Based on the results, it was inferred that population childhood weight outcomes are unlikely to be remarkably influenced by a national free fruit and vegetable policy alone; however, such policies could promote a healthy diet without unintended consequences.

• A nationwide free fruit and vegetable policy to promote a healthy diet was implemented from 2007 to 2014, under which a daily piece of free fruit or vegetable was made available to all children in Norwegian combined schools (covering grades 1–10, age 6 to 16 years).

• Due to the introduction of the policy, children in combined elementary and secondary schools received free fruit and vegetables, while children in pure elementary schools were not exposed to the free fruit and vegetable policy.

• In this quasi-natural experimental study utilizing data from 11,215 Norwegian children and early adolescents, it was investigated if there was any evidence of an impact of up to 4 years of exposure to the free fruit and vegetable policy on weight-related outcomes.

• There was little evidence of any beneficial or unintended effect from exposure to the free fruit and vegetable policy on weight outcomes in either boys or girls at age 8.5 and 13 years.