“Fruit and vegetables in schools” Programme 2022-2023 School Year
The “Fruit and Vegetables in Schools” programme is promoted by the European Union, implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry (MASAF), and carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, University and Research, the Ministry of Health, Agea and the Regions and Autonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano.
Now in its 14th edition, the programme targets primary school children (6-11 years old) and aims to increase the consumption of fruit and vegetables and to increase awareness of the benefits of a healthy diet, by handing out fresh and processed fruit and vegetables during the morning or afternoon breaks.
This is the largest and most comprehensive food education project aimed at children between the ages of 6 and 11, attending primary schools in Italy and the European Community. The project is considered important in terms of helping to combat childhood obesity and stimulate greater consumption of fruit and vegetables amongst children and young people. The programme divides the country into 10 lots for a total contribution of over 12,800,000 euro and an involvement of about 960,000 primary school pupils.
Apofruit Italia is the successful bidder for Lot 5 for the 2022/2023 school year and the programme will involve around 700 schools and 125,000 pupils in the Lazio region. Each pupil will receive portions of fruit and vegetables to be eaten at snack time. The products distributed will be of Italian origin and will come from certified production, from the fields of the cooperative’s member producers, respecting territorial vocation and seasonality.
The “Fruit and Vegetables in Schools” Programme continues to be a tool for promoting food knowledge and taste education. In fact, it is not limited to the distribution of snack portions, but one of its objectives is to familiarise pupils with different types of fruit and vegetables and to thus encourage consumption not only in the classroom, but also in the family.
Apofruit Italia has participated in the programme since the first edition in the 2009-2010 school year.
