Thousands of primary school pupils across the borough took a culinary trip around the world this week as part of a drive to encourage healthy eating.

E@ts (Eat @ The School Week) is encouraging pupils to eat nutritious meals and develop a taste for healthy food by giving them the chance to try a range of healthy foods from China, Italy, Mexico, France and India.

Each day offered a healthy menu from each country to encourage children to try something different, delicious, and nutritionally balanced. David Adams, general manager of the Hounslow Council’s school meals provider DS catering said “We’re trying to get more children to choose the healthy options available to them by working with teachers in the classroom to encourage better choices in the dining room.  A varied and balanced diet is an important way of protecting health, and promoting proper growth and development. In the short term it can help children and young people to improve their concentration and fulfil their potential both inside and outside school."

Dining halls were decorated to represent the country whose dishes are on the menu that day and pupils were able to rate the day’s menu everyday, with the most popular meal of the week becoming a regular feature of the school menu.

All sounds appetising, but what did the children think?

Issy aged seven said "I think it's a good idea because you can taste the food without having to travel all the way to the country."  Her friend Emer added "It's kind of nice to try different things but I am looking forward to next week when we can have our usual lunches again."

Chiswick's St Mary's R.C. Primary School gave a resounding thumbs up to the Italian menu and are hoping that it will become a regular feature in the dining hall.  Their enthusiasm could perhaps explain why the plethora of pizza and pasta joints that line the High Road do such a roaring trade!