From the emotions connected to milk to the creation of five original productions: the project promoted by Mèlia ETS and Latteria di Chiuro involved fourth- and fifth-grade students from Gavazzeni Primary School in Talamona in a journey combining imagination, food education, art and reflection.
A food that tells stories
Milk is more than just a food. It is memory, connection, care and tradition. From this idea came I segreti del latte: miti, leggende, sapori e ricordi, a project promoted by Mèlia ETS in collaboration with Latteria di Chiuro and supported by Fondazione Pro Valtellina, Fondazione AEM, BIM and the Province of Sondrio, under the patronage of the Municipality of Sondrio and the Municipality of Talamona.
After an initial phase dedicated to exploring children’s personal relationship with milk - through memories, emotions and everyday habits - the project developed around fairy tales and stories from different cultural traditions, selected for their ability to speak to contemporary issues. These stories became opportunities to ask questions, discuss ideas and compare perspectives, discovering how every tale can hide themes that remain relevant today.
From reading to the film set
The project involved students from two fourth-grade and two fifth-grade classes at Gavazzeni Primary School in Talamona. After analysing the fairy tales, each class worked on developing a screenplay, creating dialogues, scenes and characters.
With the support of director Michele Rovati, the children then became actors, narrators and performers, bringing to life four short films inspired by the stories they had read in class. During the editing process, the footage was enriched with digital scenery, imaginative settings and visual effects that enhanced the magic of the narratives.
The presentation of the films, held in the school gymnasium, was one of the most emotional moments of the entire project. Seeing themselves on screen, immersed in fantastical worlds they had created together, filled the children with surprise, enthusiasm and pride. Many said they would gladly repeat the experience, while teachers highlighted the interdisciplinary value of the project, which successfully combined reading, writing, artistic expression, civic education and interpersonal skills.
Fairy tales that encourage reflection
The selected stories do not provide simple answers; instead, they invite reflection.
In Pentolino magico, the porridge that continues overflowing until it engulfs an entire village encourages children to reflect on the meaning of abundance and the risks that can arise when something desirable exceeds all limits.
Il burro migliore explores the theme of cooperation. The attempt to seize a secret capable of producing extraordinary quantities of butter generates conflict and rivalry within a family, showing how sharing is often more valuable than possession.
With Perrette and Il vaso di latte, students reflected on the relationship between dreams and reality. Is it right to dream about the future? When does imagination become a risk, and when can it become a resource? These questions sparked lively discussions among the children.
Finally, Il bicchiere di latte highlights the values of gratitude and solidarity, telling the story of a generous act performed without expecting anything in return.
A song for the Water Cow
The final surprise is still being completed: Mucca d’acqua della Valtellina has been transformed by the students into an original song. The four classes divided the lyrics among themselves, accompanying each verse with drawings created throughout the school year. The result is a collective music video that brings together music, imagination and local tradition.
A heritage that continues to grow
The films represent only part of the work carried out during the project. The initiative has also produced an educational kit that accompanies the fairy tales with questions, activities and learning pathways, encouraging children to develop their own interpretations and even imagine alternative endings.
A special section is dedicated to milk-based recipes from different countries around the world. These recipes become opportunities to experiment, tell stories and create new narratives through drawings and images. Supporting this work is a booklet that guides children and teachers in illustrating the recipes, transforming food into a creative experience and an opportunity for dialogue.
The kit - which includes the short films, the fairy tales and related educational activities, the song of Mucca d’acqua della Valtellina, workshop proposals and recipe-based learning materials - now represents a shared educational resource. What began through the work of the students at Gavazzeni Primary School in Talamona has already been made available to students of the Donegani Scientific High School and the Piazzi Institute in Sondrio, both involved in the project. It will also be offered to all schools within the Latteria di Chiuro and Mèlia networks that wish to adopt it, experiment with it and enrich it with new contributions.
And how would you answer these questions?
After reading the fairy tales and exploring the themes that emerged throughout the project, students from the fourth-year Production and Processing programme at the Piazzi Institute in Sondrio, together with their teacher Luca Fravolini, developed a series of questions inviting reflection on abundance, cooperation, dreams, gratitude and responsibility.
- Why is milk associated with abundance?
- Why can milk be an important resource during times of famine?
- Why is milk often seen as a source of nourishment and, in some cases, healing?
- Can milk be considered a complete source of survival, or are other nutrients necessary?
- Why can excessive demand for and overproduction of milk lead to negative consequences?
There are no right or wrong answers. Try discussing these questions with your family, at school or with friends: fairy tales often continue to speak to us through the questions they leave unanswered.
If you would like to share your thoughts, suggest new interpretations or tell personal stories related to the fairy tales and the theme of milk, you can contact Chiara Rossi, the project's monitoring coordinator, at:
Meanwhile, the project is already looking ahead to the next school year, with new activities and the involvement of additional classes interested in exploring the cultural, social and emotional value of food.
Because milk, as these fairy tales transformed into films have shown, does not only tell the story of what we eat: it tells the story of the relationships we build, the places we inhabit and the stories we choose to share.
Carla Barzanò
Carla Barzanò, dietitian and journalist, is an expert in food education and the author of several books dedicated to children and families. Since 1989, she has led cooking and tasting workshops for both adults and children.
She has designed and coordinated numerous taste education projects, continuously monitored and updated through an action-research methodology, with the aim of enhancing the everyday dimensions of eating. Through these initiatives, she has engaged with a wide and diverse audience across all age groups.
She is committed to promoting practices for sustainable nutrition in line with the objectives of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
