Healthy Eating Policy

Rationale

This policy is to ensure children eat a healthy well balanced lunch, thus promoting a healthy lifestyle.  By encouraging healthy eating patterns we educate children for later life.

Aims

  • To educate pupils as to what foods are nutritious and good for them.
  • To enhance learning through better nutrition.
  • To encourage life-long healthy eating habits.
  • To emphasise the importance of healthy eating in the prevention of obesity.
  • To inform parents of the Healthy Eating Policy, e.g. Homework Journal

 


 

Content

  • There are two food breaks during the day.  Children will be allowed to eat and drink at these times and will be allowed to drink water at other times during the day.
  • Cans and glasses are not permitted for safety and litter reasons.  Healthier choices of drink include water, milk and unsweetened juice.
  • Children will be encouraged to return unused and unfinished items home in their lunchboxes.  This will allow parents to ascertain what their children have eaten and will cut down on the quantity of food given.
  • All children should have a re-usable lunch box and drink bottle for environmental reasons.

The following are suitable for lunchboxes:

  • Sandwiches
  • Bread
  • Rolls
  • Crackers
  • Rice Cakes
  • Bread Sticks
  • Plain Scones
  • Fresh  Fruit
  • Fruit Yoghurt
  • Cheese
  • Ham
  • Salad (in rolls/bread)
  • Raisins
  • Plain Biscuits (Digestive / Rich tea)
  • Non chocolate cereal bars
  • Popcorn
  • Water
  • Milk
  • Unsweetened fruit juice
  • Plain buns
  • Raw vegetables
  • Scones

 

The following foods / drinks are not allowed:

  • Crisps
  • Sweets
  • Gum
  • Fizzy drinks
  • Lunchables
  • Dunkers
  • Chicken popcorn rolls
  • Chocolate – biscuits, cereal bars, spread
  • Sausage rolls

 Roles and Responsibilities

 Role of Parents:

  • To provide a healthy nourishing breakfast
  • To provide a healthy well balanced lunch for children
  • Encourage healthy eating
  • Inform the school of any child’s special dietary needs
  • To supplement school policy by not allowing their children to bring in foods/drinks that are forbidden.

Role of children:

  • To eat their lunch
  • To bring home any uneaten lunch
  • To remind their parents of the Healthy Eating Policy
  • Not to bring sweets, chocolate, fizzy drinks, chewing gum and crisps to school
  • To follow the Green Schools guidelines.

Role of School:

  • To promote and encourage healthy eating
  • If children bring sweets, chocolate, fizzy drinks, crisps, chewing gum, they will not be allowed to eat/drink them in school.
  • To monitor children’s lunches
  • To provide adequate time for children to eat their lunch.

 

Teachers will continue to give children a sweet treat on occasions in recognition of work done, improvement in work or behaviour and in an effort to promote positive behaviour.  Sweet treats used prudently by teachers will not interfere with the health of the children.

Monitoring

We are confident that parents will give a high level of support to this policy recognising that it is aimed solely at the welfare of their children and the development of good habits.

 Staff will make spot checks on lunch boxes from time to time with the aim of praising and encouraging the healthy lunches the children have brought.  The approach will be positive and encouraging.

Implementation:

This revised policy will be implemented from May 2011

Review and monitoring

The policy will be monitored and reviewed as the need arises.
Policy adopted by the B.O.M. on 4th April 2011.