Le Rondin pupils benefit from a year of daily vegetable taster snacks.
‘Munchy Lunches’ at Le Rondin Primary School has been providing pupils with daily vegetable exposure and tasting opportunities during the entire 2024-25 academic year.
This followed a trial funded by the Health Improvement Commission in the 2024 summer term where fortnightly vegetables were supplied on a Monday. But after seeing the benefits this had on their pupils, the school decided to continue the initiative and increase provision so that pupils can try veg every day of the week.
Cat Tyrrell, Eat Well Officer at the Health Improvement Commission, has been speaking with pupils, staff and parents at the school to find out their thoughts on Munchy Lunches.
We’ve seen a benefit really quickly. Having that exposure every single day I think has been much more beneficial for them than having it just once a week. There’s been a couple of children who have been quite reluctant to try and now we’re seeing them come in with pots full of cucumber and pepper and that has been because they’ve gone home and said, ‘I’ve loved trying this’.
It’s so good because I got different food to taste. These are new vegetables to me.
This initiative is absolutely amazing, and it’s been talked about wide and far. Children who have previously gone off trying new foods, are now showing more interest and excitement in trying the vegetable of the week. Very few children are now not taking anything from the tasting bowl. The children now look forward to it; they’ll come in on a Monday, and they’ll ask what veg they are having, so it generates a conversation as well. As a school we will continue to support this initiative as much as we possibly can.
I tried carrots, even cucumber and even lettuce. Munchy Lunches is important because you need to be healthy, because if you don’t eat vegetables then you won’t be strong.
My child wouldn’t be exposed to new vegetables if it wasn’t for something like this. She’s increasing the amount of vegetables that she’s trying and I would say that her acceptance of vegetables has also increased at home. When the children are sat altogether with their peers at school and they’re all doing the same thing, I think initiatives like this are great for increasing the availability of veg and therefore improving the health of our young people.
If you or your organisation feel you can support with funding for the continuation of this initiative, please contact Deputy Headteacher Christine DeKock via email at Christine.DeKock@education.gg