without raising a whole animal for food, should we?
Build a model “future meat grower” from a clear recycled container, paper, cardboard, string, and craft materials. Imagine what growing cells would need, such as space for nutrients and a safe place to grow. There is no single correct design, so create your own system and label how each part works.
With an adult, ask ChatGPT:
“Imagine three different restaurants in a future where cultivated meat is common.”
Pick one restaurant and design its menu, kitchen, or food-growing system. Then imagine a second future where cultivated meat never becomes common and compare the two worlds.
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