Fruit & Vegetables in Schools Information Form for Existing FIS Schools
Fruit & Vegetables in Schools (FIS) is a government-funded initiative that provides daily fresh fruit and vegetables to children in low-decile schools. The initiative was piloted in 25 schools in 2004 and grown to reach:
- 21 regions across New Zealand
- 566 schools (around 25% of NZ primary schools)
- Over 120,000 children and staff
- 27,000,000 servings of fresh fruit and vegetables every year
The 5+ A Day Charitable Trust supports FIS by providing curriculum-linked resources that support learning with a selection of engaging eBooks and accompanying interactive activities in the areas of germination, composting, physical activity and eating seasonally.
Criteria for schools to join FIS:
- Decile 1 or 2
- Years 1-8 students
Download the 2023 FIS Fact Sheet here.
Posters Available
Information & Research
Feedback throughout 2022: FIS beneficial to school communities
“We can report that the fruit deliveries have been very beneficial for the school community. We are a school that has within the area of the school zone a number of different emergency housing and lodges as well as low to middle income families who have children attending Favona school. Having fruit for our children has ensured that they all can have something healthy to eat every day. Every child, including our most vulnerable, look forward to eating the fruit they receive that gives them sustenance, energy to concentrate and engage in their learning.”
Favona School, Counties Manukau
“Thank you for reaching out to us. We are very grateful for the Fruit in Schools programme. This coupled with the Ka Ora Ka Ako programme provides a consistently nutritious menu for our students each day. We enjoy the positive impacts of the programme on learning and behaviour and student well-being is hugely supported by your investment into our school. Our systems have improved so that we minimise wastage and any leftover food is well utilised by our school whānau.”
Kaikohe Christian School, Northland
“The FIS is going very well at Windley. The fruit is delivered early twice a week and distributed to all our classrooms. We have enough fruit to cover each child, the variety is great and the fruit arrives to us fresh. It is seasonal and in good condition. The students’ behaviour improves due to them having access to fruit and heading out to the playing ground with a healthy and full belly.”
Windley School, Wellington
“We are hugely grateful for the Fruit in Schools. Our school has been hit hard by COVID and it is a huge relief to be able to provide fruit to our students, which we know is an excellent source of essential vitamins and helps build their immune system. We love being able to promote fruit as a healthy snack. This year in particular we have seen a real variety of the fruit on offer which has been a welcome addition. The amount that we receive lasts us the whole week and also allows us to make it accessible to the students before school too. Having a variety of fruit to chop up and eat has helped teaching fractions this term - a practical component. As we are a free lunch school, most children no longer bring morning tea and instead eat the fruit at this time. This has minimised the amount of junk food that they eat. Healthy, happy, well-fed children will always have a positive effect on our students' learning and attitude in the classroom.”
Victory Primary School, Nelson