SCOUTS paid a visit to a North-East supermarket to find out more about the food on their plate and how it gets there.

The 1st Sedgefield Scouts visited the Tesco Stockton superstore to take part in a Farm to Fork Trail – the first initiative from the stores’ Eat Happy Project, which aims to improve children’s relationship with food.

The scheme is backed by Diabetes UK, the Children’s Food Trust and the NFU, and sees specially trained staff in more than 700 stores teaching children about different foods and giving practical demonstrations.

As part of the scheme, food suppliers and farms across the country will also be opening their doors to teach children a range of things, including how milk is made, where eggs come from and how lettuce grows.

During their visit to Tesco, the scouts, who were aged from six to eight, took part in activities in all departments, including the cheese counter, where they were given the chance to try cheese they had never eaten before.

A spokeswoman for the Farm to Fork Trail said: “It was a pleasure having the 1st Sedgefield Scouts to attend our Farm to Fork trail today.

“The aim of these trails is to inspire children to learn more about the food on their plate and you could see that the children today were really excited and enthusiastic.

“We look forward to welcoming more children in the area to come and experience a trail for themselves.”

The scheme launches as research from the Future Foundation reveals 90 per cent of seven to 14-year-olds do not eat their five a day.