Lidl Offers Primary Schools £150,000 In Fruit And Veg Grants
Lidl GB has pledged direct funding for teachers to provide classroom fruit and vegetable tasting sessions, as part of a major nationwide expansion of its Foodies programme which will teach children about sustainable farming, food waste, and healthy diets.
Overall, Lidl is making £150,000 available to primary school teachers across Great Britain to fund hands-on fruit and vegetable tasting sessions in class, under the extension of its free Lidl Foodies education programme.
The discounter said in a press release that it is offering 1,500 digital gift cards worth £100 each.
The direct funding will enable teachers to purchase fresh produce for classroom activities designed to help children understand, experience, and enjoy fruits and vegetables.
The funding accompanies the nationwide expansion of Lidl Foodies, which was initially developed for Year 1 and Year 2 pupils, and will now include educational materials for children aged eight to 11.
The new resources cover sustainable farming, food waste reduction, and the Planetary Health Diet, including free 20-minute lesson plans, interactive activities, and digital guides available to teachers.
Lidl said the expansion builds on a programme that now reaches a quarter of primary schools in Great Britain, taking its total investment in the initiative beyond £1 million.
A newly launched dedicated online healthy eating hub will provide access to the teaching resources and details of how schools can apply for the fresh food grants.
Lidl said its initiative comes amid evidence of gaps in children’s understanding of food and its origins.
Research commissioned by Lidl earlier this year found that 19% of children aged eight to 11 believe tomato ketchup and strawberry milkshakes count towards their five-a-day, while 22% think broccoli is produced in a factory or harvested from a freezer.
“Getting children excited about fresh, healthy food starts with practical experience in the classroom,” explained Georgina Hall, Director of Corporate Affairs at Lidl GB.
“Having already invested more than £1 million to reach a quarter of British primary schools, we know how powerful hands-on learning can be, but we need to do more. By putting £150,000 directly into the hands of teachers for classroom tasting sessions and opening up our resources to older primary pupils, we’re helping schools build positive, lifelong food habits for the next generation.”
Farming and Food Minister Stephen Morgan MP said the initiative would help more children discover and enjoy fresh, nutritious food.
“Teaching children to understand where their food comes from and having confidence to make healthy choices is vital for building healthier communities,” Morgan commented.
The Lidl Foodies expansion forms part of Lidl GB’s wider Better Futures community commitment, which includes a target to reach 35% of all primary schools in Great Britain by July 2027.
Comments