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Information and public services for the Island of Jersey

L'înformâtion et les sèrvices publyis pouor I'Île dé Jèrri

Food and Nutrition Strategy

​​​​About the strategy

Jersey's Food and Nutrition Strategy aims to support healthy nutrition and reduce diet-related preventable disease. 

Our Island has rising levels of life-threatening preventable diseases caused by diets low in nutrients and high in unhealthy processed food. These diseases include:

  • diabetes
  • heart disease
  • several different types of cancers 

The Food and Nutrition Strategy was approved by the Council of Ministers in May 2017 and sets out a number of priority actions. The strategy is based on research around what works to tackle increasing levels of diet-related diseases and is funded through the Government Plan. 

One of the strategy's key guiding principles is to focus on prevention through early intervention. Our work is therefore prioritising initiatives in early years settings and primary schools. 

We also aim to address broader barriers to achieving a healthy diet including the affordability of healthy food.

A Food and Nutrition Strategy for Jersey 2017 to 2022

Food and and nutrition discussion groups: refreshing the strategy

​In 2023 work commenced on a revised Food and Nutrition Strategy for Jersey where:

  • ​stakeholders and members of the public have been consulted
  • a mapping of the local food system was carried out
  • an evidence review and appraisal of available interventions was completed

Focus groups were also carried out with a variety of diverse groups in the community to better understand the challenges Islanders face when aspiring to eat healthily.

​​Food and nutrition discussion groups report

Programmes and services

The Food and Nutrition Strategy provides a number of programmes to support you and your family with healthy nutrition.

Family Food and Fitness

Family Food and Fitness is a free programme that can help you and your family around diet and exercise. It aims to support long-term behaviour changes with a combination of:

  • cooking classes
  • sports
  • other fun activities

It's an 8 week programme led by registered dietitians and qualified physical activity specialists. It can be accessed by your whole family.

Family Food and Fitness

Food Dudes

Food Dudes is a behaviour change programme to help your child develop taste and liking for a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. The programme is carried out in schools and your child learns about healthy nutrition using:

  • role modelling
  • fun and educational rewards
  • repetition

The programme has been adopted by hundreds of primary schools in Ireland, the UK and elsewhere where it achieved positive health-related outcomes for children taking part.

Contact us for more information on the programme. 

Primary school meals partnership (Flourish)

Public Health and CYPES work with local charity Caring Cooks to provide a daily lunch service in some primary schools as an alternative to lunch boxes. Meals provided are balanced, nutritious and dietitian-approved. They aim to support children with their:

  • learning
  • healthy growth
  • positive health outcomes later in life

Talk to your child's school if these lunches are not currently offered. You can also contact us for more details about the programme.

Find more information on primary school meals in the sign up letter.

Primary school meals sign up letter in English

Primary school meals sign up letter in Portuguese

Primary school meals sign up letter​ in Romanian

Primary school meals sign up letter​ in Polish

​Whole-school food policies

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that a whole school approach is adopted in each school for the early prevention of obesity and diet-related disease. This means having an approach that involves all parts of the school and stakeholders including:

  • teachers
  • parents
  • children
  • Public Health 

Together we can commit and work to develop prevention initiatives. These can include guidance for parents or implementing a school's healthy snack policies.

Contact us for more information about the programme.

Healthy Start

Low-income families can struggle to eat the recommended level of fruits and vegetables because of financial barriers.

Healthy Start is a local programme providing vouchers for fresh fruit and vegetables to low-income parents of young children. It aims to increase access to good nutrition for parents and their child during the crucial early stages of growth and development.

You're automatically entitled to this benefit if you rece​ive Income Support.

For more information about this benefit, complete the Income Support query form.

Make an ​Income Support query

​UNICEF Baby friendly breastfeeding initiative

The UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative is based on a global accreditation programme developed by UNICEF and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The programme supports breastfeeding and parent-infant relationships by working with public services to improve standards of care and best practice. It has been implemented in Jersey to train local professional working with young families to build on the good work of these services.

Contact Family Nursing and Home Care for more details about the programme.

Family Nursing and Home Care website 

Eating disorders and healthy relationship with food

Jersey Eating Disorders Support (JEDS) is a local registered charity providing support for those affected by eating disorders and their families and friends.

JEDS website 

You can also find support with promoting a healthy relationship with food for children on the Institute for the Psychology of Eating website.

Additional services and resources 

There are a number of free or low-cost local services and resources to support you and your family in living a healthier lifestyle. They're designed to support families making simple choices to improve their health around:

  • diet
  • nutrition
  • physical activity

Activities programmes on Jersey Sport website

Children activities on Move More website

Jersey Library

British Nutrition Foundation website

Change for life on the NHS website

Get healthy as a family on the NHS website

BDA online magazine

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