Eat Up and Good Food Partners team-up to keep kids fuelled for school

With schools returning, Eat Up and Good Food Partners have joined forces to support the nearly half a million students who rely on Eat Up’s free, daily lunches to get them through the school day.

It’s estimated that 1 in 3 students go to school without lunch, which is why the team at Good Food Partners are donating over 100,000 Messy Monkeys snack products as part of their ongoing commitment to create nutritious food that fuels kids to learn and play.

The Messy Monkeys products will be included as the snack within the thousands of lunches prepared each day by Eat Up. Good Food Partners General Manager for Innovation & Growth, Honi Cervi said the team was proud to support Eat Up to help Aussie kids perform at their best.

“Our next generation of leaders are spending their days in the classroom and we want to make sure they have the necessary energy and clarity to reach their potential.”

“We’re proud to work with Eat Up, giving kids access to our Messy Monkeys snacks and adding an element of nutrition and fun in lunchboxes right around the country. Elise Cook, Eat Up spokesperson, says “Messy Monkeys bars are the perfect fit for Eat Up, being nutritious as well as visually appealing to children. For kids who go to school without lunch, the addition of Messy Monkeys helps create the sense they are eating the same lunch as their classmates.” Michelle Francis, the Assistant Principal at Wyoming Public School in NSW, said that the impact Eat Up has had on their students is overwhelmingly positive: “The most obvious is a reduction in anxiety. The ‘regulars’ no longer have to worry about the fact that they have no lunch and that they will be hungry. This allows for greater engagement and concentration in class. They don’t feel left out, isolated or shamed knowing they don’t have food.”

Eat Up makes fresh sandwiches at workplace, community and school volunteer sessions. During the Covid-19 pandemic, sessions took a back seat and food supplies were delivered instead of sandwiches. As 2022 commences, Eat Up will be running sessions in all states again and delivering fresh cheese sandwiches and snack to over 620 schools across the country. For schools or individuals wanting to get involved with Eat Up or to book a volunteer session, please visit eatup.org.au.

Source: Eat Up Australia. Learn, Grow & Succeed Evaluation Report. Melbourne: Eat Up Australia, September 2021