We are participating in the Food Dudes Healthy Eating Programme, which aims to encourage children to eat more fruit and vegetables. The Department of Health recommends that children (and adults) eat 5 - 7 portions of fruit and vegetables each day. For 16 consecutive school days, children receive free fruit and vegetables in school and are rewarded with stickers and small rewards for eating these foods. Children will then be encouraged to bring in and eat fruit and vegetables from home as part of their daily diet and will be rewarded with certificates of achievements. Pupils in senior classes in the school will be offered the opportunity to participate for five days, as part of a Food Dudes Week programme. They will receive small eco-friendly prizes and a lunchbox over the course of the week. Children then receive fruit and vegetable containers which encourages them to bring in and eat fruit and vegetables from home as part of their daily lunch diet.
The aim of the programme is to encourage children to repeatedly try fruit and vegetables so that they can learn to like them. The programme depicts positive role models, the Food Dudes, in a series of video episodes and letters are read out in class that encourage children to eat fruit and vegetables. Stickers and small rewards are offered for participation in the programme. Thank You to Mrs Orla O’Keeffe for overseeing the programme.
