Kids gaining a taste for cereal

2009/11/10

By Zainuddin Muhammad

KUALA TERENGGANU: Cereal for breakfast? It's not for everyone, especially in the state where nasi lemak, nasi dagang, nasi kerabu and keropok lekor dominate the breakfast table.

Twelve-year-old Arif Hidayat Maliki, who took part in the NST-Koko Smart Start Camp at SK Kompleks Gong Badak on Saturday, said it was not that he did not like the taste of cereal.

"I like the taste of Koko Krunch but breakfast will not be breakfast without at least a pack of nasi lemak," said Arif, one of the 130 Year Six pupils who took part in the one-day camp.

Alya Fatini Shafie said she could not get used to having cereal for breakfast as she was hooked on buttered toast.

"But cereal is part of my family's breakfast and I do eat it sometimes," said the eldest of two siblings who is waiting for her Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) results.

Alya, who scored all As in her trial examinations, said she was glad to have been picked to join the camp as the activities helped take her mind off the impending UPSR results.

"We were grouped in fives and we had to do a bunch of stuff, including creating a cartoon strip and writing poems about food."

Nestle Products Sdn Bhd field sales executive Awang Abdullah said students would learn about nutrition and healthy eating habits in addition to learning English the fun way using the New Straits Times.