Children learn the joys of Mediterranean diet

CHILDREN taking part in a school project on healthy eating “have now realised that junk food such as hamburgers and pizzas are bad for your health”.

Maria Papamichael, headmistress of the B Primary School of Yermasoyia, in the Limassol area, said the school took part in a programme run in co-operation between the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health.

“The programme’s aim was to promote healthy eating and was run over the school term, which began in January. The children also learnt the importance of backing up healthy eating with exercise. Seventy-three children between the ages of 11 and 12 took part in the programme, which was run in conjunction with our weekly home economics classes.”

Papamichael went on to say that, “the emphasis was on Mediterranean food, which is widely considered to be one of the healthiest cuisines around the world. But the children would not only study Mediterranean cuisine but also learn about other foods, such as Chinese and Indian.”

During the programme, the children also put what they learned in the classroom into practise by cooking food in the school kitchen.

“They would cook traditional Mediterranean food such as beans, lentils, fish and rice, and would also make village salads and a fruit salad for dessert.”

The project, which came to an end on March 8, culminated with the children inviting one of their parents to the school to sample some of the food which they had cooked.

The mayor of Yermasoyia, Panicos Louroutziades, was also invited, along with the President of the school board.

Papamichael called the programme “a complete success, as it has taught children, from an early age, the benefits of healthy eating and what foods they should avoid”.

The project was not only undertaken at the Yermasoyia school, but was open to any school on the island that wished to take part.

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