Eat Them to Defeat Them campaign returns to increase veg consumption

Veg Power has announced the return of the Eat Them to Defeat Them campaign.

The campaign, which has proven to increase children’s vegetable consumption, has run for eight consecutive years and is sponsored by Sainsbury’s.

It will return with a new creative theme ‘Veg Hunters’, which will encourage children to hunt out, find and eat vegetables.

There are also two components sponsored by Tilda – the ‘Eat Them to Defeat Them Schools Challenge’ and ‘Veg Hunter Champions’ for year five and six pupils.

“Eat Them to Defeat Them has encouraged children from across the UK to eat more veg, not only at school but importantly when they are back home with their families,” said Dan Parker, CEO of Veg Power. ”Our data shows it is creating lasting healthy eating habits that are improving not only children’s diets but their family’s too.”

The campaign is set to reach 300,000 pupils from 1,000 schools across the UK.

Last year’s campaign revealed that when children take part in the programme more than once, 60% of their parents reported a lasting and sustained increase in vegetable consumption, equating to an average of over one more portion of veg per day.

The new Eat Them to Defeat Them Schools Challenge replaces The Caterers Challenge and encourages, recognises and rewards a whole school approach – a celebration of schools and caterers working together to improve children’s dietary health.

Gold, silver and bronze cash prizes are up for grabs, with the gold winners set to receive £1,500.

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In addition, caterers will be invited to submit their best rice and veg recipe to win a special Tilda Challenge prize.

“We know the campaign is most effective in schools when the whole school gets behind it – teaching staff, catering teams, the pupils and parent/carer community,” said Parker. “Everyone plays their part in improving pupils’ dietary health.

“We can’t wait to see this year’s entries and, importantly, for all the children to benefit from the whole school coming together in support of the campaign.”

Meanwhile, Veg Hunter Champions has been created in response to feedback that increased levels of engagement were needed for the oldest pupils, who are likely to have experienced the campaign several times.

The Veg Hunter Champions will become advocates for veg within their schools and learn why eating more vegetables, particularly a rainbow of vegetables, is so important. They will also learn how dietary health campaigns can lead to changing behaviour.

Activities for these children started in mid-January and include the co-ordination of the ‘Great Veg Vote’ to find out their school’s favourite vegetables and the ones their fellow pupils need to eat more of.