Chartwells Schools, the UK’s leading school and education catering provider, has partnered for the first time with Tesco and the British Nutrition Foundation to inspire young children to be more adventurous with fruit and vegetables as part of their Free fruit & Veg for Schools programme. As part of Tesco’s Giant Fruit & Veg Challenge, children across the UK were invited to take part in a competition to create their own fruit and veg-packed dish. The winning recipe was then shared with more than 1,500 Chartwells-served schools nationwide.

Chartwells reviewed the submitted recipes alongside representatives from Tesco, the British Nutrition Foundation and JLS star, JB Gill, who was supporting the challenge. Chartwells ensured that the recipes aligned with school food standards, nutritional guidelines, portion control and practical delivery.

The winning recipe – Swamp Monster’s Crunchy Eyeball Jelly - was created by 10-year-old Khalessi McKay, a pupil at Pinfold Street Primary School in Walsall. Her dish featured kiwi, blueberries and cucumber, which was adapted by the Chartwells team to ensure it was achievable in school kitchens.

Meg Hughes, Director of Nutrition and Sustainability at Chartwells Schools commented: “At Chartwells, we’re passionate about helping children develop positive attitudes towards healthy eating through exciting and engaging food experiences.

"Khalessi’s winning recipe perfectly demonstrates how creativity can inspire children to try a wider variety of fruit and vegetables. School lunches provide vital nutrition to help pupils achieve their potential. We’re delighted to have brought this fantastic dish to school menus across the country and celebrate the role that fun, nutritious food can play in supporting children’s health & wellbeing.”

The competition was created in response to research commissioned by Tesco, which found only one in ten UK children eat the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables during a typical school day. However, the majority (73%) of parents say that children are more likely to try fruit and vegetables when food is made fun and visually creative. Alongside being served in schools, the winning recipe will be featured on the Tesco Real Food website.

Claire De Silva, Head of Communities at Tesco, added: “We were blown away by the imagination and creativity shown by children across the UK through the Giant Fruit & Veg Challenge. Khalessi’s recipe really stood out for its fun approach to healthy eating, and it has been incredibly exciting to see it served in schools nationwide.

"Through our Free Fruit & Veg for Schools programme we want to help children build positive relationships with healthy food from an early age, and this competition has shown just how enthusiastic young people can be when given the chance to get creative with fruit and veg.”