St.Louis Infant School

Food Dudes is a programme developed by the Food and Activity Research Unit at Bangor University, Wales to encourage children to eat more fruit and vegetables both in school and at home. It is based on positive role models, repeated tasting and rewards. The programme is now being offered to all primary schools in Ireland.

Phase1
On the 3rd of March 2010 we began phase one of the programme in our school. During this time children were given fruit and vegetables, watched a Food Dude DVD and listened to a letter from the Food Dudes. Each day the children were rewarded with a prize for successfully eating the fruit and vegetables. A special thank you to the food monitors from Room 7 and Room 12 who delivered the food to all the classrooms every day. Thanks also to Mrs. Lambe and Mrs.Mc Carey who acted as co-ordinators for the programme in our school.

Phase 2
During phase 2 of the programme the children bring their own fruit and vegetables to school in special Food Dude containers. Classroom wall charts are used to record progress and the children receive Food Dude certificates and rewards upon reaching goals. Phase 2 has been very successful with a great number of children filling their Food Dude boxes with fruit and veg every day. The healthy option has become very popular with the children.