‘Almost three quarters of New Zealanders don’t eat the recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables’
New Zealand Herald –Feb 2014
‘Around 85,000 New Zealand children are obese.’
New Zealand Health Survey – The Ministry of Health 2014/15
“We aim to help children grow and make healthy lifestyle choices. Our focus is on getting children to eat more vegetables and make informed food choices.”
‘What’s for Lunch?’ is an incredibly loaded question when coming from a 4 year old 20 minutes before lunchtime. If answered incorrectly it can lead to mass negative propaganda that can be the difference between full tummies or a full rubbish bin.
Amy Burrell was the chef at a childcare centre in the middle of Wellington where she fed 25 children. Getting young children to eat a wide variety of healthy foods and try new things is a big challenge that is magnified when cooking for a large number. Amy found that if she sat down and talked to the children about the meal and ingredients before lunch the children were a lot more willing to try new foods and eat better. This sparked an idea for a resource that both parents and teachers could use to get children excited about new foods.
Children don’t get to build any connection or relationship with their food in today’s urban culture. No longer do they grow up watching their parents growing and cooking food. This is an important step of learning to love and appreciate food that is being missed by children throughout New Zealand. In order to live a long and healthy life and thrive at everything that comes their way something needs to change.
Amy took this idea/problem to the Palmerston North Startup Weekend and put together a team of seven people. The team spent a weekend developing the idea into a solution. The product impressed the crowd and judges so much they were awarded first place!
Amy took this business idea further launched a ‘Food of the Week’ education programme for primary schools throughout New Zealand. the programme has been a huge success with over 8000 children having participated so far.
The programme consists of digital interactive stories that educate, engage and empower primary school aged children to make healthy food choices. With the guidance of awesome characters, children are taken on a food adventure, reading interactive stories and completing activities that show where different foods come from, how they are eaten and prepared, why they are good for us and what they taste like. Amy Burrell visits New Zealand growers/farmers and creates interactive stories about where specific foods come from. Each week pupils have access to the new ‘food of the week’ interactive story, science experiment, cooking recipe, worksheet and literacy poster via the ‘What’s for Lunch?’ platform.
In 2016 the programme will be available for families. With the programmes success in schools Amy hopes to help parents introduce healthy choices for their families at home and in lunchboxes.
The What’s for Lunch? Team
Amy Burrell B.Des.(Hons.)
Founder
Amy Burrell is the driving force behind the ‘What’s for Lunch?’ food education programme. As an established published author, illustrator and graphic designer Amy is using her creativity to change the future of young kiwis through the food they eat. Her love of healthy food started as a thirteen year old cooking for her family of six while both her parents milked cows on their dairy farm. Amy has developed a sound collection of cooking and nutrition knowledge which she practices personally daily. On taking up a job as a chef at a Early Childcare Centre she realised how she could share her knowledge to shape children’s future health and fill a missing gap in their education.
Chris Gibb B.A.
Developer
Chris Gibb has a background in computer programming and English literature. With two degrees behind him he is full of great ideas and has the skills to bring them to life. Growing up in the city Chris is passionate about bringing the adventures of New Zealand growers and farmers to urban schools.
Janette Keown
Editor and Researcher
As a published contributor of North and South Magazine as well as having thirty years experience in the business arena under her belt Janette is a grammar and word wiz bringing perfection to the ‘What’s for Lunch?’ team. Janette is passionate about food and nutrition due to her own health journey as a sufferer of MS. Her knowledge and research of nutrition has allowed her to make positive steps in slowing the progression of her illness. When not editing ‘food of the week’ resources or researching Janette goes on breathtaking cruises around the world.
Carole Gibb NZRD, Dip.H.Sc, PG Dip.Sc. (Com.Nut)
Dietitian
With 35 years experience as a dietitian and nutritionist Carole is the main nutrition adviser for ‘What’s for Lunch?’ Carole uses her extensive food and diet knowledge to guide the development of the programme. She gives factual, current information on each of our foods and themes. Carole’s energy and enthusiasm for healthy lifestyle promotion is both motivating and catchy. When not teaching the world about healthy eating she is off on biking adventures.
