Semaine du goût -- a week of taste

Semaine du goût translates as a week of taste.

What it means is that all of this week (October 15 to 19) the French will be talking even more about taste and gastronomy focusing on the following core values:

• Educating children and the general public about real food as opposed to fast food.
• Promoting diversity of taste.
• Product information and origins.
• Promoting a balanced lifestyle through a healthy and balanced diet.

During the week food professionals will be giving demonstrations in schools, restaurants will be offering special prices on their fixed menus and workshops will be organized – cooking workshops, demonstrations and exhibitions.

The aim of semaine du goût?

To revive our taste for flavor and to take pleasure in eating. This is all good as France is beginning to have a problem with obesity -- statistics show that there are now seven million overweight people in the hexagon.

Semaine du goût started in 1990, a French initiative which the Swiss adopted in 2001 and which is now practised in quite a few countries.

This week of taste is definitely gaining popularity in France as this time last year it was hardly talked about.

Children become hooked at an early age on food so why not start at nursery school?

I popped in to our local maternity school to see what activities had been planned and what they were having for lunch on Monday.

Yes, they were having a few guests later on in the week; chefs who were coming to give demonstrations, to meet and talk to the toddlers about food, to discuss what they liked and what they didn’t like.

I also had a look at their menu for the day: 

Monday: 
Salade verte/ Roquefort/ pommes et noix (green salad/ Roquefort/ apples/ nuts.

Gratin de poisson ; Poelée de legumes (baked gratin fish, vegetables).

Pâtisserie.

                                   

A healthy start to the week.