Nestlé Launches Campaign to Educate Children about the Significance of Healthy Diets

Nestlé has expanded its campaign on the significance of healthy diets to reach children.

To mark the 2023 International Chef’s Day, 50 children from Nestlé for Healthier Kids (N4HK) beneficiary schools in Sagamu, Ogun State, had an immersive cooking experience hosted by Nestlé Professional. Encouraging children to experiment with food, Nestlé believes this fosters a preference for healthier food options.

Annually, on International Chefs Day, Nestlé Nigeria collaborates with the Association of Professional Chefs Nigeria to engage children in crafting new recipes with a focus on fruits and vegetables. These interactive events empower children to infuse their creativity and inventive ideas into the exploration of nutritious yet enjoyable food choices.

The Association of Professional Chefs Nigeria has been a long-term collaborator with Nestlé, contributing to the company’s mission to promote awareness about maintaining healthy diets, fostering positive eating habits for improved lifestyles.

This year’s International Chefs Day celebration, themed ‘Growing Great Chefs’, aims to inspire children’s imaginations and encourages them to explore the diverse world of culinary arts, encompassing flavors, textures, and cultural aspects of food. Funmi Osineye, Business Manager at Nestlé Professional, emphasized the company’s dedication to enriching children’s nutrition knowledge through collaboration with educators and guardians within local communities. The event also aimed to reinforce the lessons learned in the N4HK in-class sessions.

Chef Belinda Esoimeme, representing the Association of Professional Chefs Nigeria, expressed excitement about introducing children to the benefits of a healthy diet in an engaging manner, fostering potential interest in the culinary profession.

The International Chef’s Day event program included a Junior Master Chef practical session, where children participated in cooking tasks guided by the chefs. The participants’ creations were showcased and presented, eliciting enthusiasm among the aspiring young chefs.

Favour Elum, a participant from Wesley School 1, Oko, Sagamu, shared her excitement at being selected for the event, describing the experience of cooking with her team members and the chefs as enjoyable. She expressed her eagerness to replicate the experience at home and share her newfound knowledge with her friends at school.

As part of the event, the children were encouraged to apply their learnings at home and involve their families in meal preparations. Each participant received fruit coloring books from Nestlé Professionals as mementos of the fruits and vegetables used during the session.

Through initiatives like these, Nestlé Nigeria is making strides towards its global objective of helping 50 million children lead healthier lives through the Nestlé for Healthier Kids program, which has been actively supported by the collaboration between Nestlé and the Association of Professional Chefs Nigeria since 2014.