Murcia launches school program to promote fruits and vegetables consumption
The regional government of Murcia is developing for third consecutive year the “Plan of consumption of fruits and vegetables in schools’, which seeks to promote children’s consumption of these products in schools of the region. This Plan is part of a European project and aims to ensure that children acquire healthy eating habits.
The experience takes place since last May in over 300 primary schools in the region and is benefiting 46,000 students from first through fourth grade, aged between 6 and 10 years, as the regional executive has reported.
This initiative, approved by the European Council of Agriculture in January 2009, aims to promote the consumption of these products in school. The selected schools have a coordinator formed in nutritional education necessary for teaching students the importance of incorporating these foods into the diet. In addition, teachers provide them with pieces of fruit and vegetables in the recess.
400 GRAMS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES A DAY
The minister of Agriculture and Water has pointed out the need to put into practice projects like this “to fight the low consumption of fruits and vegetables” among students, and that “children take the daily 400 grams recommended”. “We are what we eat,” said the minister of Agriculture.
For his part, Minister for Education, Training and Employment has pointed out the “importance of addressing in education topics that not only improve the student learning but also help to define a healthy lifestyle”. In this regard, he assured that with programs such as ‘School Fruit’ “we are able to redirecting certain behaviors toward healthier habits.”
Among the products that will be distributed are fruits and fresh seasonal and processed vegetables as melon, watermelon, stone fruits, citrus, apple, pear, banana, apirena grapes, fruit juices, strawberries, carrots, cherry tomatoes, peas, beans, celery, cauliflower, broccoli and lettuce.
