Those looking for opportunities to discover or rediscover typical Slovenian dishes are in for a treat as the first Week of Slovenian Food gets under way in what is an extension of the traditional Slovenian breakfast campaign.

Since 2011 children at Slovenian kindergartens and schools have been served traditional Slovenian breakfast on the third Friday in November consisting of milk, bread, honey, butter and apples or other locally-grown fruits.

The campaign was initiated by the Slovenian Beekeepers' Association to raise awareness among the young about the role agriculture, the food industry, beekeeping and nature conservation play in daily lives.

At the initiative of the association and a number of other organisations, the government decided in December last year to extend what later became the Day of Slovenian Food into a whole week dedicated to Slovenian food.

The start of the first Week of Slovenian Food coincides with St Martin's Day on 11 November, when grape must officially becomes wine. But the culmination will still be traditional Slovenian breakfast served at schools and kindergartens on Friday.

The campaign aims to support local food producers and processors, and raise awareness about the importance of food self-sufficiency, environmental conservation and preservation of rural areas.

The goal is also to educate the young about the way food is produced, promote healthy eating habits and increase interest in farming, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food said.

"Local food has great value. It is fresh, rich in nutrients and carries the story of the people and the landscapes where it is grown," Minister Mateja Čalušić said, stressing that respect and appreciation for local food is the responsibility of the whole of society.

In cooperation with the NLB bank, the Beekeepers' Association will give out honey with a protected geographical indication and locally grown apples at ten sites located outside NLB offices.

Meanwhile, more than 30 municipalities have joined forces in a project called Pan-Slovenian Market to promote local food growers.

Public institutions, pubs and restaurants have been urged to include traditional Slovenian dishes in their menus this week using locally sourced food.

Slovenia is nearly completely self-sufficient in terms of egg production and its self-sufficiency is quite solid in meat production (83%), but the situation is less rosy when it comes to fruit and vegetables.

The self-sufficiency rate for fruit was lowest among agricultural crop products last year - at 16%. Vegetable self-sufficiency was at 33%, while the highest rate was for cereals (80%).