Caterer Elior has signed 11 more schools up to its food education programme, MiniGiant, following the decision by an Essex preparatory school to incorporate it into the curriculum.
MiniGiant is a six-module scheme designed to provide primary-school age pupils with a fuller understanding of food, acting as a first step in gastronomy.
Food tasting forms part of every activity within the context of each module and the programme integrates with lessons, such as geography to show where produce comes from.
Piloted at St Aubyn’s Preparatory School in Essex last year the first module has been running there and at two other schools since the start of the year.
After Easter these three schools will start on the second module in the programme while 11 more schools will start the scheme, including four state schools in Swindon.
Simon Pollard, divisional managing director for education and healthcare at Elior, said MiniGiant had been developed in reaction to Jamie Oliver’s school meals programmes.
“We agreed with much of what Oliver said but thought it would be useful to take a step back from healthy eating and educate the children about food in general,” said Pollard.
“I think as caterers we have a responsibility to form children’s eating patterns for the better early on.”
The six MiniGiant modules:
- Tickle your tongue with taste
- Energy makes the world go round
- How strong are you?
- Fats flavour food
- Water=Life
- Shine with fruit and vegetables
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By Chris Druce
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