The fun, interactive program visited seven Pilbara schools in May and June, giving students from Year 1 to Year 8 the skills, knowledge and confidence to make healthy food choices for life.
Newman Primary School, South Newman Primary School and Newman Senior School participated in May, with Cassia Primary School in South Hedland, St Cecilia’s Catholic Primary in Port Hedland, Karratha Senior School and Peg’s Creek Primary School taking part in June.
Delivered by Foodbank WA nutritionists, students participate in age-appropriate classroom activities to learn about nutrition and the fundamentals of healthy eating before working together to cook simple, healthy and tasty recipes.
Students share their prepared recipes, giving them the chance to try new foods and proudly show off what their team has created.
Pupils also take home a free kid-friendly recipe book, packed with easy recipes so they can build on their new culinary skills and keep exploring healthy eating at home with their families.
Cassia Primary School Principal Jacqueline Barry said her school was proud to be part of a program making a positive difference in the lives of students and their families.
“For many of our children, opportunities like this are not always readily available, so having experts come directly to our school and provide hands-on, engaging learning experiences is invaluable,” Jacqueline said.
“This program gives students practical knowledge about healthy eating in a way that is fun, interactive and relevant to their everyday lives. It encourages them to think about the food choices they make and helps build positive habits that can benefit them well into the future.
“As a principal, I see every day how important good nutrition is for student wellbeing and learning. When children are not eating well, it can affect their concentration, energy levels, confidence and ability to fully engage in the classroom.
“Programs like nom! Schools help bridge that gap by giving students the knowledge and skills they need to make healthier choices and better understand the connection between nutrition, health and learning.”
Foodbank WA Head of Nutrition Education Jenny Tartaglia said the goal of nom! Schools was to empower students with the knowledge and confidence they need to make healthy food choices for life.
"When children learn to prepare healthy food themselves, we know they are more likely to take that experience home, become more open to trying new foods and carry those skills and habits into adulthood,” Jenny said.
“We are thankful to MinRes for their support to enable us to deliver this important program. Their investment is helping us reach more children who might not otherwise have access to this kind of hands-on nutrition education.”
MinRes Partnerships Manager Kasey Sandstrom said MinRes was proud to support Foodbank WA to deliver an initiative that was making a real difference to the wellbeing of children across WA.
“Children in regional and remote communities deserve the same access to quality nutrition education as those in the city, and that's exactly what this program delivers,” Kasey said.
"Good nutrition is fundamental to children's health and wellbeing, and we're proud to partner with Foodbank WA to bring these important lessons directly to school students in Newman, Karratha and Port Hedland.”
Learn more about MinRes' partnership with Foodbank WA.
