Veg Power launches ‘Simply Veg Learning’

Veg Power, the not-for-profit alliance to increase the UK’s vegetable consumption, yesterday (25 April) launched its latest initiative  – a free eLearning platform ‘Simply Veg Learning’.

The platform is designed to provide all families with access to expert-led public health interventions to enable them to improve their family’s veg-eating habits in a convenient and cost-effective way. 

Simply Veg Learning uses the latest digital tools, including nudges and rewards, combined with video-based learning.

Veg Power’s first eLearning course ‘Launch Into Veg’ has been created to help families with children who are ‘veg-resistant’ and eat little or no veg.

‘Launch Into Veg’ has been supported by a range of experts including nutritionists Zoe Griffiths, Jenny Rosborough, Dr Laura Wyness and Dr Glenys Jones ; sensory food expert Kim Smith and child psychologist Dr Clare Holley.

Those participating will gain access to the self-directed programme, including short online video tutorials involving simple steps to avoid friction and waste, that can be viewed at a time convenient to the participant.

Participants can also take a short quiz to help reinforce their learning and take on simple weekly challenges.

By the end of the course, the aim is for all children to be happily eating at least one vegetable.

Commenting on the launch of the eLearning platform, Dan Parker, chief executive of Veg Power said: “Research tells us that families are struggling to get veg into their kids for all sorts of reasons. Our eLearning platform uses the latest evidence from a range of different experts in a gentle and inclusive way to support parents and carers.

”We are excited to deploy eLearning into a public health challenge and as it is low cost to us and 100 per cent free to users, we believe it will be an effective way to reach the many families who would benefit. We’re asking others working to improve children’s dietary health to share this resource with anyone who they think would benefit.”

Veg Power is calling for the support of local authorities, schools, community groups, GP surgeries and other individuals and organisations supporting children’s dietary health to help get details of the service out to those who would benefit.

The eLearning platform is available at www.simplyveglearning.org.uk and materials to support its promotion are available at https://vegpower.org.uk/simply-veg/.

Veg Power is hoping to expand its eLearning resource to address a wide range of ‘missions’ that parents have shared with them including feeding neurodiverse children, food neophobia and how to increase the variety of veg in kids with a very limited diet.

Four out of five of the top risk factors for death and disability in the UK are now diet related, according to Veg Power.

Some 80 per cent of UK kids aren’t eating enough vegetables, with almost a third (29 per cent) of primary school aged children eating less than one portion of veg a day, it added.