Kids behave better at school with free fruit and veg, study finds

It specifically targeted areas with a high proportion of pupils receiving free school meals and supplied 900 tonnes of fruit and veg.

Tesco's latest Impact Report, which analyses the effects of the free fruit and veg on more than 140,000 children, is showing amazing results.

The produce has also boosted Vitamin A by 4 per cent, fibre intakes by 3.6 per cent and folate, which reduces tiredness, was up by 3 per cent.

Boldon School in South Tyneside ate the most fruit and veg overall, with a whopping 14,778 items eaten throughout the school year, nearly four times more than the average.

Val Hanson, Senior Student Mentor at Boldon School said: "Not in a month of Sundays did we realise the difference free fruit and veg would have on our school - it is phenomenal.

"More than half of our pupils are on free school meals and having access to healthy food has not only made sure they are getting the vitamins and nutrients they need, but it's also been ideal for some of the kids who are quite vulnerable.

"We get some of the kids involved in the scheme who are having a tough time at home or who need help with behaviour or attendance and they help us to shop or distribute the fruit every week.

"Having that routine, being involved as part of a group, making new friends and meeting people in the shops can really build confidence and it almost works as a counselling session sometimes."

Pupils decided what to buy and the most popular fruits were oranges, grapes, strawberries, apples and bananas while the top veggies were cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, broccoli and cabbage.

Mancunians proved to be “guac 'n' roll stars” with Park View Community Primary, Manchester eating the most guacamole at a whopping 10 times more than the average school in the scheme.

Katy Mehaffy, Family Support Officer at Park View Community Academy, said: "We were so surprised with how popular avocados have been with the children.

"We started buying them for the after-school club, but then the other children started seeing them and asking to try them too.

"We've found that the kids are more adventurous at school so if one of their friends is eating something, they're more likely to give it a go.

"A lot of children used to come into school hungry, which was affecting behaviour, so just being able to offer these children a piece of fruit really is life-changing for them.

"They're able to concentrate on their work and go back into class after a break feeling more alert."

A study of 500 UK teachers by research consultants Censuswide revealed that 96 per cent would say that pupils are eager and more ready to learn when they've eaten well.

The vast majority (88 per cent) of teachers have experienced children coming to school hungry, with this figure increasing to 94 per cent teaching in challenged areas.

A surprising 66 per cent say they brought in food from home or purchased healthy food for their pupils before as they were worried the kids weren't getting enough food (46 per cent).

Virtually all those asked (98 per cent) agree nutrition is a key foundation to learning but 83 per cent say it can be difficult to inspire children when it comes to healthy eating.

In Birmingham, West Heath Primary School took to crunchy veg, ordering more carrots than anyone else - purchasing 14 times the national average, or 816 packs.

Their pupils went bananas for carrot sticks, with teachers saying they were surprised by how popular the veg was with the 4-11-year-olds who couldn't get enough.

Claire de Silva, Head of Communities at Tesco, said: "Schools have told us what a positive impact the Tesco Fruit and Veg for Schools programme has made on their children including sharper focus, increased energy and better behaviour.

"Every teacher we surveyed for the report agreed that the scheme has made a positive difference to the lives of each young person it has reached.

"By expanding the scheme in year two we can ensure that even more young people in some of the most challenged communities in the UK get access to the fruit and veg they need to thrive."

Pupils who participated in the first year of the scheme ate nearly 80 portions of fruit and veg on average, with every single teacher asked agreeing that it has had a positive impact on their pupils.

Nearly all (99 per cent) teachers said the scheme encourages pupils to eat a wider variety of fruit and veg, including ones that can be hard to access on a restricted budget - like blueberries, watermelon and asparagus.

Elaine Hindal, Chief Executive of The British Nutrition Foundation, said: "We could not be more delighted to see our work have this kind of real-world impact, and to support Tesco in taking action that drives healthier diets for children and young people in areas in need of extra support.

"The diet-related health of our young people is a major concern and initiatives like this one, to promote access to healthy foods, are sorely needed."