• Start Strong, Stay Strong will be piloted with 1,000 My First Skool students in 2024, and expanded to reach an additional 20,000 in 2025
• FairPrice Foundation collaborated with experts from Terra SG, My First Skool by NTUC First Campus, and KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital on the initiative
• Start Strong, Stay Strong was curated to provide preschoolers with comprehensive nutrition and sustainability education through meaningful engagement and experiential learning

SINGAPORE, 26 SEPTEMBER 2024 –  FairPrice Group (FPG) and FairPrice Foundation (FPF) announced today the launch of Start Strong, Stay Strong: Singapore’s first preschool nutrition and sustainability education initiative aimed at empowering kids and families to live happier, healthier lives through better nutrition. The programme was developed by FPF in partnership with Terra SG and My First Skool by NTUC First Campus, and supported by nutrition knowledge partner, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

The programme is currently in its pilot phase, set to benefit more than 1,000 preschool children from My First Skool by the end of 2024. In 2025, it will be expanded to reach 20,000 My First Skool kids, and progressively rolled out across all My First Skool campuses in Singapore.

Vipul Chawla, Group CEO, FairPrice Group, highlighted the importance of having a robust understanding of nutrition from a young age: “Through our daily engagement with customers, we’ve learned just how important health and nutrition is to Singaporeans, and especially young families looking to give their kids a strong head start in life. This is the foundation for Start Strong, Stay Strong – through the initiative, we want to help shape a generation of healthy, informed, and responsible individuals who can build a better future for themselves, their families, and the nation, one meal at a time.”

The programme consists of three components: ‘Healthy Plate Heroes’, ‘Food Finder Adventure’, and a ‘Take-Home Mission’.

Healthy Plate Heroes

‘Healthy Plate Heroes’ is an interactive classroom session featuring games and group exercises that teach kids about the different food groups and essential nutrients that make up a balanced diet. 

Take-Home Mission

Kids will then receive a ‘Take-Home Mission’ pamphlet containing instructions for home activities that encourage the exploration of their household’s eating habits and dietary needs, guiding them and their families in making informed nutrition choices.

Food Finder Adventure

To further bring the programme to life and cement their learning, the children will then undergo the programme’s next facilitated activity, ‘Food Finder Adventure’. ‘Food Finder Adventure’ is an experiential trail within a FairPrice supermarket that provides kids with an opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge in a real-world setting. Through the trail, children will get to engage in a hands-on learning session about different nutrition labels on food products, and how to pick healthier, better-value food options when grocery shopping with their families.

Upon completing the supermarket trail, each child will receive a nutri-bundle containing fresh fruits, healthy breakfast essentials, and a Stay Strong Recipe Pack with easy, affordable, and nutritious recipes from HealthHub, for families to prepare together. This fosters shared exploration of fresh food and cultivates healthy eating habits within the family unit.

Thian Ai Ling, General Manager, My First Skool, shared: “We are proud to participate in the programmes of FairPrice Group which inculcate healthy eating among our preschoolers. Early childhood is a critical period of growth and development, where children build the foundations for lifelong health and well-being. It is during these formative years that proper nutrition, opportunities for active play, and healthy habits can positively shape a child’s future. In My First Skool, we are cognisant that promoting nutrition and health in young children requires the involvement of parents, caregivers, and communities. Providing education and resources for families about proper nutrition, the importance of physical activity, and emotional well-being is key. By fostering healthy eating habits, encouraging physical activity, ensuring adequate sleep, and supporting emotional well-being, we give children the best start in life.”

Start Strong, Stay Strong is the second in a series of programmes that FPG is launching to elevate Singaporeans’ understanding of nutrition, and access to it in their daily lives. It follows the Cheers Breakfast Club, a FPF programme through which 12,000 nutritious and delicious breakfast bundles were distributed to Primary 6 students across Singapore, ahead of the Primary School Leaving Examinations.

For more information on Start Strong, Stay Strong please visit: https://fairpricegroup.com.sg/fairprice-foundation/start-strong-stay-strong