Co-organized by KidSTART Singapore and Prudential Singapore, the ‘What’s for Lunch? A Farm Adventure’ event featured a fun-filled day of educational activities, cooking demonstrations, and interactive workshops, inspiring families to adopt nutritious eating habits.
A Growing Movement for Healthier Families
- Since launching in 2020, the Healthy with KidSTART programme has expanded from supporting 120 families to over 3,100 families in 2024.
- Families receive monthly fresh produce packs, including vegetables and fruits, along with recipe cards, live cooking demos, and nutritional workshops.
- The initiative is sponsored by Prudential Singapore in partnership with KidSTART, ensuring lower-income families have access to affordable, nutritious meals.
Government Support & Programme Impact
Ms Sun Xueling, Minister of State for Social and Family Development, reflected on the programme’s progress:
“Today we celebrate the fifth-year anniversary of Healthy with KidSTART. When we first started this, it was still during the COVID-19 pandemic and we had to do everything mostly online. Over the last five years, so many things have happened. KidSTART, with the support of Prudential as the main sponsor, has produced fresh food produce packs and recipe cards, online cooking demonstration series which have helped lighten the load for busy parents and provided families valuable tips on child nutrition and practical meal preparation tips. It’s not just about eating. As you eat together, you will also form strong family bonds in the process.”
What’s for Lunch? A Farm Adventure: A Day of Fun & Learning
Families participated in a variety of engaging activities, including:
- Live cooking demonstrations by celebrity chef Mel Dean, featuring nutritious and budget-friendly meals.
- Educational talks, such as “Solid Start: Nurturing Your Baby’s Love for Real Food” by National University Hospital and “How to: Affordable & Healthy Meals” by the Health Promotion Board.
- Interactive farm-themed games, including:
- Farmer’s Market Sweep – A fun, hands-on shopping challenge for nutritious meal prep.
- Palette to Plate – A creative art-making activity using vegetable and fruit stamps.
- Colourful Farm Sorting – A team game highlighting the importance of diverse food choices.
- Special goodie bags with a limited-edition 2025 recipe book, food pouches, and a parent-child activity booklet for participating families.
Corporate Commitment to Healthier Families
Ms Chan San San, CEO of Prudential Singapore, reaffirmed Prudential’s commitment:
“We are pleased to celebrate the five-year milestone of the Healthy with KidSTART programme. At Prudential, we want to do our part to ensure children from lower-income families have access to healthier foods, and share with parents how to prepare affordable, nutritious meals. This will foster healthy eating habits from young and contribute towards a healthier future. We see this as a commitment to support our community’s well-being.”
The Impact of Healthy with KidSTART
Prudential’s ongoing support extends beyond fresh produce packs to include:
- Educational resources, such as live cooking shows and workshops.
- Volunteering efforts – Prudential and KidSTART volunteers have dedicated nearly 20,000 hours to packing and distributing fresh produce packs.
- Community outreach initiatives that promote long-term healthy eating habits.
Mr Joel Tan, CEO of KidSTART Singapore, expressed gratitude for the initiative’s success:
“We are grateful for the support and partnership of valuable partners such as Prudential Singapore, who as the main sponsor, have been instrumental in the growth and success of the Healthy with KidSTART programme, allowing more than 3,100 families to benefit from monthly fresh food produce packs each month. Good nutrition during the early years is essential to a child’s physical, cognitive, and emotional development. Prudential’s steadfast commitment over the years also means that our families are able to rely on their continued support, which gives them greater peace of mind and allows them to focus more on their children’s other needs. The programme has helped to address nutritional gaps and support healthier communities, while also strengthening parent-child bonds. This milestone is especially meaningful as KidSTART marks its fifth anniversary this year, with an exciting lineup of events planned to commemorate this occasion. We look forward to continued meaningful collaborations to give every child a brighter and healthier future.”
Transforming Lives: What Families Are Saying
The initiative has positively impacted families across Singapore:
Ms Cindy Too, mother of a 13-month-old
“We’ve always preferred home-cooked meals, and the fresh food produce packs from the Healthy with KidSTART programme have been such a great help. Using the fresh ingredients, we make soups and porridge for our son, who has just started on solids. It makes us happy to know that we have help to build healthy eating habits for our son from as early as possible.”
Ms Sangeetha D/O Jagathisa, mother of a 1.5-year-old and a 7-month-old
“Before joining the Healthy with KidSTART programme, we were quite picky eaters and rarely bought vegetables for our meals. But with the fresh food packs, we didn’t want the vegetables to go to waste, so we started including them in our meals. It’s been such a positive change! Our 1.5-year-old son has become curious and willing to try different vegetables, and we’re so happy he’s not a fussy eater. I also learned about new vegetables I’d never seen before and picked up tips from relatives and online to cook them. These fresh food packs have really encouraged us to explore healthier meals together as a family.”
Ms Nur Farah Jannah, mother of three children
“With the fresh produce provided, we’ve been able to prepare healthy meals for the family, ensuring there’s food on the table. This was very helpful especially during tough times. As a mom who is currently breastfeeding, these nutritious ingredients have been essential in supporting my milk supply to feed my baby. It’s also a joy to see my children excitedly identify the ingredients in the pack and talk about them—it’s become a fun and educational experience for all of us.”
A Shared Mission for a Brighter Future
Through Healthy with KidSTART, KidSTART Singapore and Prudential Singapore are nurturing healthier families by ensuring every child has access to nutritious meals and lifelong healthy eating habits.
With this strong foundation, families can enjoy better health, stronger bonds, and a brighter future together.
For more information on KidSTART and its initiatives, visit kidstart.sg.
