A SCHOOL meals catering company brought a delicious array of tempting healthy foods to east Durham primary school pupils yesterday.

All 500 children at Easington Colliery Primary School were given the chance to sample different varieties of fresh fruit and vegetables at the event organised by Scolarest, which daily provides thousands of meals for young students in the county.

The two-day project, which will also continue today, was a joint venture by the company along with Durham County Council and Easington Primary Care Trust as part of a continuing campaign to encourage youngsters to eat more healthily.

During the event, pupils were set taste challenges as well as given the opportunity of devising their own recipes for smoothies.

Scolarest's development chef David Riley said: "The first day of the healthy eating event went really well.

"A lot of children got to try fruit which they had never tasted before such as kiwi fruit, pineapple and physalis (Cape gooseberries).''

The young taste testers also enjoyed vegetables passed through a Japanese cuisine machine which turns healthy food such as carrots and radishes into julienne strips.

Mr Riley added: "We're very keen to stage similar events at other schools in Durham - it's all about making healthy eating fun.''