JAMIE Oliver would be proud of primary pupils in Ealing who are eating healthier school dinners thanks to a new method of cooking.

Zip n' Steam, a microwave cooking process, allows fresh and frozen vegetables to be quickly cooked in zipped plastic bags. This method retains more vitamins and nutrients than traditional cooking techniques and saves on time, electricity and water.

Ealing Council's schools technical manager, Alan Rhodes, introduced the process to the schools. He said: "I am constantly thinking about how we can improve school kitchens and school meals and it makes me extremely happy to know that my input means already hundreds - and possibly thousands - of children will recieve more vitamins and much more appealing food everyday.

"Now these schools will be able to cook fresh vegetables on site, regardless of whether they have an equipped kitchen or not - all they need is a microwave, which the council will supply."

Participating schools include Fielding Primary, Montpelier Primary, Mount Carmel RC Primary and Oaklands Primary.

Oother London councils are now looking into introducing Zip n' Steam into their own schools.