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A group of Thorold students shared an important meal with a celebrity chef today.

Anna Olson visited Richmond Street Public School to teach them all about making a healthy breakfast.

On TV, Anna Olson is known for baking desserts. But this was all about breakfast- the most important meal of the day.

Tying apron strings instead of opening textbooks, students at Richmond Street school were hungry for knowledge. And breakfast.

Mary De Sousa, First Ontario Credit Union: “It really does help to start that learning process off and so we really wanted to be part of that piece of it because we know that regardless of kids circumstances, everybody needs a breakfast.”

Anne Kirkpatrick, Niagara Nutrition Partners: “They’re ready to learn, they’re ready to be attentive, they’re ready to participate.”

With help from First Ontario Credit Union, the Niagara Nutrition Partners turned their daily breakfast program into a cooking class with celebrity chef Anna Olson.

Anna Olson: “Whether it’s in television or here actively in schools, kids are engaged and they’re interested in food.”

She whipped up a batch of whole grain apple pancakes for her horde of sous chefs, explaining the value of good ingredients.

Taste testers learned to expand their palates.

“Oh it’s good. I love it!”

At least a little bit.

“(How’s that one?) Ugh, I don’t like it.”

Trying the new foods today, the kids didn’t just learn about what they were eating for breakfast, they also learned about what was in it and that sparked a new interest in food.

“It made me want to try more different foods.”

“I learned that even though healthy things that you can make still taste really good.”

Olson: “Fueling our bodies and then fueling our minds with education, that’s what’s going to build the next generation of good eaters.”

Olson says the more kids learn about food and cooking, the more interest they take in what’s on their plate. so getting your kids into the kitchen will pay off when it comes to making healthy choices.