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With the new school year well underway, thousands of children are diving into a brand-new lesson, and it’s one that’s transforming how they learn, eat and grow. Tesco Fruit & Veg for Schools is a first-of-its-kind initiative that delivers millions of portions of healthy food to schools that provide a higher-than-average percentage of free school meals. This helps to support children’s wellbeing and boost learning. Those schools include Ark Putney Academy, in southwest London, which also received an extra bonus in the form of actor and comic Babatunde Aléshé, who came with a big box of fruit and veg to give a fun lesson to pupils on getting their five-a-day. “You can see how excited the kids were to be learning about healthy food,” says dad of two Babatunde, 39. “They were chopping up the pineapples, squabbling over the mango, eating the carrots and peeling the oranges. I gave a sweet pepper to one young boy and he went wild. These children really get it.” Launched in 2024, the Fruit & Veg for Schools scheme saw in its first year 411 schools being given over 10.8 million portions of healthy produce, giving kids a nutritious boost during the school day they might not otherwise get. Positive feedback The initiative has been extended for this academic year to over 500 schools. They will be given enough fruit and veg to provide each child with at least one piece every day. And the evidence is clear – of the schools involved in last year’s programme, 94% of teachers surveyed* reported improved behaviour in the classroom, with pupils showing a sharper focus, more energy and better behaviour. And 100% of teachers agreed that Tesco Fruit & Veg for Schools has made a positive difference to the lives of each young person it has reached. “You don’t realise how filling some fruit and veg can be,” Babatunde says. “It can give you energy to get through class and playtime.” Babatunde’s mother was a school cook, and he learned the benefits of healthy eating early on. “ At school we had a headteacher who changed up the menus. We went from basic sandwiches and hot dogs to healthier options with chicken wraps and sweet potato. “If something like Fruit & Veg for Schools had existed then, it would have been incredible.” The list of items available includes bananas, blueberries, avocados and spinach. These can be served at breakfast clubs or used to set up healthy tuck shops. The programme builds on the work of Tesco Stronger Starts, which supports schools and community groups by funding vital food and activity equipment to help kids in the UK get a better start in life. Far-reaching Babatunde believes the impact of Fruit & Veg for Schools will be far-reaching. “It’s about educating kids as well as feeding them,” he says. “Teaching them why fruit and veg are good for you, that oranges provide vitamin C, blueberries, carrots and papaya are good for eye health, strawberries give you energy and watermelon is good for hydration. It helps them to think, instead of choosing a strawberry sweet, why not just go for the strawberry?” The programme has had an emotional impact too. In one school, children who struggled with confidence and emotional wellbeing were appointed as “fruit monitors”, which helped them feel more confident and gave them a sense of purpose. Tesco UK CEO Ashwin Prasad says, “Schools have told us what a positive impact the Tesco Fruit and Veg for Schools programme has made on their children. “The first year of the initiative was a huge success, and by expanding it we can ensure that even more young people in some of the most challenged communities in the UK can get access to more fruit and veg.” With more fruit, more veg, and more schools joining the movement, Tesco’s initiative isn’t just feeding children; it’s planting seeds for a healthier future. * Fruit & Veg for Schools: Impact Report, September 2025 For more details, see tescoplc.com/fruitandveg
