Objective: This study examines teachers' adoption and adaptation of 24-hour dietary recall technique for exploratory dialogue in the classroom with students aged 8-12 years. The focus is on the teachers' use of the information collected through the recall tool to pose open questions, recap, reformulate and elaborate collectively with the students regarding food and nutrition practices. Setting: Three small rural schools in disadvantaged communities of Ecuador. Method: Qualitative participant observations of 24-hour dietary recall sessions, with 49 students aged 8-12, and interviews with seven teachers. Results: Teachers using the recalls as shared objects of learning guided the class through a collaborative process of sensemaking and understanding of their food practices. Based on children's everyday knowledge and experiences, the teachers helped to search for explanations and solutions by contextualising the discussion while also linking it with specialised nutritional advice. Conclusion: The 24-hour dietary recall aids in organising, connecting and introducing additional information; localising and grounding knowledge; and holding a shared conversation about food and nutrition in the classroom. The tool has potential for teachers to develop instructional skills regarding the discussion of nutrition and health practices within pre-service or in-service training.