During Healthy Eating Week, Monmouthshire County Council collaborated with local primary school teachers and The British Nutrition Foundation Food a Fact of Life Education Team to enhance understanding of healthy eating in schools.

The focus of the day was on integrating nutrition into the Curriculum for Wales, featuring practical demonstrations, curriculum resources, essential nutritional messages, and successful examples from community projects.

Highlights included discussions on projects like Llandogo Primary’s Grub Cookery Club and Gilwern Primary School’s expanding farm and vegetable cultivation area.

The event also featured a presentation from the MCC sustainable food team, highlighting their efforts to encourage schools to cook and grow food, fostering curiosity about food origins and promoting experimentation with new foods.

Promoting healthy eating among school-age children is crucial for establishing positive lifelong dietary habits and lifestyle choices. Recognising the significance of nutrition and hydration extends beyond physical health to encompass mental and emotional wellbeing.

Addressing parental concerns about picky eaters, educators noted that peer influence often encourages children to try unfamiliar foods served at school. Additionally, Monmouthshire offers free school meals to all primary-aged children, supporting families during periods of financial strain and ensuring each child receives a nutritious, balanced meal daily.

By embedding these principles into school environments, Monmouthshire aims to nurture a generation of children who appreciate and enjoy wholesome foods, fostering their overall health and wellbeing now and in the future.