Fresh For Kids - Schools Promotions - The best source of fresh fruit and vegetable information on the net!

We often receive many calls from school canteens holding fresh fruit and vegetable promotions. Many schools have some fantastic ideas and the most successful promotions seem to be the simplest. A couple of examples include:Tara Junior School Canteen recently reopened with a big promotion letting kids know about their new healthy focus. The promotion was a huge hit and included a special appearance by Megabite Apple who was on hand to distribute apples to the hungry students.

Balgowlah North Public School held a wonderful 'Sensational Summer Breakfast' in November, 2004.

"We had so much fun with the glorious F & V Gang characters and some wonderful pictures to attest to the day.

Following years of running, as most school canteens did, along the lines of a corner store providing an abundance of treats, Balgowlah North Public School canteen closed for 2 years following animated debate about running a ‘healthy canteen’ or otherwise. A school community survey identified that the majority supported the concept of a healthy canteen. In 2003, with the P&C Association as the sponsoring body, Balgowlah North Public School canteen reopened 5 days a week with a healthy focus menu. The canteen achieved Gold accreditation [NSW School Canteen Association] in its first year.

Balgowlah North Public School canteen has maintained a strong commitment to the NSW Governments healthy eating guidelines, the canteen committee has continued to encourage the school community through:

• Fresh food/healthy ‘green food’ promotions in association with the ‘Fresh for Kids’ campaigns
• Healthy lunch box ideas published in the newsletter each week
• Fresh food breakfast promotions for the school community and a 100% approved menu - all approved items and all amber foods only sold linked to green foods
• A weekly information/nutritional page in the school newsletter
• Regular links to the classroom demonstrating and taste testing various ‘approved foods’ for school community feedback
• Annual ‘Healthy Harold’ breakfast events
• Links with Before and After School Care to complement a composting and vegetable garden program

With a continuing focus on ‘greening the menu’ the canteen announced to the school, in 3rd term 2004, that the sale of all amber foods would no longer be sold on their own. The canteen promoted the sale of all amber foods i.e. pies, sausage rolls, nuggets and drumsticks as a ‘meal’, with a side salad or fruit salad.

Additionally the school community was told that the sale of all amber foods would also be restricted in quantity, nuggets now only be sold as 2 or 4 nuggets (not 9!), WITH a salad. The changes to all amber menu items was of course, reflected, most significantly in their price change. To everyone’s surprise the children (and parents) of Balgowlah North Public School took to the changes without question..... and when presented with a salad in their lunch bag, ate it!! (garbage bins were checked and it was rare to find a discarded salad). So enthusiastic were the sales through this process, additional volunteers were sought to double their days in the canteen as the labour of salad preparation soared.

Balgowlah North Public School will continue this year with salads still dominating the menu and daily canteen preparations."

Helen McNeil
Chair - Canteen Committee

Frenchs Forest Public School Canteen held a promotion encouraging students to eat healthily. Tamara Tomato and Oscar Orange visited the school to lend their support to the promotion.

The promotion included a special deal where all students purchasing salad boxes and sandwiches containing fresh fruit or vegies received a ‘fruit tag’ (a laminated tag with fruit on it). The student with the most tag’s at the end of the week won a shopping voucher. The promotion was a huge success and sales sky rocketed.

Email us your own ideas or check out the Promotional Resource page for a couple of simple ideas to get you started.