Effective strategies

According to Van Bussel, parental involvement is crucial, especially for children between the ages of 4 and 12, because parents still have a great deal of influence on their children's eating habits at this age: “Parents still have a great deal of influence on pupils between the ages of 4 and 12. That is why it is valuable for them to acquire knowledge and skills as well.” There is no universal approach, but there are many effective strategies. These include sending photos of children eating healthily or working in the school garden, or sending home a harvested vegetable with a suitable recipe. “Parents are almost always enthusiastic when their child is at the centre of attention,” says Van Bussel.

Four factors

It is important for schools to use a combination of different forms of involvement. The study focused on four factors: acceptance, feasibility, reach and effectiveness. Zeinstra emphasises: “Building a relationship with parents and taking small steps is particularly important.”

A practical first step is to introduce a 10 o'clock snack policy, whereby children bring vegetables or fruit as a snack. This directly involves parents, as they provide the healthy snack. Although some parents may initially resist, they soon get used to it: “In the end, everyone joins in,” says Zeinstra. Parent-child activities, such as cooking or gardening together, also work well. Pay attention to the timing and announcement of these activities so that as many parents as possible can participate.

Introductory meetings provide opportunities to discuss the importance of healthy eating and parental involvement at the very start of the school year. It also helps if a school demonstrates visibly that it takes nutrition seriously, for example through the Healthy School quality mark.

School context

The school context plays a major role: the type of parents, cultural background and language skills determine what works. Visual communication or personal contact can be more effective than written information, especially for parents who have limited proficiency in Dutch. “Food is personal, but it also brings people together,” says Zeinstra.

The central message from the study is that variety is essential. What works differs from school to school and from one parent group to another. “When children and parents experience together that healthy eating is tasty, normal and fun,” says Van Bussel, “children will literally and figuratively reap the benefits throughout their lives.”

Practical tips for greater parental involvement

  • Send photos of children eating healthily or working in the school garden
  • Send harvested vegetables from the school garden home with a matching recipe
  • Introduce a clear 10 o'clock snack policy (fruit and vegetables only)
  • Organise parent-child activities such as cooking or tasting lessons
  • Use introductory meetings to discuss healthy eating
  • Vary your approach: not all parents can be reached in the same way
  • Use visual materials for parents who do not speak Dutch
  • Schedule activities at different times for working parents

This article is a summary. You can read the full article here.