Each school implementing Grab 5! develops it's own action plan to fit their individual needs and restraints.
Potential Project Activities
Food tasting
Offering a range of foods frequently and for free has been shown to be an essential part of encouraging children to try new foods and ultimately to change their eating behaviour. Tasting activities could be incorporated in a number of activities.
Fruit tuck shops
Fruit tuck shops provide opportunities for:
- Children to eat a piece of fruit in their break time
- Children to learning valuable real life skills such as organisation, sales and
promotion - Links to the curriculum, e.g. data handling in IT and maths
- Children to handling money
- Links with local retailers and/or producers
- Provide a healthy snack for key stage 2 children that are not eligible for free fruit and vegetable via the school fruit and vegetable scheme.
Breakfast Clubs
There is an increasing trend of children arriving at school having had no breakfast. Pre-school breakfast clubs provide opportunities for:
- A wholesome breakfast (including a piece of fruit)
- A good start to the day
- Improved concentration and behaviour in the first hours of school
- A range of fun or curriculum linked activities that can support the school work
- Involvement of parents in the school
Playground market stalls
Playground markets assist in getting fruit and vegetables into homes at affordable prices. Mini-markets held on an afternoon in the school playground will:
- Offer parents with a variety of discounted fruit and vegetables
- Give children and opportunity to run stalls
- Form links with local producers and/or retailers
Cooking demonstrations
Local chefs can be invited into schools with the aims of:
- Introducing children to new and inspiring foods and giving them the opportunity to taste them in a positive, fun environment
- Providing learning opportunities around hygiene and food preparation, supporting what children have learned in the classroom activities
- Developing positive links in the local community
Fruit and vegetable growing
Whether growing cress on a windowsill or cultivating a whole garden, there is much to gain from children growing fruit and vegetables. Aims of such an activity would include:
- Understanding of life processes and where our food comes from, a requirement of the national curriculum
- Providing physical activity opportunities
- Foster team work
- Potentially linking with the school caterers and/or tuck shops in provision of healthy food
- Improving the school's physical environment
- Linking with local growers
Art with vegetables and fruit
Lessons could include creating collages, sculpturing and constructing structures such as baskets using natural plant fibres. Activities would aim to:
- Develop children's creative talent
- Support the national curriculum requirement of working with a variety of materials
- Develop links with community artists
Supermarket visits
Several supermarkets are keen to form links with local communities and work around healthy eating campaigns. Activities around a supermarket visit would aim to:
- Raise awareness amongst children of where their food comes from
- Develop budgeting skills
- Develop positive links with consumers and retailers working towards a common aim of increasing consumption of and creating a positive image around fruit and vegetables
Farm visits
Farms offer fun and valuable learning opportunities. Visits would aim to:
- Develop positive links between schools and local farms with potential spin offs such as provision of subsidised food
- Demonstrating to children where food comes from
Theatre performances and workshops
Several theatre companies perform plays and run workshops around the theme of healthy eating and fruit and vegetables, reinforcing the message of increasing consumption in a positive, fun and acceptable way.
Food clubs and out of hours activities
Out of hour's activities
- Engage pupils in a range of fun activities designed to promote their awareness of healthy eating and food hygiene
- Provide children with a healthy snack
- Engage parents
Outside speakers
Community dieticians, supermarket nutritionists, school nurses, local sports club members and others can be invited into schools to talk on food issues covering nutrition, health and food hygiene
Themed events e.g. apple day, food from around the world
Theme days focusing on food can be fun and inspiring ways to promote fruit and vegetables and healthy eating. Activities within the school could include:
- Themed school meal menu
- Free samples
- Competitions
Health weeks
Health weeks are a very popular, enjoyable and effective way of raising the profile of health issues. They can provide opportunities to trial activities, e.g. tuck-shops.
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