Why Nutrition Education Matters for Primary Schools

1. It Builds Healthy Habits Early

Research consistently finds that hands-on activities like cooking, gardening, and tasting new foods help kids try and enjoy more fruits and vegetables (Grosso et al., 2012; Kitchen et al., 2023; Block et al., 2019).

2. Kids Influence Their Families

Nutrition lessons don’t stay in the classroom. Australian research shows that children often encourage parents and siblings to try new vegetables or cook healthier meals, creating a ripple effect at home (Ronto et al., 2024). This is especially valuable in Melbourne’s diverse communities.

3. It Helps Prevent Long-Term Health Issues

Healthy eating habits formed in childhood often carry into adulthood. Because schools reach children every day, they’re an ideal place for early prevention. Australian studies highlight that nutrition education can help reduce future risks of obesity and diet-related disease (Browne et al., 2020).

4. Hands-On Learning Builds Confidence

Practical experiences — cooking, gardening, tasting — help children become more confident eaters and develop essential food skills they’ll use for life.

The right nutrition during childhood lays the foundation for healthy growth, development, and lifelong eating habits. In primary schools, nutrition education can play a powerful role not only in children’s health, but in their academic performance, family habits, and long-term well-being.

Case Study Success

Thanks to the generous support of Chobani, Daley Nutrition delivered a series of fun and interactive school food incursions at Dandenong South Primary School. The students threw themselves into every session asking questions, sharing ideas, and getting involved in all the activities with real enthusiasm.

The workshops were built around the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, which helps children understand the five main food groups and how they fit into a balanced diet.

Our main focus was to help students feel more confident with fruits and vegetables and encourage them to try and enjoy them more often.

Aims of the School Food Incursions

• Discussion of how each key food groups benefits the body e.g. dairy and making bones strong
• A practical activity involving placement of foods into appropriate food groups
• Fun worksheets that got kids thinking about the types of fruit and vegetables they can eat
• A taste testing session with common fruit and vegetables

School Workshops Follow Up

Behavioural change was assessed using the CADET Child and Diet Evaluation Tool (6), which was modified to just capture fruit and vegetable intake. Three months after the workshops, 100% of students that completed the survey were eating more fruit and/or vegetables.

References

Block, K. et al. (2019). Characteristics of successful primary school–based experiential nutrition programs: A systematic review. Public Health Nutrition.

Browne, S. et al. (2020). Food and nutrition education in Australian primary schools: Opportunities for obesity prevention. Public Health Nutrition.

Grosso, G. et al. (2012). The effectiveness of nutrition education in improving children’s knowledge and attitudes. Nutrition Journal.

Kitchen, S. et al. (2023). A systematic review of nutrition programs in early childhood and primary school settings. Nutrients.

Oldfield, M. et al. (2021). Barriers and enablers to food and nutrition education in Australian schools. BMC Public Health.

Prosser, M. et al. (2023). Evaluation of a pilot food-education program delivered in a disadvantaged area of Greater Melbourne. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society.

Ronto, R. et al. (2024). Children’s perspectives on influencing family eating habits in school-based nutrition programs. BMC Pediatrics.

Cade JE et al. Assessment of diet in young children with an emphasis on fruit and vegetable intake: using CADET – Child and Diet Evaluation Tool. Public Health Nutr. 2006;9(4):501-8.