Modeling in food education ?

Hi~ What could be the best interpretation of the word "modeling" in this context?

Does that mean "cooking some foods" OR "making fake food, for example using clays"?

And as for the phrase in blue, esp. the part "how much", what does that mean?

"The time we see our peers' eating" OR "the time our peers eat"?

Any comments are welcomed and would be a big help for me.

Thank you~

Schools historically took an active role in teaching about food. Agriculture, home economics, and health classes provided guidance on food growth, food preparation, and healthy eating practices. Lessons on the impact of dietary practices on the body and the brain could easily be folded into the school health curriculum. However, due to budget cuts and a perceived lack of value of such classes, the primary education done concerning food in schools is modeling. What is served in the cafeteria, how much we see our peers eat, even the speed of consumption are influencing students’ dietary habits.