Kids will be served fruit and vegetables at school. The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit has added Parry Sound schools to it’s Northern Fruit and Vegetable Program. Schools will serve kids two servings of fresh fruit and vegetables per week while teachers educate kids on the benefits of healthy choices. Public Health Dietitian at the Health Unit Kendra Patrick says the idea of the program is that kids will start to enjoy eating fruit and vegetables.
Patrick says the hope is that if kids start to enjoy fruit and vegetables at school, they may be more willing to eat them at home. Patrick says the health unit will provide monthly newsletters about the importance of eating fruits and vegetables for school staff and for kids to take home. She adds it is recommended kids eat five to six servings of fruit and vegetables each day, but seven out of ten Canadian children consume less than five servings, and this program is trying to solve this issue.