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To be fully grasped, the concept of sustainability needs to be brought to life through practical applications. Food represents an ideal starting point to examine the complexity of sustainability; the integration of dimensions such as nutrition, environment, society, and economics, and related perspectives, is fundamental for a sustainable transition. New transdisciplinary competences are needed to go beyond the state of the art. In this context, empathy and design thinking (DT) can effectively contribute in teaching sustainability of food systems. This chapter presents three case studies to test an innovative pedagogical model based on the coupling of DT with a systemic and empathic approach (including empathy toward yourself, toward others, and the whole planet). This proves to be effective in increasing both the understanding of the complexity of food sustainability and the agency of youth. Furthermore, the chapter presents recommendations for integrating such approach into food sustainability education.

Background and aims: Human and planetary health are inextricably interconnected through food systems. Food choices account for 50% of all deaths for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) - the leading cause of death in Europe - and food systems generate up to 37% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Methods and results: Based on a systematic revision of meta-analyses of prospective studies exploring the association between individual foods/food groups and the incidence of CVD, we identified a dietary pattern able to optimize CVD prevention.. This dietary pattern was compared to the current diet of the European population. The nutritional adequacy of both diets was evaluated according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommended nutrient intake for the adult population, and their environmental impact was evaluated in terms of carbon footprint (CF). As compared to the current diet, the desirable diet includes higher intakes of fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, low glycemic index (GI) cereals, nuts, legumes and fish, and lower amounts of beef, butter, high GI cereals or potatoes and sugar. The diet here identified provides appropriate intakes of all nutrients and matches better than the current Europeans' one the EFSA requirements. Furthermore, the CF of the proposed diet is 48.6% lower than that of the current Europeans' diet. Conclusion: The transition toward a dietary pattern designed to optimize CVD prevention would improve the nutritional profile of the habitual diet in Europe and, at the same time, contribute to mitigate climate change by reducing the GHG emissions linked to food consumption almost by half.