Pupils from three schools in Islington will set up shop at Chapel Market on Thursday (July 10) from 12pm to 4pm.
Seven other schools in neighbouring Camden, Hackney and Tower Hamlets are doing the same on the same day at their local street markets, selling rhubarb, potatoes, spring onions, lettuce and herbs on market day.
It’s all part of food education programme called ‘know your onions’ run by the School Food Matters charity.
“Growing food in primary schools is now widespread,” the charity’s Dela Foster said. “But it’s essential this continues into secondary education and doesn’t stop when children turn 11.
“They connect what they eat with caring for the environment while also looking after their health.”
The three Islington schools selling in Chapel Market are Beacon High, Bridge London and Highbury Fields.
Four Camden schools taking part are Heath, Acland Burghley, William Ellis and Harmood.
The three in Hackney are City Academy Shoreditch, City Academy Hackney and Stormont House.
The Tower Hamlets schools are Bow, George Green’s and Phoenix Primary and Secondary.
The charity’s founder Stephanie Slater said: “We want every child to understand that food begins in the soil — not on a supermarket shelf.
“There’s no better way to bring that to life than giving children the chance to grow their own fruit and vegetables at school while sparking their entrepreneurial spirit and nurturing healthy eating habits and awareness about food waste.
“Market Day is showing shoppers the fruits of their labour.”
The youngsters also visit farms to see how agricultural experts grow food and take part in cooking masterclasses to learn about healthy dishes.
The programme is being used in a nationwide campaign to improve the school food and help develop a “more sustainable future for every child”.
Youngsters leave school with “a better, informed relationship with food”. The charity campaigns to get the views children, parents and teachers adopted as government policy.
The money raised on market day is for the Plan Zheroes food distribution charity and for more food education.
