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About Fresh for Kids

The Fresh for Kids Story

For over 30 years, the Fresh for Kids program has been educating NSW school students on the importance of fresh, local, and seasonal produce.

At Fresh for Kids, we believe that there are engaging ways to get kids to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables. Our program was developed for primary school teachers, and primary school-aged children to adapt to the needs of the modern classroom. We focus on teaching kids the importance of the Central Market system, food education, and healthy lifelong habits. Fresh for Kids is a multifaceted program fully funded by Sydney Markets Limited, that has evolved to suit the needs of a new generation of kids.

Our Founding

The Fresh for Kids Program was developed in the early stages of 1997 after Sydney Markets Limited met with a group of fresh fruit and vegetable wholesalers to discuss the alarmingly low levels of fresh fruit and vegetable consumption among the children of New South Wales. Sydney Markets formed a committee with representation from the fruit and vegetable industry and the NSW Health Department to develop a strategic program that targeted children and healthy lifelong habits, where the Canteen Campaign originated.

Early Growth

We sought to achieve those healthy lifelong habits through:

  • School canteens: Empowering canteen managers with fresh ideas, tips, and tools.
  • Teachers: Curriculum-aligned resources.
  • Parents: Fresh recipes, facts, and fun activities.
  • Kids: Fun activities that make “fresh” fun!

After 30 successful years, and engagement from over 250,000 students, the Fresh for Kids Canteen Campaign helped deliver healthier choices with consistent increases in participation. Now, the NSW Government has implemented the Healthy School Canteen Strategy, which has made our initial goal fulfilled.

A New Leaf

After receiving feedback from stakeholders, it became clear that a new phase needed to be implemented. Sydney Markets will be bringing a fresh program that will move into the classroom in 2023.

We will be bringing cooking classes to students.

We are bringing the beauty of fresh, local, seasonal food to life using a hands-on approach to recreate recipes that have proven to engage children in a fun way while inspiring children to make better choices.

“The new Fresh for Kids program is an evolution of our much-loved campaign. We are building on years of success of the Canteen Campaign by bringing the program into the classroom, to help educate future generations on healthy habits. This is a fantastic opportunity to encourage kids to eat healthier and educate them about where their food comes from through Sydney Markets.”

Sydney Markets CEO, Brad Latham.