Poppy O’Toole supports Tesco Stronger Starts campaign
As part of Tesco Stronger Starts, Poppy helped to launch Tesco Fruit & Veg for Schools in October 2024. This campaign supports up to 140,000 kids across 400 schools in the UK, where there is a higher-than-average free school meal ratio, get more of the good stuff – lots of fresh fruit and veg. These children will continue to be helped throughout the school year, encouraging them to diversify their diets and try new and healthy meals that will give them a stronger start in life.
In a recent survey by brand and social impact agency We Are Futures, 71% of teachers said they would prioritise the choice of ‘fruit and veg for all pupils’ if it was fully funded. With only 12% of children aged between 11 and 18 meeting the current 5-a-day recommendation*, it’s clear to see there’s a need to promote and support change and Tesco expects to see a 23% increase by the end of the academic year.
To kickstart this scheme, Poppy has developed a range of recipes to help families hit their 5-a-day, covering everything from Cherry and banana pops, Butternut squash and Cheddar no-sausage rolls, to mouthwatering Watermelon pizzas. All of Poppy’s recipes are designed to help families have fun with food and get stuck into making it, as it was food preparation and family cooking that sparked Poppy’s initial interest in cooking.
*National Diet and Nutrition Survey, 2019