EU-Schoolfruit recognised as an effective intervention

‘The intervention is well developed and feasible for schools, and there are some excellent materials,’ according to the committee of the RIVM’s Centre for Healthy Living.

EU-Schoolfruit aims to promote the consumption of vegetables and fruit among pupils in primary education, special (primary) education and secondary special education, and to teach them healthy and sustainable eating habits. These objectives were established by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV).

Effectiveness

EU-Schoolfruit was assessed at the level of ‘First indications of effectiveness’. The assessment is provided by the Centre for Healthy Living. They assess lifestyle interventions through a recognition process. In this process, independent experts determine the quality, effectiveness and feasibility of interventions. All recognised interventions can be found in the intervention database. According to RIVM, EU-Schoolfruit meets the established criteria for effectiveness.

The recognition is evidence of EU-Schoolfruit’s positive impact on the consumption of vegetables and fruit and on teaching children healthy and sustainable eating habits. Through EU-Schoolfruit, pupils are introduced to new types of vegetables and fruit in a safe environment and are repeatedly exposed to different types of vegetables and fruit. They also acquire knowledge and skills through an experiential learning approach, and as part of the programme they receive vegetables and fruit during the morning break three times a week as standard. In addition, parents are involved in order to reach the home environment as well.

Further development of EU-Schoolfruit

EU-Schoolfruit has been further developed in recent years. The target group of the EU School Fruit and Vegetable Programme has been broadened. Special secondary education may now also participate in EU-Schoolfruit. In addition, the connection between EU-Schoolfruit and the Smaaklessen educational programme has been strengthened. The use of the EU-Schoolfruit introductory lesson and the subsequent Smaaklessen lessons is actively encouraged within EU-Schoolfruit. Short lesson activities (Snacks) have also been developed for the vegetable and fruit break. These are short lesson ideas (5 to 10 minutes) for the vegetable and fruit break, such as videos, experiments and songs.

More emphasis has also been placed on safeguarding the school fruit policy. At the end of 2021, the new toolkit was launched at wijkiezengroenteenfruit.nu, to support schools in working towards a structural vegetable and fruit policy for the morning break at school.

More attention has also been paid to involving parents. Through the interactive click-through board Smaakwereld, parents are encouraged to talk at home with their child about vegetables, fruit and healthy nutrition, and to actively engage with this topic.

In recent years, Class II vegetables and fruit and organic products have been added to the deliveries. By offering Class II & organic products within EU-Schoolfruit, children have the opportunity to become familiar with these products. They also learn why it is a waste to discard Class II vegetables and fruit, how organic food is grown and what impact this has on the environment and health.

Committee’s final assessment

‘The EU School Fruit and Vegetable Programme is a well-founded intervention that has also been developed nicely in recent years, with policies for schools in primary and special education, and with a compulsory Smaakles and “Snack”,’ according to the committee.

For more information about the EU School Fruit and Vegetable Programme, visit www.euschoolfruit.nl. The EU School Fruit and Vegetable Programme is funded by the European Union. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and the Smaaklessen & EU-Schoolfruit Support Centre, part of Wageningen University & Research (WUR), implement the school fruit scheme on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality.