FROM planting school gardens to redesigning tuckshop menus to farm visits, Logan schools will take action to support healthy eating as part of a pilot program.
Health and Wellbeing Queensland launched the local Pick of the Crop trial today at Berrinba East State School, after Logan was chosen as one of three pilot locations across the state.
Through the program, schools will come up with and implement a healthy eating action plan, incorporating issues and resources relevant to students.
Health and Wellbeing Queensland chief executive Robyn Littlewood said the program took a whole-school approach to promoting veggies and fruit.
"From school gardens that reflect cultural diversity, co-designing tuckshop menus with staff and students, farmer in the classroom initiatives, and re-imagining school events to include a variety of healthy foods, schools will be encouraged to explore a range of innovative actions that build on some of the great teaching strategies already in place," Dr Littlewood said.
"Vegetables and fruit are vital to children's health and their ability to perform at school, on the sporting field and everywhere else, but we know Queensland kids aren't eating enough of them."
The Logan area, with its vibrant, culturally diverse food scene, was identified as being the ideal spot for the pilot.
Berrinba East State School principal Steve Kanowski said Pick of the Crop would help the school community develop an understanding of culture and language through the Pick of the Crop projects.
"Students will be able to actively learn and experience the concept of seed to plate and understand the role that they and their families, can play in this," said Mr Kanowski.
"Food is an amazing gateway into culture and the school is looking forward to developing a greater understanding of the languages and cultures of the local community through the initiative."
Health and Wellbeing Queensland public health nutritionist Mathew Dick said schools had responded with enthusiasm.
"Schools understand the importance of healthy eating for students' ability to learn and perform well, and champion this in the work they do every day," he said.
"We're seeing so many wonderful ideas from them about how they can go about boosting their focus on vegetables and fruit by participating in this pilot."
Through Pick of the Crop, primary schools across the Logan area will work with a project co-ordinator to develop individual school action plans ready to roll out in Term 1, 2021, aiming to increase students' access to vegetables and fruit.
Participating schools can also access up to $5000 for small projects that support the implementation of Pick of the Crop.
The $1.7 million project is set to reach up to 60 primary schools and 19,000 students across pilot locations in Logan, Bowen and Bundaberg in the next year.
