During a week-long project, public health dietitian Jenny Coutts visited five of the city's social work playschemes and encouraged the children to talk about and taste the ingredients she had brought along - including raisins, apples, cold meat and salad - and then to choose whichever ones they wanted for their sandwich. She urged them to try new combinations of food and was pleased to find that they were happy to try new things.
'A sandwich is cheap, easy to make, filling and nutritious,' explained Jenny. 'It can fulfil all the five food groups.'
Jenny works for the Aberdeen Inner City Local Health Care Co-operative (AICC), which aims to raise awareness of public health. Teaching young children about a healthy diet is one of the co-operative's priorities.
The scheme was sponsored by Warburtons, which provided the bread. The sandwich fillings were funded with an award from the local authority's Health Improvement Fund. The AICC has produced a resource pack, to be used by family centres and play schemes, and provided parents with leaflets backing up what the children have been doing.
Family centre worker Sarah Allan observed that the children all ate what they had made. 'In the past when we have given them sandwiches, they have picked out bits and only eaten half. Today they went back for more,' she said.
