Healthy food wins kids' vote at fair

Local yogurts and vending machines selling healthy food and drink surprisingly came out on top when children voted for their favourite food at a fair for schoolkids in Wales.

The food fair, which was held at Glan Y Mor comprehensive school in Burry Port, Carmarthenshire, attracted 250 pupils from Glan Y Mor and 30 other local schools. They tested the food on offer from suppliers and then voted on what they liked and didn't like.

It was the first time in the fair's three-year history that the theme was healthy eating, said Elin Cullen, head of facilities management at Carmarthenshire County Council.

"We're currently developing new healthier menus, so we'll be using the findings from the food fair and working with dieticians at the NHS," she said.

"We had some quite surprising comments. Green vending was popular, which makes a change from sugary drinks and snacks, and also fits in with the council's policy on environmental management and waste."

Cullen said she expected to trial these "healthy" vending machines at comprehensive schools around the county next year.

The kids also liked the yogurt supplied by a local farmer, she said. "We're part of an agricultural area, so the council has a strong line on supporting local producers. We're taking a whole-school approach and linking lessons on nutrition with catering."

She added that the council's other healthy-eating initiatives included improving the standards of packed lunches and encouraging schools to have fruit shops instead of tuck shops.

The council supplies 146 schools in the county with 22,000 meals a year. Its annual turnover in the school meals sector is about £7m a year and it employs 600 staff.