Familylife - As studies show many children have no idea where food comes from, Lisa Salmon looks at an initiative designed to encourage healthy eating

Apparently, 90% of children say they know which foods are healthy; a figure that’s obviously reassuring.

What is less reassuring, however, is some of the other figures in the research by the consumer trends consultants, Future Foundation. Say, for example, how more than half (52%) of children questioned believed (wrongly) that potatoes count towards their five-a-day total, or how 10% also think carrot cake counts.

Combine this with research last year by the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF), which revealed nearly a third of primary school children thought cheese came from plants, and 18% believed fish fingers were from chicken, and it’s clear that many UK children have a worrying food knowledge gap.

In a bid to bridge that gap, a new scheme has persuaded suppliers across the country to open their farms and factories to teach kids about the origin of food.

The Tesco Farm to Fork trails will help children learn how, for example, milk is produced, where eggs come from and how lettuce grows. In addition, staff at more than 700 Tesco stores across the UK will be teaching children about different foods and giving practical demonstrations, like baking bread from scratch, tasting new fruits and vegetables and learning about fish and seafood.

Farm to Fork, which is part of the Tesco Eat Happy Project, is backed by supporters including Diabetes UK, the Children’s Food Trust and the National Farmers’ Union, and is open to every primary school in the UK.

Through Google’s Connected Classrooms technology, classes will also have the opportunity to talk to food suppliers across the world, banana growers in Costa Rica, for example, in live video chats, while Sorted Food, Europe’s largest social media cooking channel, will be engaging children with content that makes cooking fun and accessible.

It's hoped this Eat Happy Project will help primary school children learn about and have a healthier relationship with food – something that will clearly be welcomed by their parents, half of whom fear the impact of their children’s diet on their long-term health.

Tesco UK managing director Chris Bush said: “We know parents are concerned that kids don’t always understand how food is made and where it comes from, which is important to developing a strong positive lifelong relationship with food.

“Working closely with teachers, our suppliers and a number of partners including the Children’s Food Trust, we want to help improve the relationship primary school kids have with food.”

There is a second phase of the Eat Happy Project later this year, too, which will involve cookery courses for kids, working with the Children’s Food Trust (CFT).

Linda Cregan, CFT chief executive, said: “Improving the diets of our children should be a priority for all of us.

“Parents, schools, food retailers and manufacturers all have a responsibility to make sure our children are eating healthy, nutritious food.

“If our children grow up with an understanding and interest in both cooking and eating healthy food they have the best opportunity to reach their full potential.”