Students from the Quinta Porrúa school visited the Mercado de la Esperanza this week as part of the healthy classroom initiative, 'La Cocina de la Plaza'. This program, which takes place every Wednesday, is designed for primary school children and focuses on practical education about healthy eating.
The initiative began in 2013 through a collaboration between the Santander City Council, the Cantabria Chefs Association, and the Merchants Association of the Mercado de la Esperanza. It consists of three-hour morning sessions where children engage with local vendors and participate in purchasing products at the market, which they will later cook with the help of professionals from the Cantabria Chefs Association.
At the end of each session, the children taste the dishes they have prepared while learning about the benefits of maintaining a healthy diet. By June, nearly 1,000 children from Santander are expected to participate in the healthy classroom program at 'La Cocina de la Plaza' every Wednesday.
