A Chairde (friends)
Food Dudes is a programme developed to encourage children to eat more fruit and vegetables both in school and at home. It is based on positive role models, repeated tasting and rewards. This year the Food Dudes programme is coming back to Lucan East ETNS. We will begin our tasting phase on Tuesday the 22nd of November. All of the fruit and veg delivered to the school comes from a gluten, nut and soya free factory. The programme is designed to create a healthy eating culture within schools, it has also received a “counteracting obesity” award from the World Health Organisation.
There are two phases to the programme. In phase 1 children from junior infants to second class are given fruit and vegetables to eat for 16 days. Each day they will be rewarded with stickers or small prizes for successfully tasting or eating their portion. The children in these year groups will also receive a home diary to keep a record of fruit and vegetables eaten at home. Children in third to sixth class will receive fruit and vegetables for a shorter period of 8 days. During this phase all of the children will watch episodes about the Food Dudes characters. They will also receive letters to bring home on certain days.
Phase 2 extends the home element of the programme by encouraging children to bring their own fruit and veg to school every day. All of the children will receive special Food Dudes containers to bring these in. Fruit and veg from the school lunches provided can be used. Classroom wall charts will record this progress and the children can then earn certificates for their efforts. This phase maintains fruit and veg consumption in the longer term.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions ,
Kind Regards,
Deirdre Kelly,
(Food Dudes Coordinator)