Food Dudes is a programme developed by the University of Wales, Bangor, to encourage children to eat more fruit and vegetables both in school

and at home. It is based on positive role models (the Food Dudes characters),

repeated tasting and rewards. In large-scale studies in schools in England

and Wales and pilot studies in schools in Ireland, the Programme has been

shown to be effective and results long lasting across the primary age range,

regardless of gender, school size, geographic and socio-economic factors.

 

 

It is ultimately designed to enable children to enjoy eating healthy diets, and to create ahealthy eating culture within schools. Theprogramme in Ireland received a“counteracting obesity”award from the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2006. Theprogramme is managed by Bord Bia and to date over 3,100 primary schools have participated in the National Roll Out. Funding has been

made available by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the EU School Fruit Scheme for schools that previously ran Food Dudes to implement it for current students at junior level including specified tasting days for senior classes.

 

 

The Food Dudes are four young super-heroes: Charlie, Tom, Raz and Rocco. By

eating their favourite fruit or vegetables, the Food Dudes gain special powers which enable them to save the world and the Life Force from a gang of baddies: The Junk Punks. General Junk and his side-kicks,Miss Demeanour and Master Disaster, are trying to drain the energy of the world by depriving it of nutritious fruit and veg. Withtheir special powers, given to them by carrots, tomatoes, raspberries and broccoli,the Food Dudes feed the Life Force and foil the Junk Punks.