Grab 5! – Eat More Fruit and Veg
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Grab
5!
is a project all about encouraging primary school children
and their families to eat more fruit and vegetables.
Experts
estimate that if we, as a nation, increase our consumption
of fruit and vegetables from the current average intake
of barely three portions a day to at least five, deaths
from heart disease and some cancers could be reduced
by up to 30 per cent. Beyond improving the diets of
their children, primary schools that take on Grab
5! benefit from many other positive outcomes
such as an improved school ethos and environment, participation
in school life by parents and local community groups,
and practical and fun learning opportunities which support
curriculum work.
Grab 5! is run by Sustain,
the alliance for better food and farming. It draws on
the expertise of a large national working party, chaired
by Joe Harvey of the Health Education Trust and comprising
experienced representatives from organisations across
the private, public and voluntary sectors. |
The
project aims to embrace all interested bodies including
fruit and vegetable retailers, producers and processors,
caterers, community groups, policy makers, government
departments, researchers and health and education experts.
Over the last two years, the Grab
5! team has been working with primary schools
in Lambeth, Leeds and Plymouth, developing an approach
and a programme of activities that can be adapted by
schools nation-wide to bring real change to children’s
eating habits. If an individual school, a group of schools
or organisations such as local Healthy Schools initiatives,
HAZs, EAZs, school catering agency contractors and LEAs,
would like to see Grab 5!
happening in their area, Sustain can offer support and
guidance on appropriate methodology, materials and motivation.
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Most
people know that they should eat more fruit and vegetables
but this doesn’t mean that they do. Grab 5! helps
schools tackle the major barriers to fruit and veg consumption,
namely:
• acceptability – people, especially children,
think they don’t like fruit and vegetables
• availability – fruit and vegetables are
often not easy to get hold of, and
• affordability – fruit and veg are often
seen as too expensive, especially when compared to high
energy snack foods.
Typical Grab 5! activities include tasting sessions, fruit
tuck shops, breakfast clubs, cooking classes for parents
and children, growing clubs, visits to farms and supermarkets,
reward schemes, competitions, chef demonstrations and
working with school caterers. Wherever possible schools
provide children with the opportunity to taste, feel,
cook, smell, eat and grow fruit and vegetables. |
Methodology
Key to the success of Grab 5!
is that participating schools own the project themselves,
establishing an action group of teachers, governors, parents,
caterers, pupils etc. to plan, prepare and implement their
own individual action plan to meet their particular circumstances,
needs and priorities. Equally key to the success of Grab
5! is that a whole school approach is adopted.
This needs not only participation of all relevant players
but also looking at healthy eating in the contexts of
school life as a whole – curricular and exra-curricular,
in the classroom, at break times and lunch times, and
before and after school. By adopting a whole school approach
Grab 5! ensures that the messages
being given around healthy eating are consistent and mutually
reinforced. Crucial to the long-term success of the project
is the adoption of a food policy that commits a school
to a whole school approach to improving food education
and provision. |
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Materials
Grab 5! has developed the
following materials to help schools and local partners
in their work around promoting fruit and vegetables:
• A pack including:
1. key stage 2 curriculum
materials including a range of posters
2. an action pack
giving practical tips on how to implement Grab
5! and useful contacts
3. a model food policy.
All three elements are downloadable for free from the
project website www.grab5.com and hard copies are available
at a cost of £50*.
• Grab 5! branded promotional
items, such as pens, pencils and rulers, for schools to
use as rewards
• An identifiable and popular Grab
5! brand identity
• A website with access to Grab
5! information and materials at www.grab5.com
• A database of educational materials focusing on
fruit and vegetables and/or healthy eating.
Motivation
In some instances schools are in a position to implement
effective and sustainable Grab 5!
projects independent of any outside support. In the majority
of instances, however, it is important to support schools
and instil motivation with:
• A local co-ordinator
• A local steering group, consisting of members
from local health, education, catering and fruit and veg
producer bodies, who can support the project, offer advice
and share work and experiences. In particular, Grab
5! works best in a local area when links are made
with the local Healthy Schools Standard. Both initiatives
share a whole school approach and work being done for
one complements and supports work being done for the other.
• Training days for schools and all those involved
in Grab 5!, providing an opportunity
to share ideas and provide inspiration. |
Evaluation
of Grab 5! has been carried
out by the British Heart Foundation Health Promotion
Research Group. In November 2002 an evaluation report
was completed, together with a Guide of Best Practice.
These publications were launched at the national conference,
Five a day and more, hosted by Sustain in association
with The Grower Magazine on November 25-26.
For
more info on Grab 5! or
the publications please visit www.grab5.com or call
Richard Siddall or Kate Bowie on 020 7837 1228.
*
for multiple copies please contact Sustain for price
as the cost of postage and packaging becomes proportionally
less. |
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January
03 / End of Page Seven |
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