“With healthy eating, backed up with some sports balls, this will provide some good outside activities,” he said.
The kids at the school appreciate the food: “I like the lasagne,” Harper said; “I really like how the muffins were baked,” said Ruby; “I like how they made the butter chicken, with all the vegetables, chicken, and sauce,” said Layla; “I like all the kai,” said Caitlin.
The Whanganui school, alongside 14 others in the region, receive lunches from Pita Pit as part of the Ministry of Education’s Ka Ora Ka Ako Healthy School Lunches programme, with local Whanganui Pita Pit staff rising at sunrise to supply over 15,000 lunches to the school this year.
Four stores have whipped up over 117,000 lunches for the region’s kids in the first two terms of 2023, and the lunch provider wants more schools to get involved.
Committed to being a fresh and healthy grab-and-go alternative, Pita Pit also wants to encourage and “level the playground” across the motu, so have sourced 1200 sports balls to distribute at primary, intermediate, and senior schools and kura, said Pita Pit.
Duane Dalton, Pita Pit New Zealand CEO and chairman of the Tania Dalton Foundation in honour of his late wife, is eager to see even more Kiwi kids bolster their healthy eating habits with outdoor and device-free play and works with the foundation to provide the sports gear.
“Giving kids the means to make healthier choices for their bodies not only sets them up for a great day at school but for a better future as well. We’re always keen to help more schools.
“The healthy school lunches programme has made such a significant impact to guaranteeing kids have the nutrients they need daily, and with the addition of sports gear we’re hoping to play a big part in these kids’ focus and success in the classroom,” said Duane.
Pita Pit’s involvement in the school lunch programme dates back to 2019 when a successful pilot in 2020 for Rotorua and Invercargill schools meant the company was well equipped to become a supplier for the Government’s healthy school lunch programme from 2020 onwards.
School selection into the Ka Ora Ka Ako Healthy School Lunches programme is determined by an equity index, with all children at a school receiving healthy lunches to remove the stigma often associated with needing a helping hand. The Ministry of Education said the programme aims to reduce food insecurity for all kids by supplying nutritious meals that set kids up to learn well.
“It’s a programme well worth getting involved in. The Ministry of Education’s Ka Ora Ka Ako team has done a fantastic job identifying kura and schools so kids get a solid lunch and remove nutrition insecurities to see them through the school day.
“I’d encourage all schools with a need to contact their MoE Senior Advisor to discuss their options, or we can assist with that communication process too. We have a dedicated team with extensive knowledge of menu options, dietary requirements, and general logistics who can offer help with your decision-making,” said Duane.
Following Pita Pit’s “better for you” food philosophy, the lunches are developed by an in-house chef to meet the government guidelines and fuel Kiwi kids. Meals low in saturated fat, salt and added sugars plus a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables and salads can be highly customised based on student requirements and to minimise landfill wastage – a key sustainability commitment for Pita Pit.
Franchisees Jason Simpson and Cathy-Lee Amer from Whanganui Pita Pit were thrilled to present Castlecliff School with the equipment, along with healthy lunches for the tamariki.
A founding partner of the Tania Dalton Foundation, Pita Pit has surpassed half a million dollars in sports equipment donations to schools since the charity’s inception in 2017.
