Healthy Eating Policy

Healthy Eating Policy

Drimnagh Castle Primary School

Last Updated: May, 2015

Next Update: May, 2018

 

Introduction:

As part of the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) Programme, at Drimnagh Castle Primary we encourage the children to become more aware of the need for healthy food in their lunch boxes.

What people eat is known to be a key factor influencing health. 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).

To further promote healthy eating habits in our school, we introduced a whole school healthy eating initiative in 2014 through the ‘Food Dudes Programme’.

 

 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.
  3. To promote a daily healthy diet in the lives of our students with an aim to directly combat the trend toward childhood obesity.

 

 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.

 

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.

 

A word about Milk:

Growing children should get approximately one pint of milk a day, or its equivalent as cheese, yoghurt or milk pudding.  This ensures that they get enough calcium, which is essential for healthy bones and teeth.  If a child does not drink a glass of milk at lunch, he should be encouraged to have a carton of yoghurt or a small helping of cheese instead.
The following table (Appendix 1) highlights the items allowed and disallowed as part of students’ lunches in Drimnagh Castle Primary School:

 

Yes No
Bread, Wraps, Rolls, Bagels, Rice,

Plain Rice Cakes, Crackers

(all preferably wholemeal)

 No sweets or jelly.
Yes to fresh fruit and vegetables. No crisps
Yes to fresh chicken, ham, tuna etc. No chocolate inc. Nutella etc.
Yes to yogurts No bars, breakfast cereal bars etc.
Yes to cheeses No biscuits, buns, cakes, scones, pastries, pancakes, muffins, waffles, doughnuts etc.
Yes to fresh pasta, noodle and rice dishes No energy drinks, All Lucozades, Powerades, Energise, Monster etc.
Yes to water / dilute No fizzy or other kinds of sugary drinks; Capri Sun etc.
Yes to milk No to sausage rolls or pizzas
Yes to soup in flasks No breakfast rolls; sausage, rasher, hash brown, chips, wedges, waffles, pudding, etc.
Yes to No hot chicken fillet rolls, burgers, hotdogs, steak rib or any fried alternatives.
Popcorn on FRIDAYS only. No chewing gum, fruit winders etc.

 

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, Sweets etc.            –           Sparingly

 

Meat, Fish, Peas/Beans            –         2 portions per day

 

Milk, Cheese, Yoghurt                –        3+ portions per day

 

Fruit & Vegetables                      –         4+ portions per day

 

Bread, Cereals & Potatoes          –         6+ portions per day

 

N.B. Parents/guardians of any child with a medical condition which requires a special diet should contact the school.

 

Dissemination, Ratification and Review:

 

This policy will be communicated to all teaching staff and students at the beginning of each school year. Furthermore, it will be communicated to parents at school open days if applicable as well as through the school newsletter and website. Parents will also be directly addressed on this policy at the 2nd class Induction Day. The Drimnagh Castle Primary Healthy Eating Policy was ratified by the Board of Management. It will be reviewed on an ongoing basis where relevance and update is needed to ensure its effectiveness.

 

Signed: ______________________________               (Chairperson of BOM)

 

Date: ________________________________

 

Appendix 1:

 

Drimnagh Castle Primary Healthy Eating Rules and Guidelines

 

Yes No
Bread, Wraps, Rolls, Bagels, Rice,

Plain Rice Cakes, Crackers

(all preferably wholemeal)

 No sweets or jelly.
Yes to fresh fruit and vegetables. No crisps
Yes to fresh chicken, ham, tuna etc. No chocolate inc. Nutella etc.
Yes to yogurts No bars, breakfast cereal bars etc.
Yes to cheeses No biscuits, buns, cakes, scones, pastries, pancakes, muffins, waffles, doughnuts or any sweet, sugary treats
Yes to fresh pasta, noodle and rice dishes No energy drinks, All Lucozades, Powerades, Energise, Monster etc.
Yes to water / dilute No fizzy or other kinds of sugary drinks; Capri Sun etc.
Yes to milk No to sausage rolls or pizzas
Yes to soup in flasks No breakfast rolls; sausage, rasher, hash brown, chips, wedges, waffles, pudding, etc.
Yes to No hot chicken fillet rolls, burgers, hotdogs, steak rib or any fried alternatives.
Popcorn on FRIDAYS only.

 

 No chewing gum, fruit winders or sugary alternatives.