Food for Thought, a free nutrition education program for Year 5-8 students throughout Aotearoa, has achieved a significant milestone. It has reached a quarter of a million young New Zealanders who have participated in the program since its inception in 2007.
Sponsored by Foodstuffs and delivered in collaboration with the Heart Foundation, Food for Thought was designed by expert nutritionists to assist Kiwi kids in making knowledgeable food choices. It has been presented in over 200 schools annually.
As an example of putting education into action, a group of students from Waitoki School recently "paid it forward" after completing the program. Year 7 and 8 students used vouchers provided by PAK'nSAVE Silverdale to perform a good deed for a local community group.
Instead of going on a field trip to the local supermarket to apply their lessons in practice, the Year 7 and 8 Waitoki School students used their vouchers to buy ingredients to prepare food to donate to the community organisation Hibiscus Coast Love Soup, which has helped distribute food to those in need.
“By taking the lessons learned into the community and preparing food, our young learners had the opportunity to work towards the community service aspect of the William Pike Challenge, which all our students strive to achieve during their intermediate years at Waitoki,” said Katrina Selfe, a teacher at Waitoki School.
“The kids had a fantastic time working in the school kitchen, preparing about eight recipes, ranging from quiche to muffins. It was a lot of fun, and they enjoyed themselves.”
Sandy Botterill, Foodstuffs' Head of Environmental Social Governance and Chair of the Food for Thought Educational Trust, also said that the programme was exceptional because it had been created by nutritionists who combined classroom learning with hands-on activities.
“This encourages kids to apply what they’ve learned in the real world and acquire lifelong lessons on food and nutrition, including understanding the benefits of consuming foods that nourish our bodies and food labels,” said Botterill.
“The initial program participants are now in their twenties, so it's fantastic to think that a generation of adults is equipped with valuable knowledge on food and nutrition thanks to Food for Thought,” she remarked.
She also mentioned that they frequently received feedback from parents that children came home and shared their knowledge.
“Whether it is understanding food labels or incorporating more vegetables into meals, these stories demonstrate that the program is making a lasting impact, which continues as students transition into adulthood.”
