'Happy Cactus' will get kids eating healthy

TESCO has decided to use the weird and wonderful ways that kids describe fruit and vegetables to inspire others to try them.

- By JULIA BRIGUI

Layla Grace, seven, has renamed lemons Sour Face Fruit as part of the Tesco Fruit and Veg for Schools programme

From 'Happy Cactus' (pineapple, reimagined by six-year-old Ella), 'Velvet Tennis Balls' (peaches, renamed by Gwen, seven), 'Green Water Drumsticks' (cucumber, renamed by Layla Grace, seven) and 'Unicorn Horns' (baby corn, as interpreted by Emilia, six), the pupils at participating schools did such a great job with the descriptions that Tesco has added them to signage in their local stores.

The rebrand marks the launch of the second year of the Tesco Fruit and Veg for Schools programme, developed in partnership with the British Nutrition Foundation.

In its first year, the programme provided funding for more than 400 schools with higher-than-average free school meal ratios, providing more than 10 million portions of fruit and vegetables to around 140,000 pupils.