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Focusing on fibre, as a topic to capture parents’ attention, the programme will support increased bean and pulse uptake with Veg Power pledging to help schools and caterers to increase more bean-based meals on the menu from this September.

Celebrities, experts and media partners will extend the reach of the campaign to parents and increase bean and fibre intake at home. Those involved include Professor Giles Yeo, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Chantelle Nicholson and Tom Aikens.

These activities are part of a wider campaign to double the UK’s bean and pulse consumption and put them at the heart of British diets, run in partnership with The Food Foundation and Beans is How, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund.

The ‘Bang In Some Beans’ schools’ programme has been revised due to insightful feedback about children’s and parents’ perceptions about beans provided by caterers involved last year.

The feedback highlighted that when beans are discreet on the written menu and hidden on the plate (blended in) they are eaten. But when visible, either in written menus or on the plate, the beans are rejected, waste increases and meal uptake declines.

The focus on fibre for 2026 will help increase child and parental acceptance of beans and pulses. According to research 86% of primary aged-children are not meeting their fibre target despite its positive impact on gut, immune, digestive and heart health.

The research also highlighted 46% of parents recognise that their child needs to eat more fibre highlighting increased awareness and education is needed. The vibrant, creative and fun campaign, will bring together a large primary school programme with collaboration between schools and caterers.

The schools’ programme will run from 28th September – 16th October. Veg Power is asking for school chefs and caterers to deploy the campaign across as many of their schools as possible and to flex the campaign to suit their menu cycle.

Dan Parker, chief executive of Veg Power, said: “We’re always listening to our audiences and take campaign feedback very seriously. After hearing back from caterers, we needed to take a different approach for this year’s programme that will help to address the massive fibre knowledge gap but also provides an opportunity to engage and educate parents and children about the benefits of fibre.

“We believe this approach will have a positive impact on increasing acceptance of beans and pulses as one of the solutions to meeting fibre targets. We’ve developed a brand new programme that is fun, high energy and no doubt will be highly effective in increasing bean, pulse and fibre consumption.

“We can’t wait to get started and urge our catering partners to sign up for more details. All of this is part of our work to mobilise the entire food system to champion the humble bean as a hero of the modern diet so we can all benefit from its triple win of being good for our health, environment and wallet.”

More details including a digital flyer to send to schools are available here.