Sunderland schools get ready to 'Eat Them to Defeat Them'

Sunderland's School Meals Service is supporting the Eat Them to Defeat Them campaign, developed by Veg Power, an alliance of national food industry specialists including Hugh Fearnley - Whittingstall.

Veg Power want to encourage primary school aged children to eat healthier, balanced, and more sustainable diets including an increased number of vegetables.

The School Meals Service will run an 'Eat Them to Defeat Them' theme day on Wednesday 6 April, where participating schools will serve a delicious a plant-based menu full of tasty veg-packed meals.

As part of the theme day, school cooks will be using their creative skills to produce fruit and vegetable taster displays, and there will be a competition for younger pupils to create a vegetable character.

A competition for the older pupils will challenge them to develop a dish containing at least two fruits or vegetables, with the opportunity for their dish to be included on school menus.

The Eat Them to Defeat Them theme day is one of a range of initiatives the school meals service run to encourage healthy and sustainable eating habits amongst children and young people.

All of Sunderland's schools have achieved the Bronze 'Food for Life Served Here' Award, which, provides assurance to schools and parents that the food being served is healthy, fresh, tasty, seasonal and sustainable. All schools have also achieved the Green Kitchen Standard, which recognise caterers that are taking positive steps to sustainably manage energy, water and waste.

Jon Ritchie, Executive Director of Corporate Services at Sunderland City Council, said: "It is so important from a child health and wellbeing perspective to encourage as many children in Sunderland as possible to eat more fruit and vegetables. Developing school meal theme days linked to a high-profile national campaign such as Eat Them to Defeat Them is a great way of promoting this in a way that children will find fun and engaging.

"We know that eating a more plant-based diet is not only healthy but also has an impact on reducing our carbon footprint and contributing to the aims of Sunderland's Low Carbon Framework to have a carbon neutral City by 2040."