Lead the Change: How TommyTomato Education teaches the next generation to eat sustainably
In a time when food often comes in a package and rushing has become the norm, a whole generation is growing up with little sense of where their food really comes from. While CO2 emissions rise and our food system puts increasing pressure on the planet, many children learn nothing about the origins of the food they eat every day. For entrepreneur Bastiaan Koenders, that was the moment to step in. With TommyTomato Educatie, he is reconnecting children with real food. Not through books or campaigns, but with pans, spoons and fresh vegetables.
From hot meals to mindful learning
What began with TommyTomato providing healthy, warm vegetable meals in primary schools has grown into TommyTomato Educatie. This programme turns food into a real learning experience. Children from ages 4 to 12 cook, taste and explore where their food comes from. Guided by the Soeperchefs, they learn how to prepare a meal and what it does for their bodies.
“Strangely, Physical Education is a school subject, but nutrition is not,” says Bastiaan. “What you eat shapes how you feel, how you learn and how you grow, and it also shapes your impact on the world.”
By cooking, tasting and discovering things for themselves, children begin to understand that food is not something to take for granted. They develop an appreciation for food, for the farmers who grow it and for nature. And they discover a new love for vegetables, which are still missing from many family tables.
Food as a life lesson
Many health problems, from obesity to type 2 diabetes, begin with poor nutrition. Bastiaan wants to change this by integrating food into the learning process. “Children learn to work together, plan and take responsibility, skills they will use for the rest of their lives,” he explains.
In this way, a generation grows up that understands what regenerative thinking really means: not only taking, but also giving back to the earth and to each other. Food touches almost every Sustainable Development Goal, including health, climate change, inequality and education. That is why it belongs in the classroom.
Equal chances at the table
Not every child starts from the same place. For many families, access to healthy food is not guaranteed, which increases inequality. That is why TommyTomato created the TommyClub, a fund that makes sure every child can take part, even when parents cannot afford it for a while.
“We do it based on trust, not control,” says Bastiaan. “No labels, no shame. Every child deserves good food.”
Research shows that every euro invested in healthy school meals returns four times its value to society. “When children eat well, they learn better, feel better and later help build a healthier community,” he adds.
Sustainable from farm to fork
The vision behind TommyTomato Educatie goes beyond the classroom. For Bastiaan, sustainability is not a label on a package but a set of conscious choices throughout the entire chain. The organisation works with local producers, uses fresh ingredients without additives and knows the people behind each product.
“An organic stamp does not tell the whole story,” Bastiaan says. “What matters is your relationship with the farmer and your intent to improve. That is where real sustainability begins.”
As TommyTomato now provides tens of thousands of meals each month, the organisation can influence producers by working together to develop healthier, more sustainable ways of growing and preparing food. And the impact extends beyond food alone. Deliveries are carried out by active people over the age of sixty-five, the Health Angels, and the kitchens employ people who have difficulty accessing the labour market. TommyTomato not only feed children, but it also strengthens connections and opportunities.
Purpose-driven business
For Bastiaan, entrepreneurship is not about waiting for policy to change; it is about doing what is needed. “When you do good things, you attract good people,” he says. “People want to work for companies that stand for something. That is not soft, that is strength.”
With TommyTomato Educatie, he shows that sustainable business does not need to start with big plans or significant investments, but with the courage to simply begin. Every step, no matter how small, makes a difference for people, society, and the planet.
His ambition is clear: to make food a permanent part of education. Because health, equality and sustainability all begin with what is on your plate.
Cooking together, changing together
At the end of each cooking class, the table is messy, but the atmosphere is warm. Children laugh, taste and proudly take something home. In that moment, you see everything TommyTomato Educatie stands for: not just filling, but nourishing body, mind and heart.
At TommyTomato Educatie, change does not begin with rules; it starts with joy. “When something is fun, you learn faster. And when you understand why it matters, you keep doing it. That applies to children and to entrepreneurs too,” says Bastiaan.
TommyTomato Educatie shows that real change starts small: at the table, in schools and in society.
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