The children of Fuerty NS are taking part in the Food Dudes Programme during January, February and March. Food Dudes is a programme developed by the University of Wales, Bangor, to encourage children to eat more fruit and vegetables both in school and at home. It is based on positive role models (the Food Dudes characters), repeated tastings of fruit and veg and rewards. In large-scale studies in schools in England and Wales and pilot studies in schools in Ireland, the Programme has been shown to be effective and results long lasting.
It is ultimately designed to enable children to enjoy eating healthy diets, and to create a healthy eating culture within schools. As well as eating fruit and vegetables at school, it is important that children eat them at home too. Parents can help by encouraging children to eat and enjoy a healthy amount of fruit and vegetables, and set an example by eating them too.
Give praise and encouragement every time your child eats fruit and veg, and don’t offer sweet foods as ‘rewards’ for eating fruit and veg. There is no need to argue about food, just make sure that you make fruit and veg available for your child and stay positive.
If your child has a Food Dudes Home Chart you can help him/her complete it daily, and encourage him/her to try new fruit and veg - variety is good for health.
When your child receives his/her fruit and veg containers you can spend time together choosing interesting ways to fill them, to contribute towards a healthy packed lunch. Below are some tips and ideas which may help you to create lunches that are healthy, interesting and varied.More information is available at food dudes.ie
