A summary of the research and its findings is available to download on the right, along with various reports and a copy of the main questionnaire, CADET.

In terms of consumption:

the children receiving the scheme ate significantly more fruit
the combined fruit and vegetable consumption of children eating school dinners was greater than those who had packed lunches
children who had packed lunches ate more snacks and desserts than those who had school dinners
living in areas of high deprivation was associated with lower fruit and vegetable intake and higher consumption of snacks and desserts
girls (but not boys) ate slightly more vegetables after the introduction of the SFVS
over the lifespan of the evaluation, fruit and vegetable consumption of children declined at home and increased in school.

There was some evidence to suggest that the scheme had a positive impact on the attitudes, knowledge and awareness of pupils. Children were encouraged to try unfamiliar fruit and vegetables, and over time they were increasingly likely to identify the healthiest option from a choice of snacks.

Because the scheme could be implemented flexibly, fears about disruption and burden were not realised. Indeed, children and staff responded enthusiastically to the scheme.

In terms of nutritional analysis, seven months after the scheme began:
older children were eating less sugar
while younger pupils were eating more fruit and vegetables, their intake of dietary fibre appeared to have been unaffected
salt intake remained universally high.