LONDON, 2015-1-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — This week, Sainsbury’s Active Kids, in partnership with Diversity star Ashley Banjo and the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF), crowned two schools the winners of the nationwide Active Kids Superstar Cooks competition.
- Secondary School Wiinner: Abbey Manor, Marinated Lamb
- Primary School Winner: St. Patricks Primary, Bonfire Night Bangers n Beans
Launched at the start of the school year, in September 2014, as part of Sainsbury’s Active Kids programme, the competition challenged school children to create the ultimate healthy recipe designed to be enjoyed by Ashley Banjo and the Diversity team.
Three pupils aged 9-11 from St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, and two 14 year-olds from Abbey Manor College, beat off stiff competition and hundreds of other recipes from all over the country to win in the Primary and Secondary school categories. Children were praised by the judging panel for their original and creative recipes, including the seasonal inspiration behind St Patrick’s Bonfire Night Bangers n’ Beans, and Abbey Manor College’s flatbread making skills in its Marinated Lamb on Seeded Flatbread with Ratatouille and Caramelised Onion Hummus. Both winning schools will be rewarded £10,000 of new kitchen kit for their school, as well as an exclusive dance class with Ashley Banjo.
Sixteen budding chefs from six schools were invited to the final in London on Tuesday 20thJanuary and asked to turn up the heat in the kitchen, cooking their dish from scratch for the judges to taste. Ashley Banjo was joined on the panel including Sainsbury’s Head of Active Kids, Tara Hewitt, and BNF nutritionist, Emma Schneider.
Ashley Banjo, Diversity star and Active Kids Superstar Cooks judge, concluded: “The creativity and range of recipes we saw at the final was outstanding. It’s really exciting to see kids take an interest in understanding the benefits of good food and eating well, as well as learning cookery skills that will set them up for life. What I and the other Diversity guys eat makes a big difference to how we perform and I think it’s great to develop an understanding of good nutrition from an early age.”
Teresa Lynch, Teaching Assistant at St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School commented:“The entire school is delighted to have won in the Primary category of the Superstar Cooks competition – it’s a fantastic achievement and we’re all really proud. The new kit will support us in getting kids in the kitchen and will help us to teach practical cooking skills at an early age for years to come.”
Tara Hewitt, Head of Active Kids at Sainsbury’s, said: “It was brilliant to see so many young people getting excited about cooking and eating well. Every school presented delicious dishes and showed an impressive range of food knowledge and cooking skills. This competition highlighted exactly why we are so passionate about our Active Kids programme. By working directly with schools, we are helping children develop the skills that will help them enjoy good food and be active throughout their lives.”
Winners’ details
- Primary category: St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School in Corsham, Wiltshire, wowed judges with its Bonfire Night Bangers’ n’ Beans dish. Pupils’ names and ages are as follows: Joseph Rudland, aged 11, Lilli Gibbings, aged 10, and Aisling Massaccessi, aged 9.
- Secondary category: Abbey Manor College in Lewisham, London, secured the Secondary category winner’s spot with Marinated Lamb on Seeded Flatbread with Ratatouille and Caramelised Onion Hummus. Pupils’ names and ages are as follows: Kevin Bongo-Bompeti and Kweku Bangura, both aged 14
The new 2015 Active Kids voucher collection launches on 28th January until 5th May. Vouchers can collected at all Sainsbury’s stores, petrol stations and when ordering groceries online. Active Kids vouchers can be redeemed for a range of cookery and sporting equipment. For more information, visit www.Sainsburys.co.uk/ActiveKids
In September 2014, practical cookery became compulsory for children up to Year 9 in primary and secondary schools. Sainsbury’s Active Kids Superstar Cooks was launched to coincide with the introduction of the new compulsory cooking and nutrition aspects of the National Curriculum in England. Supported by free curriculum-linked lesson plans and recipe ideas, the competition aimed to help to get children aged five to 16 cooking in the kitchen.
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