“This is a fantastic project that the Embassy in Washington has launched, both for marketing Sweden as a culinary nation and for broadening the image of Sweden in the United States. In the longer term it will help strengthen our exports,” said Minister for Trade Ewa Björling in a statement.

The Nordic Food Day will give the pupils at 120 public DC schools the chance to taste such delicacies as Swedish meatballs and Norwegian salmon.

The Swedish Embassy in Washington is leading the project, which is sponsored jointly with Denmark, Finland, Norway and Iceland.

The project originally involved five schools but has proved so popular that it has been expanded to all the public schools in the city.

Nordic Food Day is the first international food project carried out in the city’s schools, and it is hoped that it will now be followed by many more.

The Mayor of Washington, Vincent Gray, will be present during the day, as will Janey Thornton, who is responsible for food and nutrition at the US Department of Agriculture.

There will also be a royal touch to the day with Prince Daniel, set to take part in discussions, together with the Nordic ambassadors.

The food will be prepared by five apprentice chefs from the Nordic countries who have won a trip to Washington in a competition.