Food Dudes initiative to improve eating habits in schools

The Food Dudes programme, aimed to change children’s eating habits for life, has been effective from 2010 to 2016, according to an evaluation report.

Developed by the Food and Activity Research Unit at Bangor University in Wales, the programme is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and Marine and the European Commission and is managed by Bord Bia.

A combination of psychological (role-modelling and rewards) and biological (repeated tasting) factors are used in the programme to bring about and sustain behavioural change in the eating habits of children.