Lidl is to invest £500,000 over two years in educating schoolchildren about healthy eating.
The discounter’s Lidl Foodies programme aims to help schools “bridge the gap” in healthy eating lessons, through interactive workshops, including £100 vouchers to help teachers buy necessary resources.
Lidl said it followed research showing nearly three-quarters of teachers were not teaching diet diversity in healthy eating programmes, citing lack of curriculum time, resources and training as key barriers.
Over 130,000 pupils at more than 1,000 schools have already engaged with the programme since it launched in October last year, according to Lidl, with more than 50% of the schools located in deprived areas.
The supermarket cited research from We Are Futures showing 73% of teachers were not teaching diet diversity. That’s despite a report from FoodEducators suggesting 97% of teachers recognised the importance of food education, with many citing a lack of curriculum time, resources, or training as barriers. Separate research by Borough Market showed less than a third of children aged seven to 11 could identify common vegetables like courgette and beetroot, Lidl said.
Lidl Foodies offers teachers ready-made workshop plans via the National Schools Partnership. As part of the first module, Lidl Tasters, teachers were given access to £100 Lidl vouchers to buy fruit and veg for in-class tastings.
The programme is expanding with two new modules this school year. A spring module called Lidl Growers aims to teach children how fruit & veg is grown and where food comes from. A summer one, called Lidl Makers, will encourage children to try new ingredients and learn simple, healthy recipes.
“As a mum, I understand the challenges families face when it comes to getting kids excited about healthy food,” said Lidl GB head of corporate affairs Georgina Hall.
“I’m proud that, at Lidl, we’re making healthy eating easier and more accessible – both through our affordable, high-quality fresh food and by helping children build a positive relationship with healthy choices from an early age. With Lidl Foodies, we’re giving children the opportunity to explore different fruits and vegetables, broaden their knowledge of nutritious foods, and discover what they enjoy.
“Through this approach, we’re not only supporting healthier habits in the classroom, but also helping parents make mealtimes easier and more enjoyable at home. This is just the beginning, and I’m excited to see how the programme will grow and develop. Ultimately, our goal is to inspire a new generation of foodies who not only embrace healthy food but also recognise the importance of fresh fruit & veg for a lifetime of wellbeing.”
Kamahl Hoque, We Are Futures delivery partner for the National Schools Partnership, said: “Our research shows schools are crying out for more accessible ways to educate, inspire and engage children to eat healthy and affordable balanced diets.
“Lidl’s bold new initiative, Lidl Foodies, not only provides fun food exploration for children in the classroom through high-quality learning, but puts kids in charge of tasting, growing and making the fruit & veg they love – that crucially, teachers and parents can buy at affordable prices.
“Lidl’s commitment to inspiring the next generation of healthy eaters, whilst providing the freshest fruit & veg to schools and families, has led to the creation of a programme with real impact that is driving healthier eating behaviours. It’s been amazing to have supported them on this ground-breaking initiative.”
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