Children at a small rural school in East Kilbride discovered the joy of healthy eating, Chinese style, as part of a recent topic.

Pupils at Auldhouse Primary learned all about Chinese food and flavours in a workshop run by Lidl’s ‘chef-in-residence’ Kevin Love.

After tasting and smelling a variety of ingredients including pak choi, ginger, garlic and soy sauce, Kevin cooked taster dishes for the children to guess which ones had been used.

Kevin said: “It was great to see the pupils so excited about food and cooking – getting kids interested in nutrition at a young age has so many brilliant benefits.

“They learn how to eat healthily and how to cook properly – skills that will stand them in good stead in later life. I’ve always believed that’s as important a part of children’s learning as numeracy and literacy.”

The children also learned about traditional Chinese cooking methods, using woks and chopsticks, and created their own healthy Chinese menus.

Head teacher Jennifer Innes said: “Chef Kevin’s visit was a fantastic bonus as part of our China topic. The pupils have spent the last six weeks learning about Chinese culture, people and language, and they have even had fantastic Mandarin lessons.

“It was a brilliant learning experience for them and we’re really grateful to Kevin and the team at Lidl for supporting us.”

The Evening Times has teamed up with the Scottish Government’s Eat Better Feel Better initiative to help families eat healthier at home.

Don’t miss our Thursday column - as well as providing recipes for healthy, balanced dishes that can be made at home, we’ll be including tips on how to save money and get the kids involved in cooking.

Discover more online at eatbetterfeelbetter.co.uk and eveningtimes.co.uk

Inspired by Chef Kevin’s workshop at Auldhouse Primary, this week we have opted to recreate our own healthy chow mein.

Chicken chow mein

Ready in 25 mins

Serves 4, costs less than £7

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil (10g)

4 Chicken Breasts, small sized (400g)

2 Onions, medium sized (300g)

2 Garlic Cloves (6g)

4 Spring Onions (40g)

1 Red Pepper (160g)

½ Pack Pak Choi (100g)

2 Carrots, medium sized (160g)

½ Teaspoon Ground Ginger (2g)

2 Packs Straight to Wok Noodles (600g)

4 Teaspoons Soy Sauce, reduced salt (20g)

Method

Peel and chop the onions and garlic.

Wash and slice the spring onions.

Wash, de-seed and thinly slice the pepper.

Shred the pak choi.

Wash, peel and thinly slice the carrots.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok.

Stir fry the chicken, onion and garlic until golden brown

Reduce the heat and add the spring onions, pepper, pak choi, carrots and ground ginger. Stir until the vegetables are soft.

Add the noodles to the pan and stir fry for 1-2 minutes, separating the noodles with a fork, until the noodles are hot.

Add soy sauce to taste and serve.

Time Saver Tip: This easy dish can be cooked all in one pan, which keeps the washing up to a minimum.

Cost Saver Tip: Green cabbage can be used instead of pak choi. Use dried egg noodles if cheaper, and add them to the pan once cooked. Buy whole chicken breasts and dice them yourself.

Tips for Kids: Give the children chopsticks to eat the dish with.