Eastern Education Group’s BiteWise: Healthy Behaviours programme was recently awarded a £500 grant from Tesco’s Stronger Starts scheme.
Developed and run by Harini Jeyakumar, Healthy Behaviours Community Coordinator at Eastern Education Group, the BiteWise: Healthy Behaviours programme had a highly successful 6-week pilot session at Howard Community Academy between January and March 2026.
The programme teaches Year 5 and 6 pupils (aged 8-10) a wide range of healthy eating skills; from hydration habits, to balanced meals and even simple no-fire recipes. The programme focusses on helping children get the most out of their education.
Harini began developing the programme in September 2025, after working in public health, she said: “many children know which foods are ‘healthy’ or ‘unhealthy’, but very few are taught how to build a balanced meal, prepare simple healthy food, or understand why nutrition matters for their health, learning, and future.”
BiteWise: Healthy Behaviours was developed alongside schools, parents, West Suffolk Alliance, Explore Outdoor, and other community organisations, ensuring it was evidence-based, practical, and sustainable.
Harini explained why the programme is so important for children’s education: “healthy eating is closely linked to children’s concentration, attendance, emotional wellbeing, and educational attainment. Schools are one of the few places where every child can be reached regardless of background, making them an ideal setting for early prevention and reducing health inequalities.”
There was a clear focus on making the sessions practical, engaging, and memorable.
Alison Weir, Head Teacher of Howard Community Academy, said: “The BiteWise: Healthy Behaviours programme has been a fantastic opportunity for our Year 5 and 6 pupils. Over the course of the programme, they developed a greater understanding of healthy eating, learned valuable cooking skills and, most importantly, gained the confidence to make positive choices about their own health and wellbeing. It has been a valuable addition to our curriculum.”
With the Tesco Stronger Starts grant and other external funding, hopefully this valuable programme will soon reach schools across Suffolk.
