Pupils on Arran recently got hands-on with healthy eating as part of the Royal Highland Education Trust’s (RHET) Journey of Food – The Story of Vegetables programme. The initiative, which aims to help young people understand where their food comes from, brought RHET Project Coordinators Jane Cameron (Ayrshire and Arran) and Carol Littlewood (Angus and Year of Vegetables Coordinator) to Arran High School and Lamlash Primary School this October.
Throughout the visit, pupils explored the wonderful world of vegetables — from how they’re grown to how they can be cooked, preserved, and enjoyed. Key themes included sustainability and seasonality, helping pupils connect what they eat to the land around them.
Secondary pupils from S1 and S3 got creative in the kitchen, making delicious recipes like pea hummus, flatbreads using pea flour, and carrot and ginger smoothies. They even shared their freshly made hummus and flatbreads with pupils at Lamlash Primary, offering a tasty treat as part of the learning experience.
Meanwhile, primary pupils from P3 to P7 enjoyed tasting a variety of vegetables and learned about different preservation methods — from pickling to freezing — and why preserving food is important.
A highlight of the visit was a generous donation from local growers Runach Arainn, who provided a box of freshly harvested vegetables. The colourful display showcased what’s in season and what can be grown right here on Arran, bringing the lesson even closer to home.
The RHET vegetable journey offered a fun, interactive way for pupils to discover the value of fresh, local produce — and perhaps even inspired some future chefs or growers along the way.
