Co-creation for More Plant-Based Lunches in Primary Schools

Researchers are developing, together with pupils, teachers, parents and caterer Van Leeuwen, a step-by-step plan for more plant-based lunches in primary schools. Co-creation is central to this Colourful Proteins project.

Centre of Expertise Global and Inclusive Learning

plantaardige lunches

Researchers Margriet Lerink-Mulderink and Miranda de Hei from the research group Sustainable Talent Development conducted a pilot to give plant-based proteins a natural place in the lunches of primary school pupils. The project Colourful Proteins refers not only to the diversity of colourful plant-based protein sources, but also to inclusivity: all voices and perspectives count — from children to parents, from teachers to caterers.

Background

The shift from animal-based to plant-based proteins in young people’s diets is progressing slowly. Many children and adolescents have limited knowledge about plant-based nutrition and feel little urgency to change their eating habits, despite the benefits for their health (SDG 3), the climate (SDG 13), responsible consumption (SDG 12), and animal welfare. This project aims to accelerate that transition by not talking about children, but designing with them.

Within this project, the programmes Nutrition and Dietetics and Primary Teacher Education (Pabo) collaborate with Van Leeuwen Catering. In co-creation with students, lecturers, primary school pupils, parents and teachers, innovative solutions are developed that can be applied both in education and in daily school practice.

What makes this project special is that we learn both how to co-create with children and how plant-based proteins can appeal to primary school pupils and be incorporated into their lunches.

- ir. Margriet Lerink-Mulderink

The Research

During co-creation sessions, pupils, students, teachers, parents, lecturers from The Hague University of Applied Sciences and Van Leeuwen Catering come together. In these sessions, they jointly design interventions that:

  • raise awareness about the importance of plant-based proteins,
  • show how healthy and sustainable food can become part of the daily school menu,
  • and are practically applicable within the context of primary schools.

Active efforts are made to put the developed ideas into practice, ensuring that the protein transition in schools becomes visible in everyday lunchboxes, rather than remaining theoretical.

Objective

The main objective of the project is to develop a practical step-by-step plan for primary schools. With this plan, schools can work in co-creation with teachers, pupils and parents to design ways to integrate more plant-based proteins into school lunches.

This plan enables the approach to be applied and scaled up to other schools.

Target Group

The project focuses on a broad group of stakeholders involved in primary schools:

  • Teachers, pupils and parents of primary schools
  • Caterers providing lunches for primary schools
  • Students and lecturers from the programmes Nutrition and Dietetics and Primary Teacher Education
  • Policymakers in the field of healthy nutrition and participatory research

Method

The project started with a literature review on protein transition, behaviour change, and co-creation with children. This was followed by pilot projects in primary schools.

Central to the project is co-creation, in which children and adults participate as equal stakeholders in the design process. This leads not only to creative ideas, but especially to ownership and support.

The developed ideas for plant-based lunches are further developed into a concrete service concept together with Van Leeuwen Catering, lecturers and students. In addition, the knowledge and working methods gained are integrated into the curricula of the Nutrition and Dietetics and Primary Teacher Education programmes at The Hague University of Applied Sciences.

Results

The first pilot took place at Montessori Primary School Parkrijk. This pilot provided insights into:

  • which visual and hands-on methods are suitable for enabling children and adults to collaborate equally in co-creation;
  • which plant-based lunch products appeal to primary school pupils;
  • how these insights can be translated into a practically applicable approach.

The data from this pilot is being processed into a step-by-step plan that other primary schools can use. This plan will be available for download from this project page from March 2026.

In addition, Van Leeuwen Catering gained valuable insights to develop a suitable plant-based lunch concept for primary schools.

Impact

This project contributes to several Sustainable Development Goals:

  • SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being
  • SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production
  • SDG 13 – Climate Action

The project also makes an important contribution to animal welfare and to the research programme of the Sustainable Talent Development research group.

For the Nutrition and Dietetics and Primary Teacher Education programmes, the project provides concrete input for the curriculum. It also offers new insights into how children and adults can collaborate as equals in design processes.

More Information

Updates about this project can be found via the LinkedIn page of the Sustainable Talent Development research group.

Start and End Date

1 March 2025 – 1 March 2026

Funding

This project is funded through PGO funding.

Collaboration

Team

  • ir. Margriet Lerink-Mulderink
  • dr Miranda de Hei
    (both affiliated with the Sustainable Talent Development research group)

Contact