Local primary school gets behind healthy eating

Children at Tamaki Primary School in Glen Innes have been digging deep and getting their hands dirty while learning about growing veges and how to make healthy meals with them.

Funded by the Auckland District Health Board’s (ADHB) Nutrition Fund, the vegetable garden is designed to help children learn about turning simple nutritious food into healthy, tasty snacks and meals from an early age.

Speaking at the school’s blessing of the garden today, Tamaki Primary School Principal Corinne Hansell said the school was very proud of the garden.

“The children have built and been responsible for it since the second term this year. We are thankful to ADHB for the Nutrition Fund grant, it has been invaluable in helping to teach children about vegetables and healthy eating.”

The Nutrition Fund has also enabled the school to set up its new Cool Kids Café, which uses vegetables straight from the garden to serve the children healthy, nutritious vege-packed meals at lunch time.

“When the students harvested their first crop of bok choy from the garden the whole school took part. We have so many vegetables now we’re giving them away to families in the community. The garden has been worth every cent we spent on it,” said Principal Corinne Hansell.

Ada Cheung, Healthy Eating - Healthy Action (HEHA) coordinator, said that she is delighted to see the school making the most of the nutrition fund. “By understanding where vegetables come from and how to care for them children learn an invaluable life lesson about how to prepare fun, healthy meals.”

The vegetable garden and Cool Kids Café is part of a wider strategy implemented by Tamaki Primary School, to promote its school ethos Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds, which teaches children about how to eat healthier and live a more active life.

Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds is all about creating optimum conditions for best learning, supporting children’s learning holistically.