Pupils encourage healthy eating with own allotment that provides food for school dinners

Each week a different group of pupils are selected to take part in the club at Ingol Community Primary School.

They're currently growing peppers, chillies and wild garlic in their allotment in the school grounds.

Members of the gardening club also dry out seeds that have been saved from vegetables in the school kitchen to plant outside and any leftovers from school dinners are turned into compost.

Lancashire County Council commission Food For Life to support schools to help make good food available for all.

This week, the school was presented with a bronze Food for Life award during a special assembly for years three, four, five and six.

The school were awarded this after committing to providing good quality food and educating children about food, cooking and growing.

Students Stanley, Malek, Ayo & Amelia with Cllr Michael Green

Year six pupil Malek said:  "Sometimes the cooks sneak vegetables in the sauces they make here to make it even more healthy. But that's good! The food is always really good, it tastes really good.

"By having your own garden you know where the food comes from and there's no chemicals or anything being added to it."

Year six pupil Amelia added:  "It was good to see that we've won something and that we've put a lot of effort into winning it.

"Healthy eating is really important at our school.  We have lots of vegetables and we've got a salad bar in the dining hall so you can add things like grapes and blueberries to your meal."

James Moss, Deputy Headteacher, said:  "If we can grow our own vegetables and eat them in the dining room then that's a positive thing and it also shows our children and families that it can be done in your own garden.

"We encourage our children from starting school at the age of four to have a bit of salad with their dinner.  Our older children are brilliant at doing that; they're the ones that are on the salad bar and they'll encourage the younger children to get a bit of salad on their plate.

"After a little while the younger ones then go and choose something from the salad bar to complement their meal."

County Councillor Michael Green, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said:  "It was fantastic to see the great work the staff at Ingol Community Primary are doing to teach their pupils about how food is grown. I enjoyed talking to the children and visiting their school allotment to find out more about what they have been growing.

"In a time when processed food is so readily available, it's great to see children being taught about the importance of a healthy diet and to find out about the opportunities they have been given to try foods that they may not otherwise have had access to.

"I found it really inspirational to hear young children being so passionate about growing their own food and eating healthy meals.  I congratulate them on achieving the bronze award.

"I would encourage more schools in Lancashire to get involved in the food for life scheme and there is a lot of support available for those who take part."