What is the EU School fruit and vegetable programme?
EU-Schoolfruit is a nationwide scheme for primary schools, developed and financed by the European Union since 2009. The schools receive 3 portions of free fruit and vegetables for all schoolchildren per week for a period of 20 weeks in the schoolyear (November – April). The programme’s aims are:
- stimulating fruit and vegetable consumption of schoolchildren;
- educating children about healthy eating habits;
- promoting the sale of fruit and vegetables in the Netherlands
Participating schools
EU-Schoolfruit is meant for schoolchildren of primary schools (PO) and those of special needs primary and secondary schools (SO and VSO). Every year, about 3000 out of approximately 7000 schools may participate. Most schools in the Netherlands have participated at least once in the EU-Schoolfruit programme since 2009.
Programme components
Another component is educating schoolchildren about fruit and vegetables in the context of healthy food. This nutrition education is part of the broader Taste Lessons programme. Schools are invited to enter into agreement with parents and pupils on having regular fruit- and vegetable days during the whole schoolyear as part of their school policy.
Programme organisation
The EU School Fruit and Vegetable Programme is financed by the European Union. In 2021-2022, the scheme’s budget was approximately €5,5 million for our country. The Department of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality is responsible for this scheme and outsourced its implementation to the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). The Taste Lessons & EU-School fruit Unit, part of Wageningen University & Research, is the programme partner responsible for registration of the schools, communicating with them and developing educational tools. Eight designated fruit and vegetable suppliers are in charge of buying, transporting and delivering the fruit and vegetables to schools every week.
The EU-School fruit programme is supported by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre and the Department of Health, Wellbeing and Sports.
Contact
Taste Lessons & EU-School Dairy Unit
Phone: +31 (0)317 – 48 59 66 (Mondays through Fridays 09:00 – 12.30)
E-mail: info@euschoolzuivel.nl
Postal address: Postbus 9101, 6700 HB Wageningen
Visiting address: Droevendaalsesteeg 4, 6708 PB Wageningen
