The Nutrikids are 7 international kids - in the same age group as the 5-12 year old children they are addressing - who discover the 'secret to balanced eating' in 'magic foods' found in a Pyramid in the Egyptian desert.
The programme's main objective is to encourage appropriate eating behaviour through interdisciplinary and intercultural nutrition education. Teaching material on nutrition education was created for all age groups with the following objectives:
- to encourage children's interest in the topic by making a link between nutrition and their daily lives and social background
- to motivate children to take responsibility for their own nutritional habits
- to involve parents in supporting and increasing positive eating attitudes in the family
- to use existing structures in schools and communities rather than to develop new structures and systems
In the frame of this educational programme, children experience the importance of balanced eating through playful exercises, comics and cartoons, tips, tricks and card games, including the Nutri-Monsters that represent the major nutrient groups like proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.
Nutrikids is a joint venture of the Swiss Society for Nutrition, the Alimentarium (a nutrition museum and Foundation by Nestlé) and Nestlé-Switzerland. The programme also enjoys support from the Swiss Ministry of Health.
The first Nitrkids module includes an introductory film, a school book and card game per child, and a CD for teachers' use to create worksheets and visual aids, together with further background information and tips for workshops and activities at school or at home.
The second module is aimed at younger children, aged 5 to 7, who are just beginning to read. It illustrates the 'discoveries' of nutritional options to prevent early excess weight gain to children.