Omagh school puts nutrition on the menu

A celebrity chef has selected an Omagh school to trial his new healthy eating programme, making them the only school in the north west to take part.

Sacred Heart College is one of four schools in the North chosen to participate in Jamie Oliver’s new healthy eating project, Ministry of Food.

The programme aims to raise awareness of good food and food education, teaching students not only how to cook nutritious meals but also where food comes from and how it affects the body.

Speaking with the TyroneHerald during a practical lesson on Wednesday, Ms McAnenly, home economics teacher at Sacred Heart College, explained, “We are trialling Jamie Oliver’s ‘Ministry of Food’ programme with our Year 9 class. Today is their first practical lesson, and they’re gaining experience making pancakes using a frying pan.”

Reflecting on the success of the programme, Ms McAnenly added, “It’s going great – there’s plenty of noise and activity, and it’s clear they’re enjoying their first practical lesson of the year.”

The Year 9 students were eager to get started. Alicia Meehan said she “really enjoyed” the lesson and was excited to try new toppings for her pancakes, including Nutella and fresh fruit.

Another student, Adam, proudly showed off his perfectly cooked pancake and explained, “We’re making Jamie Oliver’s one-cup pancakes, which just use one cup of flour, one cup of milk, and one egg.”

Meanwhile, Oran admitted his pancake was a little overdone, but still found the experience fun. “It’s not often you get to do this in school,” he said. “Home Economics is great because you get to try making new things.”

Jamie Oliver prepared a ten-lesson resource pack covering the fundamental cooking skills every young person should learn before leaving school.

Ms McAnenly concluded, “Throughout the year, we’ll make other recipes like soup, fishcakes, and different types of bread to help build the students’ confidence in cooking at home and encourage them to make meals from scratch.”