A new competition has been launched to find out what primary school pupils really think of their school dinners.
Welsh red meat agency, Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) is asking kids across Wales to tell them what they’d like to see dished up on their dinner plates at school.
HCC is looking for five main meal suggestions and are asking entrants to consider why eating a healthy, balanced diet is important.
The new competition, in collaboration with youth organisation Urdd Gobaith Cymru, coincides with St David’s Day and forms part of HCC’s drive in the UK market in the run-up to Brexit.
It is designed to demonstrate the importance of eating a healthy, balanced diet from a young age and how this can include red meat produced in Wales.
The winner will receive a goody bag of cooking equipment worth £150 and a red meat cookery masterclass at school with HCC’s TV Chef, Elwen Roberts.
Elwen said: “Good nutrition can make all the difference later in life, so it’s important that we introduce our children to the benefits of healthy eating early on. This can include eating lean red meat which helps keep people of all ages healthy.
“For youngsters, eating red meat as part of a healthy, balanced diet has a whole host of benefits including keeping blood healthy to tackle tiredness; it aids growth, bone and muscle strength; and helps the immune system to work; all of which are important for educational development.
“We hope that this competition will make our country’s kids think about what they’re eating and how red meat from Wales can be enjoyed alongside a range of other varied nutritious ingredients.”
Mari Williams, editor of Cip and Bore Da said: “As an organisation, the Urdd is committed to offering children and young people opportunities to develop and hone life skills.
“Cooking, food nutrition and meal planning is definitely a valuable life skill and we hope that school children will get their creative as well as their chef’s hats on for this great competition.”
Entrants must draw their dishes on a template which can be downloaded from the HCC website www.meatpromotion.wales and send their menu to HCC by 3rd April.
