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Primary school children across Hertfordshire tucked into jerk quorn, rice and peas yesterday as part of a two week catering project inspired by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Designed by Hertfordshire County Council’s Good School Food Team and the county’s official partnership supporting the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Hertfordshire is Ready for Winners, the Good School Food Gold Medal Challenge encourages pupils to pay tribute to past gold medal winners.

As part of the challenge, every child who eats a school lunch during the two week period is entered into a draw to win one of more than 400 official London 2012 prizes.

The challenge will finish on Team GB day next week (March 16th) when all children who have taken part in the event will be presented with a signed certificate of achievement by Giles Long MBE - World, European and Paralympic Gold Medallist.

Long launched the initiative in January at Hertfordshire’s Olympic venue the Lee Valley White Water Centre saying: “Being the best is about paying attention to detail and food is one of those details.  Sport is about getting the maximum you can out of your body and the right food as fuel is vital in that process.

“That is why I’m delighted to support this initiative.”

Hertfordshire County Council’s Deputy Executive Member for Education and Skills, Terry Douris, who visited one of the primary schools taking part in the initiative, said: “I am really impressed by how well this project is running.

“The pupils seem to really enjoy collecting the stickers and are keen to answer the quiz questions included as part of the challenge.

“This is a really inventive way for school children across the county to learn about world cuisine, as well as healthy eating and past Olympian and Paralympians.”

As part of the challenge, school pupils’ palates will be travelling around the globe from France to Argentina and South Africa to China.

Secondary schools get their chance to take part in the Good School Food Gold Medal Challenge at the end of April.