Leket Briut – Nutrition Education is an innovative program launched in 2022 to address the growing challenge of poor nutrition among children from low-income families in Israel.
A new study produced by Leket Israel and the Migdam Institute has revealed just how deeply financial pressures affect something as basic as a child’s school lunch. Thirty-five percent of parents in Israel report forgoing 
various types of food in their children’s school snack because of cost. One in three parents say financial considerations are the main factor in deciding what to put in a sandwich, and about a third admit they now seek out cheaper products for their children’s lunches due to economic hardship. Twenty percent have stopped including healthy products altogether because they are simply too expensive. For two-thirds of families, the overriding concern is that their child does not return home hungry—even if it means compromising on nutrition. And nearly 34% acknowledge adjusting their child’s lunchbox to match what classmates bring, showing the influence of social pressure on children’s diets.
“The child’s lunchbox has become a mirror of Israel’s economic reality,” explains Smadar Hod Ovadia, VP of Nutrition and Quality at Leket Israel. “Parents want to give their children the best but are forced to compromise because of financial pressures or social influence. These findings emphasize the urgent need to raise awareness about healthy, balanced eating among both children and parents, and to make nutritious food more accessible. As the National Food Rescue Organization, we operate our ‘Leket Briut – Nutrition Education’ program to ensure access to fresh fruit and vegetables alongside nutrition education in schools, so that every child can arrive at school with a nourishing and equal meal, regardless of their family’s economic circumstances.”
This is precisely where Leket Briut steps in. The program combines hands-on nutrition education in schools with biweekly deliveries of fresh surplus produce from Israeli farmers directly to participating families. In classrooms, students learn about balanced eating through engaging, age-appropriate activities. At home, the lessons are reinforced with practical support—boxes of fruit and vegetables that families could not otherwise afford. This dual approach bridges the gap between knowledge and action, ensuring that children not only understand the importance of healthy eating but also have the means to practice it.
For families, the impact is tangible. Parents report that children who once pushed vegetables aside now embrace them enthusiastically, and food that once went to waste is now eaten with joy. Oleg Menker, whose daughter takes part in the program, describes the difference it has made for his household. “She calls me, ‘Dad, the boxes are here! Come pick them up!’ They’re full of fresh, healthy food we couldn’t otherwise afford. With seven people at home, fruit and vegetables are often a luxury.”
What has surprised Oleg most is the change in his daughter’s attitude toward food. “Suddenly, my daughter is eating healthy. Fruit and vegetables that she wouldn’t touch before are now part of her routine. The values they learn at school about proper nutrition—they bring those lessons home with real enthusiasm to eat better and change their habits.”