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PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD! – ALDI AND IRFU TEAM UP TO LAUNCH PLAYFUL HEALTHY EATING CAMPAIGN

The new campaign is aimed at encouraging kids to eat more fruit and vegetables

Competition prizes include Ireland mascot for the rugby match v Scotland on March 19^th

A new study has found that nearly half of Irish parents struggle to get their children to eat fruit and vegetables while 40% of Irish kids do not eat fruit and vegetables every day.

Aldi recently conducted a survey* to learn more about kids’ consumption of fruit and vegetables, polling 500 parents of children aged 4-12. It found that:

• 25% of respondents reported that it was easy to get their children to eat fruit and vegetables
• Some 46% stated that they found it difficult
• 60% of parents stated that their children eat fruit and vegetables every day
• 18% said that their children eat fruit and vegetables 3-4 times a week
•  9% of respondents said that their children eat them 1-2 times a week or less.

This is despite the fact that the Department of Health’s healthy eating guidelines recommend that anyone over the age of five should aim for up to seven servings of fruit and vegetables per day.

To help get kids into the habit of healthy eating, Aldi is launching the Play with your Food campaign in collaboration with the IRFU. Timed to coincide with Ireland’s upcoming matches, the campaign is designed to encourage families to incorporate more fruit and vegetables into their day-to-day meals.

To do this, Aldi will share fun, food-based recreations of cultural symbols synonymous with each of the countries participating in the tournament e.g., Eiffel Tower, Leaning Tower of Pisa, or the Welsh dragon. Each symbol will be accompanied by a delicious healthy recipe that can be made using fresh fruit and vegetables including Super 6 offers available in Aldi stores across the country. This is a great opportunity to have fun with the kids as they try to recreate the food masterpieces following the simple ‘how to’ guide on Aldi.ie. Think wholesome vegetable stews, zingy fruit bowls or vibrant veggie spaghetti!

Children will then be invited to roll up their sleeves, let their imagination run wild and create their own fabulous food art and recipes using fruit and vegetables. Parents can share their mini masterpieces on their social channels using the hashtag #AldiPlayWithYourFood for the chance to win some incredible prizes. One lucky child will even get the chance to be Ireland’s mascot for the game against Scotland on March 19^th AKA ‘Super Saturday’.

Speaking about the ‘Play with your Food’ campaign launch, Paul O’Connell, Aldi Ambassador and Irish Rugby Forwards Coach, said; “Parents are always looking for simple ways to try and get our kids to eat more of the right stuff. Aldi’s play with your food campaign is a great way to get them to see fruit and veg differently and hopefully enjoy it. I’m looking forward to seeing the creations and chatting to the overall winner who will be the mascot for our game against Scotland.”

Speaking about the ‘Play with your Food’ campaign launch, John Curtin, Aldi Ireland Group Buying Director, said; “Not only is this a super way for parents to teach their little ones about the different countries involved in the exciting rugby games ahead, but it’s an easy way to introduce them to more fruit and vegetables. As the research has found, encouraging kids to eat more fruit and vegetable can be a struggle so we’re delighted to introduce a fun and innovative concept to the mix as a way for the whole family to get involved.”

To learn more about Play with your Food and discover inspiring recipes for all the family to enjoy, please visit: https://www.aldi.ie/play-with-your-food