The NutriCOOLtura project aims to inform and develop healthy eating habits among pupils in Romania, through reading and practical learning experiences, it also provides educational resources for teachers and parents.

NutriCOOLtura is a United Way Romania project, carried out in collaboration with Edenred and Kaufland Romania.

NutriCOOLtura supports children’s education through several series of six illustrated stories, dedicated to four groups of students (grades 0-I, grades II-III, grades IV-V and grades VI-VIII), containing information about the basics of healthy eating, described in age-appropriate language.
The stories and materials dedicated to teachers and parents can be accessed both for the formation of healthy eating habits and for strengthening the teacher-student-parent bond in the educational process and form, for the first time, a national kit available online for free, on the United Way website.

Impact of the Project

• 500 children from disadvantaged communities, from 3 schools in Bucharest, Cluj and Timișoara, benefit from the project’s activities.
• 24 storybooks designed specifically for the project in order to meet different needs and age levels. The books are available both printed and online, ensuring access to information and continuous support for teachers, children and their families. The themes covered by the stories are about the importance of a balanced diet, consumption of fruits and vegetables, cereals, dairy and protein foods, fats and sugar, healthy lifestyle, water, sleep and sports, food waste etc.
• Online workshops for 35 teachers to describe the project and the set of valuable resources for teachers that help them deliver this information in an accessible and engaging way in the classroom. Thus, teachers had the opportunity to explore the non-formal activities they can use in the classroom, included in the story books, to encourage reading and facilitate learning about nutrition.
• National kit of educational resources, dedicated to communities of teachers and parents, to support healthy eating and reading among children, available on United Way Romania`s website. This kit supports healthy eating and reading for children by providing useful tools to promote a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
• 3 caravan-type events in three public schools in Bucharest, Cluj and Timișoara, during which children participated in interactive and educational events and activities centered on reading and healthy eating habits.
• Personalized healthy snacks boxes, offered to all beneficiary children and teachers involved. Thus, we support the harmonious development of children and teachers are encouraged to remain involved in long term and, using their own box, to provide students a model for choosing a healthy snack.
• 500 children involved in the project’s activities, of which 180 vulnerable children, received packages with healthy food for the whole family, to contribute to adequate nutrition at home.
• Involvement of volunteers in project activities, from preparing personalized healthy snack boxes and healthy food packages for families, to direct activities with children – reading activities, games and discussions about healthy eating habits.
• Educational activities organized by Akademia Kinderland – in the parking lot of Kaufland stores located in the proximity of the schools involved in the project, to complement the learning experiences in the classroom through practical and attractive activities.

Thus, the NutriCOOLtura project becomes a promoter of nutritional education in schools, supporting not only children’s knowledge about nutrition, but also the development of healthy habits that will positively influence the entire community.