Do kids love DIY greens? | Auckland News | Local News in Auckland

Does growing their own vegetables encourage children to eat more greens? It's a riddle a curious Auckland University dietician is determined to solve, writes Valerie Schuler.

Emelda Braun and Annie Wu smile enthusiastically as they talk about their class's new
vegetable patch. "We've got bok choy, cabbages, pumpkins, radishes and parsley,'' says 8-year-old Emelda, a Year 3 pupil at Oranga Primary. "We planted them in the soil, then watered them and researched on the computer about composting and how to sustain our garden. It's been so exciting watching it grow.''

School vege patches are, ahem, a growing trend. All kinds of greenery is sprouting outside classrooms across Auckland.

The kids love working in their gardens. But does planting and tending to greens actually entice children to eat them, or do they put down their gardening tools and go back to their old sweet and fatty diets?

Ada Cheung is passionate about this topic. The 32-year-old is a former district coordinator for the Ministry of Health's Healthy Eating, Healthy Action scheme. For her master's degree in public health at the University of Auckland, Miss Cheung is studying the effect of school gardens on children's fruit and vegetable consumption, their families and on the school environment.

"More and more schools have these vegetable gardens. I want to find out how implementing the gardens changes eating behaviour and the impact it has on the family and wider community,'' says Miss Cheung.

The dietician is working with children, parents and teachers at Oranga Primary in One Tree Hill and Te Papapa in Onehunga to collate information. Her research will include observations on what's in lunch boxes, focus groups and group interviews with pupils.

"It's not just about the nutritional aspect, but also the social benefits and connecting schools with the community. A lot of parents come in and help with the gardens and the kids get to take vegetables home. It creates a partnership between home and the school.''

Mary Wetini, a teacher's aide for Emelda and Annie's class, says she's noticed kids bringing in healthier lunches since the garden was planted.

"We've been making rocket and parsley sandwiches and stir-fries and even the kids who don't usually like veges are eating them. They've watched them grow from seeds and that makes it very exciting.''

Once Miss Cheung's study is completed, sometime in 2011, she hopes to present her findings at conferences on nutrition.

"Hopefully, they will be used to make future recommendations on what is and isn't effective,'' she says.