Launched at St Mary's Primary School in Kircubbin, the Ulster Cancer Foundation (UCF) leaflet aims to support busy parents with lots of easy recipes, hints and tips to save time and money. It will now be distributed by primary schools to parents throughout Northern Ireland.

Clare Smith, cancer prevention officer with UCF, said: "This leaflet was produced by us and the Belfast Trust Community Dietitians initially for schools in the Ards Peninsula as part of our work with Peninsula Healthy Living. It came about after research carried out by the UCF found that parents feel they would be able to prepare healthier food if they had more time to do so.

"The leaflet, entitled Fast Food 4 Fit Kids, is filled with useful ideas on how to organise your shopping with a supermarket checklist and ideas for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as easy healthy recipes to try.

"We understand it can be difficult to ensure young children eat healthily every day, but with some forward shopping and meal planning, it becomes easier to make sure there are always healthy balanced meals available."

The leaflet is supported by principals from primary schools on Ards Peninsula.

The Peninsula Healthy Living Partnership is also donating a fruity face (fruit carrier) to every child in the schools around the area to try and encourage each child to bring a piece of fresh fruit to school every day.

Ms Smith said the "food you choose each day is one of the most important factors in helping protect against cancer".

"It has been estimated that diet is likely to contribute to the development of one-third of all cancers, and that eating more fruit and vegetables is the second most important cancer prevention strategy, after stopping smoking," she said. "Our long term goal, at the Ulster Cancer Foundation, is that local children will eat five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables each day - one portion is the amount that fits into a child's hand."

The leaflet will be available to download from www.ulstercancer.org .