Belfast Flavours brings pupils, chefs and producers together to explore local food, and rethink children’s menus
New School Food pilot launches at Cranmore Integrated Primary School
Belfast schoolchildren are being asked to help rethink what goes on their menus through a new pilot connecting the classroom with the city’s chefs and food producers. The School Food and Sustainability Pilot is being delivered by Belfast Flavours, an industry-led network bringing together the city’s food and drink community, with support from Belfast City Council and DAERA’s NI Regional Food Programme.
The pilot brings together pupils aged seven to nine, chefs, producers and food industry partners to help children discover local produce, understand where it comes from and try new foods. Cranmore Integrated Primary School is the first school to take part, with pupils set to meet local producers, take part in a hands-on bread workshop and design their own sandwich using local ingredients.
The programme began with a Discovery Day on 5 October, including a hands-on ‘Bread Lab’ led by Ciaran McLarnon from Belfast’s Focacceria restaurant. Pupils explored how bread is made and where the ingredients come from, before meeting local producers at a food showcase. Their responses to new foods will help partners understand what could encourage children to try a wider variety of local produce.
The children will then put what they have learned into practice, designing a sandwich using local produce as part of a Sandwich Challenge on 19 October.
The project also looks beyond the school, as Belfast Flavours plans to work with local chefs and hospitality businesses to explore how pupils’ ideas could help shape children’s menus across the city, with more local produce, greater variety and more options that young diners want to try.
Andrew Dougan, Managing Director of Yellow Door Catering and Co-Chair of Belfast Flavours, said:
“We want children to discover where their food comes from, meet the people who produce it and develop their own ideas about what good food looks and tastes like.
“For Belfast Flavours, it is also about connecting the classroom with the wider food and hospitality sector. By listening to the students we can start to think differently about the food we put in front of them and how we can make local food part of their everyday life.”
Una Hollywood, Food Adviser, DAERA, said:
“Food education can help children build knowledge, confidence and curiosity around what they eat. This pilot gives pupils the chance to explore local food in a practical way, while learning more about where it comes from, healthy choices and sustainability.
“It is also an opportunity to listen to children and learn from their experiences. What we learn will help us understand how to support positive food choices from a young age and we look forward to hearing the pupils’ ideas.”
Councillor Joe Duffy, Chair of Belfast City Council’s City Growth and Regeneration Committee, said:
“We’ve placed wellbeing at the heart of the Belfast Agenda, our community plan for the city, and nutrition is a key part of that. So we’re pleased to support this pilot which is giving young people the chance to meet some of the people behind our fantastic local produce.
“By bringing schools, producers and hospitality businesses together, we can learn more about what children enjoy eating and their ideas could help shape future children’s menus in the city.”
For Cranmore Integrated Primary School, the project provides a practical way for pupils to explore food beyond the classroom. Gráinne Dobbin, Vice Principal at Cranmore Integrated Primary School, said:
“We are delighted to be involved in the Belfast Flavours School Food and Sustainability Pilot. It is a really exciting opportunity for our pupils to learn about food in a hands-on way and discover more about the local produce available around them.
“The children will be able to ask questions, try new things and share their own ideas. We are looking forward to seeing their reactions and hearing what they think, because giving children that voice is a really important part of the project.”
The School Food and Sustainability Pilot forms part of Belfast Flavours’ wider ambition to encourage greater collaboration between the city’s food, hospitality, education and producer communities, using practical projects like this to explore how Belfast can build a stronger food culture for the next generation. Belfast Flavours and its partners will gather feedback from pupils, schools, chefs and food partners to understand what works and whether the approach could be extended to more schools in Belfast and across the region.
About The School Food and Sustainability Pilot
The School Food and Sustainability Pilot is supported through the DAERA NI Regional Food Programme and brings together schools, food and hospitality partners to explore how children can develop greater understanding, confidence and curiosity around food. The programme includes:
- 5 October: Discovery Day at Cranmore Integrated Primary School, including a ‘Bread Lab’ led by Ciaran McLarnon from The Focacceria.
- 19 October: Sandwich Challenge, where pupils will design a sandwich using local produce.
- Further activity with food and hospitality partners to explore learning from the pilot and its potential to inform wider approaches to children’s food.
About Belfast Flavours
Belfast Flavours is an industry-led network of food and drink professionals who celebrate what makes the Belfast food scene special – the people, the produce, the places – and work together to grow a sustainable, connected, and globally recognised food and drink identity for the city.
Belfast Flavours is proud to support local producers, champion sustainability, and showcase Belfast’s unique culture through unforgettable food and drink experiences. Established by Belfast City Council as part of its ten-year tourism plan, Make Yourself at Home, Belfast Flavours is now in its fourth year. The network is built on the understanding that food and drink are not just part of the visitor experience, they are central to it. From local producers to celebrated chefs, Belfast Flavours’ members help shape the taste and reputation of the city.
Belfast Flavours exists to bring the sector together – to collaborate, share, and grow. With a strong focus on sustainability, innovation, and storytelling, Belfast Flavours is helping to elevate Belfast’s food and drink scene for visitors and locals alike.
Website: www.belfastflavours.com | Instagram: @Belfast_Flavours | LinkedIn: Belfast Flavours
Read more: Belfast Flavours Live plates up a bold future for the city’s food and drink | Belfast Flavours event with Steve Orr OBE reveals secret ingredient for food and drink business success | Four schools in Belfast to receive fruit and veg from Tesco
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