Jaap, Kim and Tess, three students at the internship office of STAD Leiden, dedicated their internship project to raising awareness about healthy food.
An important topic, because as they say: “It is essential that everyone has the chance to eat healthy. The food industry should have a big responsibility here, for what seems healthy is often just smart marketing.”
A project with a vision
The project began as part of the national initiative ‘De Gezonde Generatie’ (The Healthy Generation). The students explored the value of healthy eating habits and the influence of design and communication on our food choices. An eye-opening topic. They discovered, for example, that many product labels are misleading. Take a ready-made salad: you might think it’s fresh and healthy, but the chicken is often ultra-processed and the dressing packed with fats and salt. So, what is a healthy choice, really?
“We want large chains in the food industry to take responsibility,” the students say. “No more misleading advertising, but honest and healthy food, accessible to everyone. People should be able to trust the appearance of a product without having to decode the ingredients list on the back.”
They’re not saying we should never eat unhealthy food, but that people should be aware of what they’re eating and what it does to their health. Tess explains: “When you don’t have much money, you’re more likely to go for the cheapest option. If junk food is always on sale, it becomes the easy choice, and when you’re short on time, it’s much easier to grab a quick snack than prepare something fresh.”
Jaap agrees. “Every week, we see tons of unhealthy options on sale. That makes them more appealing; even I go for those deals sometimes. But I prefer to eat healthy too.”
Taking action together!
As part of their campaign, Jaap, Kim, and Tess created a flyer with an activist twist. Designed to look like a typical supermarket ad but slightly different. Their flyer, titled ‘Vers van de Pers’ (Fresh off the press), puts current supermarket promotions under a magnifying glass and raises questions about what we’re really consuming.
“We handed out the flyer across downtown Leiden,” Tess explains. “From restaurants and libraries to shops and mailboxes. We’re also planning to send it to major supermarket chains and food producers, hoping it will spark a change.”
“There need to be clear guidelines from policymakers to regulate misleading food advertising,” says Jaap. “Think sugar taxes, fat taxes… but also rules about how food is marketed.” He gives the example of popular high-protein products that are secretly full of sugar. “You’d be better off choosing foods that are naturally high in protein. Same with ‘wholegrain’ labels, a lot of those products barely contain any wholegrain at all. You really have to read the small print to know what you’re eating.”
STAD Leiden
STAD (Stichting Talent and Dreams) is a platform in Leiden where young people take initiative on social issues, especially ones they care deeply about. They brainstorm together and look for creative ways to make a difference. Tess states: “STAD Leiden is so much fun! You learn a lot and you’re encouraged to start your own project. There’s a youth project team and an internship office where many young people collaborate.” Some of the previous projects include: ‘Klereleiers’, a second-hand clothing initiative to reduce textile waste and ‘Geen geld, geen gedoe’ – a campaign that helps young people understand the responsibilities that come with turning 18.
The healthy generation
This campaign was inspired by ‘De Gezonde Generatie’, a national initiative where twenty health foundations work together toward one powerful goal: by 2040, the Dutch youth will be the healthiest in the world. To achieve that, the program focuses on mental resilience, healthy nutrition, physical activity and a smoke-free environment. Naturally at Stichting De Groentedeler, we fully support this ambition. Raising awareness around food is a vital part of building a healthy future for people and planet.
Would you like to contribute to healthy food at Foodbank Leiden? Sponsor a vegetable package!
