Healthy Eating Policy
Scoil Bhríde, Crosshaven
13910
Introduction
As part of the Social, Personal and
Health Education (SPHE) Programme as well as our Code of Behaviour, at scoil
Bhríde Crosshaven we encourage the children to become more aware of the need
for healthy food in their lunch boxes.
Rational
What people eat is known to be a key factor influencing health. We also
believe that a good health lunch encourages a more positive and productive
focus to class work. Research indicates
a strong link between diet and performance (e.g. a low sugar intake promotes
concentration, lessens hyperactivity, protects teeth, and lessens the risk of
diabetes. A low salt intake reduces the risk of heart disease in later life).
Aims
1.
To promote the personal development and
well-being of the child
2.
To promote the health of the child and
provide a foundation for healthy living in all its aspects.
Objectives
1.
To enable the child to appreciate the
importance of good nutrition for growing and developing and staying healthy
2.
To enable the child to accept some personal
responsibility for making wise food choices and adopting a healthy, balanced
diet.
Compliance with School Ethos
This
policy complements the school ethos of nurturing potential in a safe
environment where the welfare of children is paramount to reinforce the ethos of our school. “Scoil Bhríde is an all girl’s
Primary School founded on the Presentation philosophy of Education and Catholic
faith. We strive to proactively nurture and educate each child to her fullest
potential and at every stage of her development. We believe in striking balance
and we encourage the cultivation of strong relationships within the school and
community.”
Lunch is an important meal for
school-going children. It should provide one third of their recommended daily
allowance of nutrients without being high in fat, sugar or salt. It should also provide dietary fibre
(roughage).
The traditional packed lunch of milk
and sandwiches is under attack from a range of convenience foods like crisps,
sweets, biscuits, chocolate and soft drinks. Parents and teachers are concerned
about this trend but some find it difficult to come up with popular healthy
alternatives. We ask you to encourage a healthy lunch right from the start.
The following guide is designed to
help you provide quick, appetising, and nutritious lunches for your children
Bread & Alternatives Savouries
Bread or rolls, preferably wholemeal Lean Meat
Rice – wholegrain Chicken/Turkey
Pasta – wholegrain Tinned
Fish e.g. tuna/sardines
Potato Salad Cheese
Wholemeal
Scones Quiche
Bread sticks
Crackers
Pitta bread
Fruit & Vegetables Drinks
Apples, Banana, Peach Milk
Mandarins, Orange segments, Fruit juices
Fruit Salad, dried fruit, Squashes,
i.e. low sugar
Plum, Pineapple cubes Yoghurt
Grapes,
Cucumber, Sweetcorn
Tomato,
Coleslaw.
We
ask that children do not bring the following to school:
Snacks known to be high in sugar, saturated fat, salt,
additives and preservatives, including the following:
·
Crisps (including crisp-style snacks)
·
Fizzy drinks (including fizzy fruit-flavoured water, juices,
etc)
·
Sweets
·
Chocolate biscuits/bars
·
Cereal bars
·
Chewing gum
·
Fruit winders
·
Popcorn
·
Breakfast Bars
·
Buns/Muffins
So as to take a proactive approach
to healthy lunches, teachers will from time to time, reward children who can
show a piece of fruit or other healthy foods in their lunchboxes.
A
very simple approach to healthy eating is to use the Food Pyramid:
Fats
Sugar Sparingly
Sweets etc.
Meat, Fish 2 portions per day
Peas/Beans
Milk, Cheese 3+ portions per day
Yoghurt
Fruit & Vegetables
4+ portions per day
Bread,
Cereals & Potatoes 6+ portions per day
Treat Day
Friday will be our treat day. On this day, children can include one food
item from the ‘not allowed’ list. This
treat is at the discretion of the individual teachers.
Environmental
Awareness
Our green school
motto is:
‘GET GREEN, KEEP GREEN, MAKE IT INTO A REGULAR ROUTINE!’
With this in mind,
children are also asked to:
· take home (in lunchbox) all uneaten food, silver
paper, wrappings, containers and cartons
·
put only fruit peel into the compost bins
·
not bring in cans and glass – for safety reasons.
Medical Awareness
“Parents/guardians of any child with a medical condition which requires
a special diet should contact the school.”
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