SuperValu and GIY providing free food growing kits for schools

SuperValu and not-for-profit social enterprise GIY have teamed up for the second year to bring the ‘SuperValu Let’s GROW’ programme to another 50,000 primary school children throughout Ireland this spring.

That means that 100,000 primary school children will have been educated in growing food through the ‘SuperValu Let’s GROW’ initiative, having been supplied with the resources to grow their own fresh food for free at school. The partnership aims to elevate the significance of homegrown food within classrooms and households across Ireland.

The 2024 nationwide campaign was announced on February 28 at Solas Chríost National School in Tallaght, Dublin, who were crowned winners of the 2023 initiative after they developed and adopted their own food growing grading system that accessed how the pupils made food growing even more interesting via creativity and imagination. The school won a new school garden to the value of €1,000 from SuperValu, and which was installed by GIY.

Each school that participates will receive a ‘SuperValu Let’s GROW’ classroom pack, featuring the necessary tools for both food growing and food literacy education designed by GIY. The 2024 packs will include a variety of seeds such as cress, peas, salad leaves, beans and sunflowers.

As well as the seeds, the pack comprises 32 compostable pots, 32 magic compost discs and a GIY resource booklet with growing guides, lessons and activities created by GIY, to enhance the learning experience. All of the participating schools nationwide will be in with a chance to win a school garden.

Research carried out by GIY shows that when children grow some of their own food, they develop what ‘food empathy’, a deeper connection with food, which is proven to lead to a healthier lifestyle.

GIY founder and CEO Michael Kelly said: "Children who have grown some of their own food are more likely to try new foods at home – not only is that important for the future health of our nation, it is also an opportunity to provide children with the life skills to grow their own food and obtain a natural appreciation for fresh, seasonal, healthy foods."

School teachers can apply online for free ‘SuperValu Let’s GROW’ food growing packs at supervaluletsgrow.ie (available while supplies last). Additionally, families looking to start growing can visit SuperValu stores to pick up a GIY GROWBox.

Tips for Growing Food with Kids

• Kids love sowing seeds (or indeed anything that involves getting their hands dirty). Bigger seeds like those from peas, beans, squashes, pumpkins and courgettes are easier for younger children to handle.

• Give kids some autonomy in the veg patch. Give them a dedicated raised bed or part of a bed for them to experiment with. Let them grow what they want to grow.

• Encourage them to grow fruit and vegetables that are fast growing so that they see a quick return. Radishes are a good example. Runner beans and sunflowers will get tall quickly. Get them to measure themselves against the plants each week.

• Encourage them to sample crops out in the veg patch. They will love grazing on sweet carrots, tomatoes, strawberries and peas, and it will help develop their palette.

• The top GIY activities for kids are sowing seeds, digging and watering. Basically, the messier the job, the more they will love it.