Children put off fruit by 'inedible' produce handed out at school

Children are being served fruit and vegetables which are underripe and not fresh under a government scheme.

The School Fruit and Veg Scheme provides a free piece of fruit or a vegetable for schoolchildren aged between four and six in state-funded education every day.

However, a report by the Soil Association has suggested the scheme is “broken” and the poor quality of the produce provided actually puts children off eating it.

The Soil Association recommendation reads: “There is a risk that children are being taught instead that fresh fruit and veg lacks flavour or texture and is only fit for the bin.”

Teachers told the Soil Association the produce was “lacking in freshness, far from tasty and frequently inedible.”

One teacher was quoted in the report saying: “Pears are under-ripe and hard, carrots have been sweating in bags for days. Generally, the produce is not as fresh as we would hope, and this means the children don’t eat it.”

What’s more, the report cited the results of a Freedom of Information Request revealing just 13% of apples and 5% of pears supplied under the scheme were sourced under the UK.

Government data also revealed the produce had higher pesticide residues than in equivalent supermarket fruit.

Rob Percival, head of policy at the Soil Association, said in a statement: “The scheme is broken. Children are being presented with produce so lacking in flavour and texture that it is teaching them to actively dislike – or at least distrust – fruit and veg.

“Pears are under-ripe and hard, carrots have been sweating in bags for days. Generally, the produce is not as fresh as we would hope, and this means the children don’t eat it.”

Children’s nutrition is a hot topic at the moment, as it was recently revealed Britain’s obesity crisis could be starting as early as birth.

If you’re worried your child isn’t receiving proper nutrition at school, one solution is to focus on healthy packed lunch ideas which will introduce them to fruit and vegetables in a tasty and sustainable way.

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