FairPrice Foundation’s new programme to help preschoolers cut food waste, identify better food options
Metrics used to measure the success of the initiative examine three broad areas: knowledge gain and acquisition, behavioural change, and health data
LEARNING about sustainability and food circularity through imperfect food.
That is one method the Start Strong, Stay Strong initiative is employing to improve nutritional knowledge among preschoolers in Singapore.
The project is the Republic’s first preschool nutrition and sustainability education programme, and is spearheaded by FairPrice Group and FairPrice Foundation.
Vipul Chawla, group CEO of FairPrice Group, said: “We aim to enable children to understand how their daily choices can shape and impact the world around them. (We) will teach kids about how they can identify better-value food options and reduce food waste by choosing imperfect edibles through initiatives such as FairPrice Group’s IMperfect Fellas – a programme that offers blemished but otherwise edible fruits and vegetables to customers at discounted prices.”
The project aims to empower children and families to live healthier lives through better nutrition and was launched on Sep 26 with about 60 attendees, comprising programme partners and early educators from various preschools in Singapore.
Chawla added that the initiative intends to generate social impact by creating and fostering an ecosystem that empowers present and future generations of Singaporeans to have a greater awareness and understanding of nutrition and sustainability.
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The initiative was developed by FairPrice Foundation in partnership with environmental social enterprise Terra SG and My First Skool by NTUC First Campus, with support from KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. It is expected to reach out to 1,000 preschool children from My First Skool by the end of this year.
In 2025, it will be progressively rolled out across the My First Skool campuses in Singapore to reach 20,000 pupils.
When asked about the metrics that will be used to measure the success of the programme, a FairPrice Group spokesperson said that the foundation is examining a total of 12 impact indicators, across three broad areas: knowledge gain and acquisition, behavioural change, and health data.
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Some examples of impact indicators include the pupils recognising various food groups, understanding the role of vitamins and minerals, knowing the components of a balanced meal, and identifying nutrition labels.
Chawla added that the goal is to scale the initiative across other preschools and community organisations in Singapore – particularly those who run early education programmes. It may also evolve to include an expanded curriculum.
He said: “Economic realities are making it increasingly difficult for businesses to balance profit with purpose… (but through this), we want to help shape a generation of healthy, informed, and responsible individuals who can build a better future.”
At the panel discussion that took place at the event, Angela Anthony, senior assistant director of the Early Childhood Development Agency, said that the project is beneficial to children as it engages them in real world issues.
“It is having them explore the diverse food cultures and sustainability. It… broadens their understanding in a way (and) we are helping them grow to be empathetic global citizens,” she added.
The other panellists included Thian Ai Ling, general manager of My First Skool by NTUC First Campus; Chawla of FairPrice Group; and Dr Nur Adila Ahmad Hatib, general paediatrics service consultant at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. It was moderated by Kelvin Wong, director of organisational development and partnership at Terra SG.
FairPrice Foundation, the philanthropic arm of FairPrice Group, founded, funds and manages the Start Strong, Stay Strong programme.
It is the second in a series of initiatives that the organisation is launching in 2024 to elevate Singaporeans’ understanding of nutrition, and access to it in their daily lives. The programme follows the Cheers Breakfast Club, a project that involved the distribution of 12,000 nutritious breakfast bundles to Primary 6 students across Singapore.
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