One initiative to encourage healthy eating in schools is the ‘Crunch and Sip’ program. It is implemented in New South Wales by the Healthy Kids Association. Crunch and Sip is a set time in primary schools for students to ‘refuel’ on vegetables, salad and fruit and ‘rehydrate’ with water.

Since I have introduced Crunch and Sip in my classroom during the morning teaching session, I have found that there have been improvements in my students’ concentration, it has had a positive impact on students learning, and it encourages healthier eating habits.

Crunch and Sip can look slightly different in each classroom but, in mine, it means having a healthy fruit or vegetable snack while learning. I like to schedule Crunch and Sip time for ten minutes in the centre of our two-hour morning session. Children bring their snack and their water bottle into the classroom first thing in the morning and leave it on their tables until they are asked to collect it.

I allow ten minutes for my students to snack on their fruit or vegetable while I continue to teach. This is an opportunity for us to watch something online, revise something learnt the day before, do shared reading or even share news at this time. After ten minutes any food uneaten is packed away and can be finished at recess time.

I have a compost bin in the classroom where students can place their food scraps or peels and another bin for empty poppers or water bottles for recycling.

I remind my students and parents the food must come to school ready for them to eat. This may require practising peeling or opening containers at home. If students need help peeling something, I am unable to assist as I am teaching at this time. Depending upon the age of your students, you may need to ask parents to help by preparing the fruit or vegetables for their child to easily eat i.e. peel an orange, cut up the watermelon, package appropriately or provide a spoon or fork.

Ten minutes is not a long time, and it is not a big meal break. It is a quick snack - usually one piece of fruit/veg and a drink of water. Multiple items can be kept for recess or lunchtimes.

If a student has not brought a fruit/veg snack in for the day, they simply get a drink of water from the bubbler and return to the classroom for learning. No fuss is caused.

Crunch and Sip is optional for schools and it is up to individual teachers whether they participate in the program. I found the benefits of incorporating it into my day outweighed the hunger pains and the constant asking of how long before recess. You may also need to consider this could be children’s first food intake of the day if they did not have breakfast prior to school.  

Suggestions for snack items include;

• Cucumber

• Celery

• Carrot

• Cherry tomatoes

• Snow peas

• Corn

• Apple

• Banana

• Watermelon

• Rockmelon

• Mandarin

• Orange

• Pineapple pieces

• Grapes

• Blueberries

• Passionfruit

• Plums

• Kiwi fruit

• Cherries

• Pear

• Strawberries

• Dried fruits such as dried apples, apricots, banana chips, or sultanas,

• Boiled egg

• Coconut

One thing I don’t allow during Crunch and Sip time is yoghurt or yoghurt drinks. Dips and cream cheese are a possibility but only if the children are fussy eaters and this helps them to eat carrot or celery sticks. Up and go’s, juice and water are all acceptable drinks.

Do you implement Crunch and Sip in your classroom or is something you may like to trial? Let us know how it goes in the comments below.