Bringing 5-A-Day Alive Through a Public Health, School, and Food Service Partnership

Abstract

Eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily may cut cancer risk. On average, children eat only 3.6 servings/day. The goal of the project was to develop a low-cost, easily replicated, month-long campaign integrating the 5-A-Day message into many aspects of students' lives and encouraging them to eat more fruits and vegetables. Coordinated efforts by a public health nutritionist, school food service director and staff, media staff, classroom and physical education teachers, a local produce company and local cable TV and newspapers brought daily messages and hands-on activities to students and their families. Students wrote and presented the morning announcements that included a message about the fruit and vegetable selections at school lunch. Classroom teachers were given nutrition activities they could do with their students. The main classroom activity was a cooperative 5-A-Day Challenge to encourage students to eat more fruit/vegetables at school lunch. A family take-home activity was piloted in a first grade classroom. A local produce company worked with the food service staff to provide a fruit and vegetable tasting opportunity while students waited in line for lunch. Many fruits and vegetables were displayed and students were given the opportunity to taste at least four. Volunteers, in fruit and vegetable costumes, encouraged children to taste the selections. Evaluations were completed by teachers, staff, students and parents. Pre and post tests results of fourth grade students indicated that they ate and enjoyed more fruits and vegetables after the campaign. More than three fourths of the students said that they tried at least one new fruit or vegetable during the campaign. Teachers felt the activities were easy to implement and very effective. Evaluations of the take-home activity indicated that most parents strongly agreed they would try to serve and eat more fruits and vegetables because of the activity. The project was easily replicated by two other schools the following year. The combined efforts of both school and community resources worked well to develop and easily implement an effective, low cost nutrition program in the schools.