More kids benefiting from Fruit in Schools   25 Jul 2016

Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman
Minister of Health

25 July 2016

More kids benefiting from Fruit in Schools

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says this year’s expansion of the Fruit in Schools programme is seeing a record volume of fresh produce delivered to 547 schools across the country, benefitting more than 100,000 students.

"Healthy eating helps fuel the body and the brain, that’s why the Fruit in Schools programme is so beneficial to students," says Dr Coleman.

“Fruit in Schools complements the Childhood Obesity Plan. New Zealand is one of the first OECD countries to have a target and a comprehensive plan to tackle childhood obesity.”

Following the Ministry of Education’s decile funding changes, all existing schools have remained in the Fruit in Schools programme, with an additional 77 others eligible to participate.

As a result, a total of 547 schools will benefit from the programme this year, covering around 102,870 students. So far this year over 11 million pieces of produced have been served up to kids in schools across the country.

Schools receive high quality seasonal fruit and vegetables, and they sample up to 24 different types of fruit or vegetable during the year.

Feedback from school principals taking part in the programme has been overwhelming positive. The following comments are from a recent survey.

“They enjoy trying the different fruit and vegetables they haven't experienced before. At the start, they'd look at something and say 'no.' Now they're prepared to give it a try, and parents tell us it’s the same at home,” says Bruce Young, Holy Cross School, Papatoetoe.
“It’s absolutely brilliant – we have the fruit out every day, in all the classrooms. Our kids have healthy food whenever they want to eat it. They're healthy kids who're more alert and have more energy. Health is part of our school,” says Chris Dibben, Tawhero School, Whanganui.

“Our kids enjoy eating it - they also love it in fruit kebabs, in sponges and in crumbles. Even in learning about quarters and halves for maths! Our teachers are very good at using the fruit across the whole school,” says Chicky Rudkin, Kaikohe East School.

The Government invests $7.8 million into the Fruit in Schools programme each year. This is being supported by the extra $568 million going into Health for 2016/17 – taking the total Health spend to a record $16.1 billion.

Media contact : Angela Kenealy 021 220 0129

Region
Schools
Total Roll
Auckland
29
8187
Bay of Plenty
46
7846
Canterbury
23
4649
Counties Manukau
74
31980
Gisborne
37
5489
Hawkes Bay
34
6118
Hutt Valley
13
2604
Lakes
26
4608
Mid Central
13
2425
Nelson
4
1176
Northland
71
8878
Otago
7
899
South Canterbury
6
1030
Southland
12
2315
Taranaki
15
1817
Waikato
58
9671
Wairarapa
4
881
Waitemata
15
4595
Wellington
21
4370
West Coast
7
1095
Whanganui
32
3503
Totals
547
114136

ends

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