An initiative delivered by The Good Foundation to promote fresh food and good eating habits, Jamie Oliver’s Learn Your Fruit and Veg program is now available to Australian schools.
Designed for primary schools, Learn Your Fruit and Veg is an evidence based, hands-on food education program. It aims to engage and excite children about fresh food by teaching them simple prepare recipes, using Jamie Oliver’s signature cooking tips and shortcuts.
Each lesson focuses on a hero fruit or vegetable and students are taught what that fruit or vegetable is, where it comes from, and how it affects their bodies. Lessons last for 60 minutes and encourage children to roll up their sleeves and get stuck in, smelling, touching and tasting fresh produce.
New national research commissioned by The Good Foundation has revealed that 71% of Australian kids aged 3-17 are not getting the recommended daily intake of fruit and vegetables; with less than a third eating veggies every night. Australian kids only consume veggies with dinner five times a week on average, when the government’s dietary guidelines recommend five serves of vegetables per day.
“At its simplest, Learn Your Fruit and Veg is about celebrating fresh produce and all the delicious things you can make with veg and fruit. Plus, any extra support we can give teachers, parents and families to get kids engaged in cooking from scratch – giving them the skills to feed themselves well – takes us all one step closer to a happier, healthier future,” said Jamie Oliver.
Amy Smith, CEO of The Good Foundation and Jamie’s Ministry of Food Australia added, “Our research revealed that cooking has a positive influence on how many vegetables Australian families eat. Kids and teenagers who cook more often, and families who eat together, are more likely to regularly consume fresh veggies. Currently a fifth of our teens never cook a meal at home, and less than half do so monthly. We have a bold ambition to change the eating habits of our kids for the better. If exposed to fruit and veg regularly from a young age, they are more likely to consume them as adults. Early intervention is key.”
Jamie Oliver’s Learn Your Fruit and Veg is delivered by trained facilitators and none of the recipes require heat or kitchen facilities; making the program easy for schools to deliver.
Schools interested in offering the program can register to be matched with facilitators in their area. For more information, please click here.