Teachers believe that pupils often say they don’t like fruit because they don’t want to admit that they’ve never eaten it or their parents can’t afford it
“I didn’t like fruit until I was five,” Thomas cheerfully admits as he bites into a chunk of pineapple. Thanks to a free fruit and veg food scheme at his school, Thomas, who is five, was recently encouraged to try mango first, then strawberries and bell peppers. He loved them all.
“I eat anything now,” he says, gesturing to a desk laden with fruit and veg in the classroom of his primary school on the Gellideg estate in Merthyr Tydfil.
His classmates at Coed y Dderwen Community Primary soon chime in. Penelope had never eaten a blackberry until tempted by teachers, and Romeo’s favourite is a mini cucumber now that he tried for the first time in school.
When they are peckish, they can take fruit or salad veg snacks from a trolley in the corridor. It’s also put out on tables at lunchtime. Not all pupils have ready access to fruit at home, say teachers.
Coed y Dderwen is one of around 400 schools across the UK to receive free fruit and vegetables through Tesco’s fruit and veg for schools programme. The programme is part of Tesco’s Stronger Starts, which provides more than £8m a year of financial support to community groups and schools
Teachers believe that pupils often say they don’t like fruit because they don’t want to admit that they’ve never eaten it or their parents can’t afford it as rising food prices put fresh fruit out of reach for some families..
Pupil hunger has been acknowledged as a problem across Wales, but it’s a problem which often goes hidden and unaddressed because of the stigma surrounding poverty, say staff. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here
“A lot of children say they are hungry. They know they can help themselves to fruit at school. Fruit is expensive so some children say they don’t like fruit because there is a stigma,” says higher level teaching assistant Stacey Phillips.
“Bananas are a favourite as well as mini cucumber and strawberries. Some have never tried lemons, and some have only ever had pineapple cut up and not whole.
“You can tell which children are hungry, and one piece of fruit can make them ready to learn.”
Family engagement officer Harriet Hodgson says child poverty is getting worse, and schools play an important role in helping children eat, beyond free school meals.
Around half of Coed y Dderwen’s children are eligible for free school meals. That data is now used for assessing relative affluence, because free school meals are available to all.
But while the Welsh Government has now introduced universal free school meals for all primary school children, one hot meal a day isn’t enough for growing children, as teachers know.
Pupils also need snacks, and snacks cost money, especially if schools suggest families send children in with a healthy piece of fruit. And that can be beyond some families’ means.
According to the latest Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation in 2019, Gellideg in Merthyr Tydfil is an extremely deprived area, but it is not ranked among the top 10 or 20 most deprived areas in Wales.
But food prices have rocketed so much that even people with relatively good incomes are feeling the squeeze. That’s where the Tesco scheme is so valuable, say Stacey and Harriet.
“This free fruit and veg scheme is a massive help. We get £4,000 a year for free fruit and veg, mostly fruit. We cook vegetable soup in our forest school,” said Stacey.
“On Friday, any excess is put out on a table at the end of the school day for families to take, and we also have platters on packed lunch tables. Children are more likely to try new things if they are preparing them too.”
Harriet says child poverty is getting worse and schools play an important role in helping children eat, beyond free school meals. The school has also restored a polytunnel where classes grow food, including cabbage, corn, pumpkins, purple broccoli and fruit. There are also apple trees in the grounds.
As she puts it: “The Tesco scheme has made a massive difference to the school. Some children don’t have breakfast, and free fruit sets them up for the day. The cost of living is affecting everyone. It is important to get this snack each day.”
