In the field of adult education, literacy is a contested concept, so it is not surprising that terms like food literacy are also highly debated. While some associate food literacy with individual food shopping and preparation, others look to it as a means to engage with larger issues of global import. Given that food literacy is a fairly new term, its meaning remains fluid as various stakeholders manoeuvre to control its meaning and thus mould policy that will serve their interests. One such attempt has recently been undertaken by the Conference Board of Canada, a not-for-profit organisation that carries out research paid for by both the private and public sectors. Using a political economy framework, this article critiques the Conference Board's definition of food literacy and develops a more comprehensive meaning for this contested term. It highlights the work of Paulo Freire and the new Brazilian dietary guidelines to demonstrate how narrowing the parameters of the food literacy debate obscures the crises that plague the global food system and restricts the potential for food system transformation.