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British Food Fortnight has teamed up with the Department of Health’s Top Tips for Top Mums campaign to encourage schools to involve parents in teaching children about a healthy diet.
Top Tips for Top Mums is an extension of the 5 A DAY campaign. It enables parents to share tips with each other on how to get children to eat more fruit and vegetables. Eastenders actress and mother of three, Patsy Palmer, is supporting the campaign. Your school can help – here are some ideas:
Involve parents in your healthy eating activities: see this year’s resource for examples of schools that already do. Set cookery homework activities that involve parents, for example help prepare a family meal using in-season produce and following 5 A Day guidelines.
Follow FIVE A DAY guidelines when deciding what to teach pupils to cook: see www.5aday.nhs.uk
Give a list of ‘Top Tips’ to parents in your next school mailing or give to pupils to take home: there are lots of tips on www.5aday.nhs.uk for example: freezing small amounts of mashed veg to save time, buying fruit and veg in season to save cost and hiding veg in sauces for fussy eaters are all practical tips for parents to try with their children.
Encourage parents to share their tips: ask parents to send in their tips and compile a school list of the best. Your tips could be displayed on the 5 A DAY website. Email tips to:
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, log on to www.5aday.nhs.uk or post them to: 5 A DAY ‘Top Tips for Top Mums’ FREEPOST NAT 13714, 89 Albert Embankment, London, SE1 7BR.
Useful resources for parents
‘My Cookery Club’ aims to help parents cook with their child, promote healthy eating, offer advice and cooking information and share ideas and tips. It includes information buying tips and outlines cooking skills, safety and utensils. follow this link for more information. ‘Growing vegetables is fun’ is a children’s guide to growing vegetables at home with the family. The guide covers elements of the National Curriculum, and a 16-page scrapbook encourages children to chart their progress. follow this link for more information. Bean and Pea themed children’s holiday activity pack is now available. Suitable for key stage 1 pupils, choose from traditional English games, activities and sports to lessons in cookery, gardening and even botany. follow this link for more information.
Remember…
“Family participation is critical to getting children enthusiastic about preparing and enjoying food.”
David Stanley, ARAMARK chef who organised sessions for parents to cook hot desserts with their children during British Food Fortnight 2007.
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