Tesco’s £4million Fruit & Veg for Schools scheme is giving up to 140,000 kids across the UK access to free, healthy food this year.
And now the supermarket has gone a step further by giving slow cookers to the schools participating in the scheme to help children learn about making nutritious and tasty meals.
Ciara Attwell, aka Instagram’s MyFussyEater, has thrown her support behind the campaign and created a brand new slow cooker recipe.
Her delicious veggie bolognese is big on flavour and low in cost. It can be made in a big batch, is perfect for using up leftover items, and can also be frozen to make quick meals later too.
And because it all goes into a slow cooker, there are no piles of pots and pans to wash up afterwards.
“Slow cookers are fantastic,” says Ciara. “If you’ve got a few minutes in the morning, just chop up all the veggies, throw them in, and let it do all the work for you.
“They’re safe to leave on, and if you have a family and do the school run or take your kids to clubs, it’s great because dinner is ready when you get home.”
The mum of two is the founder of the popular blog MyFussyEater, and is supporting the Tesco Fruit & Veg for Schools campaign.
Ingredients, serves 4
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 large carrots
- 1 stalk celery
- 70g mushrooms
- 1 red pepper
- 1 x 390g can lentils, drained
- 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 300ml low-salt vegetable stock
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
To serve
- 300g spaghetti
- 50g grated Parmesan
- fresh basil
Directions
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Chop the veggies into small pieces.
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Add to the slow cooker with all the other ingredients and stir well.
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Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 5-6 hours.
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Serve with cooked spaghetti and sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan and fresh basil leaves.
The Tesco Fruit & Veg for Schools campaign is handing out up to 16 million pieces of fresh fruit and vegetables over the course of this academic year – potentially giving a huge boost to children’s health and helping those struggling to meet the five-a-day recommendation.
Backed by £4million of funding from the retailer, the initiative is providing at least one extra piece of fresh fruit or veg a day for children attending the 400 schools that have the highest ratio of free school meals.
Experts say this could improve their energy levels and concentration, and help them thrive in the classroom.
Items such as bananas, oranges, broccoli and avocados will be served at breakfast clubs, used to set up healthy tuck shops, or given to children to take home with them.
Ciara, who has become a social media sensation by offering healthy recipes and advice to mums and dads struggling to get their kids to eat their greens, says Tesco’s scheme could be a game-changer for kids’ health.
“It’s such a brilliant initiative,” she comments. “Schools are a great place to begin education around food and the importance of fruit and vegetables and good nutrition.
“There’s lots parents can do to support the campaign at home too. My advice is to start small, perhaps try to improve just one lunch or dinner each week, and see how you get on. Anything you can cook from scratch is going to be great.
“Don’t completely overwhelm yourself, because it’s difficult when you’re busy working, taking care of kids or looking after elderly parents.
“Get your kids involved too and ask them to help you in the kitchen, chopping up the veg, and talking about it – it’s all great exposure to food.”
The Fruit & Veg for Schools scheme helps support parents and schools at a time when many are struggling to manage rising costs.
Tesco is also supplying each school in the programme with a slow cooker, while guidance on healthy eating is being provided by the British Nutrition Foundation.
Ciara says parents can support the scheme at home by using the ingredients kids bring back from school to make nutritious meals, and by introducing them to new healthy recipes, such as her veggie bolognese.
“It’s very cheap to make,” Ciara explains. “Onions, garlic, a few vegetables, a can of lentils, tinned tomatoes, stock and some dried herbs – all budget-friendly ingredients.
“Prep time is about 15 minutes max. Then, around 4-5 hours in the slow cooker.
“When it comes to kids and fussy eaters, anything with pasta is always a winner. If they struggle with vegetables, make sure you chop them up small, so they are not as obvious.
“It looks and tastes very similar to a traditional bolognese with meat. A little bit of cheese always helps too!”
Tesco nutritionist Natasha Maynard says Ciara’s recipes are perfect for helping you and your family hit the recommended daily amount of fruit and veg.
“Only a third of adults and just 12% of 11-18-year-olds are meeting the five-a-day recommendation,” Natasha warns.
“That’s why we have provided the funding for approximately 140,000 schoolchildren to receive extra fruit or veg across the next academic year.”
Fruit & Veg for Schools builds on the work of Tesco’s £8million Stronger Starts campaign, launched by the retailer to support community projects and fund healthy activities such as breakfast clubs and gardening classes, as well as playground equipment and football kits.
