As part of our overall mission to ensure the holistic development of each pupil, we in Ballyfin NS wish to promote healthy lifestyles in our school. The Healthy Eating Policy was reviewed in consultation with staff and parents in February 2024, with an minor amendment made in June 2024.
Aims/ Objectives
This policy aims to:
Daily Nutrition
Correct nutrition and hydration are important pre-requisites for learning. It is our hope that each of our pupils will come to school having enjoyed a sustaining and healthy breakfast, and will have a substantial dinner to look forward to in the evening time.
Lunch is an important meal for school-going children. It should provide approximately one third of their recommended daily allowance of nutrients without being high in fat, sugar or salt. Younger children will generally require smaller portions than older children, and it is important that the quantity of lunch provided matches the needs of the individual child so that the child does not feel pressurised to eat all their lunch. Children are encouraged to bring home items they do not eat, in order to avoid waste, and so that parents can see what has/has not been eaten during the day. Pupils should be provided with a lunch that they can manage themselves, avoiding difficult to open bottles or messy yoghurts etc.
The pupils are given the opportunity to have a small snack before the 11am break, and a larger lunch before the 1.00pm break, in the supervised comfort of their own classrooms. Depending on the needs of the age-group/class, the teacher organises a suitable curricular activity while lunches are being eaten (e.g. listening to a story read-aloud by the teacher or to music from the religion programme). Generally, children are not permitted to bring lunch items onto the yard, but exceptions may be made to this if necessary and picnics may be organised in good weather or as a treat.
Providing a variety of foods throughout the week ensures that lunch is an enjoyable meal. The food pyramid offers useful guidance for ensuring this variety while also providing a balanced diet:
Source: http://www.safefood.eu/Healthy-Eating/What-is-a-balanced-diet/The-Food-Pyramid.aspx
Some healthy lunch ideas
Bread and alternatives:
Bread or rolls, preferably wholemeal Rice – wholegrain
Pasta – wholegrain
Wholemeal scones
Bread sticks
Crackers
Pitta bread
Rice crackers (unsalted)
Wraps
Savouries:
Lean meat
Chicken/turkey
Tinned fish e.g. tuna /sardines
Cheese
Quiche
Pizza
Fruits and Vegetables:
Apples, Bananas, Peaches
Mandarins, Orange segments,
Fruit Salad, Dried fruit,
Plum, Pineapple cubes
Grapes,
Cucumbers, Sweetcorn
Tomatoes, Coleslaw
Drinks:
Water
Milk
Fruit juices
Low sugar squashes
Yoghurts
Other ideas for healthy lunches can be found at:
http://www.safefood.eu/Publications/Consumer-info/Healthy-lunchboxes.aspx
http://www.enjoyhealthyeating.info/
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/school-packed-lunch-inspiration
We ask that children do not bring the following to school:
The following foods are not suitable for school lunch-boxes, for behavioural and/or practical reasons:
Should a pupil bring an item from the above list to school, they may be asked not to consume it during school hours, and it may be confiscated.
The consumption of sugary foods before or during the school day is likely to have a seriously detrimental effect on children’s concentration, behaviour and learning. Due to their high sugar content, cereal bars and chocolate spread are not encouraged as part of our Healthy Eating policy.
In the event of a child/staff member suffering from a serious food allergy, certain food items may be banned at classroom or whole school level, on a case-by-case basis. Repeated breaches of the Healthy Eating Policy will be addressed with reference to the Code of Behaviour. Parents are expected to support the school’s Healthy Eating Policy by supplying appropriate lunch items.
Treat Days
On Fridays, the pupils are permitted to bring a small treat item (e.g. small chocolate bar, biscuits) along with their lunch. Fizzy drinks, energy drinks and chewing gum are never allowed, however. On occasion, (e.g. as a reward, last day of term, or in celebration of a school success) the teachers and/or Parents’ Association may provide each child with a treat item. This is not envisaged as contradicting the overall objectives of the healthy eating policy, in that a balanced diet can occasionally contain treat items.
Parental involvement
This policy has been formulated in consultation with the parent body. Once ratified, all parents are expected to support the school in upholding it, both in the interests of their own children and in fairness to their classmates. The success of the policy will depend hugely on parental support, given that it is parents who supply lunches to their children.
It is essential that parents provide the school with ongoing details of any medical conditions relating to food and diet that their children have. Exemptions to the Healthy Eating Policy will be made where necessary for individual children in accordance with medical advice.
Curricular links
The importance of a balanced and healthy diet is taught throughout the school, particularly during SPHE, PE and Science. Our pupils are also taught to appreciate their good fortune in having adequate food available to them, during SPHE, Religion and in the various charitable endeavours we undertake.
Information on initiatives and programmes that support the objectives of the Healthy Eating Policy (e.g. Agri-Aware GIY project, the Supervalu Safari, Lidl Farm to Fork, Food Dudes etc.) are circulated to staff and consideration is given to participating in them.
Ratification and Communication
This formal policy reflects the ongoing policy in Ballyfin NS. It was circulated to the parent body for consultation during February 2024. A copy of the finalised policy will be uploaded to the school website and will be available at the school to parents upon request.
The policy was ratified by the Board of Management on June 12th 2024
Aims/ Objectives
This policy aims to:
- Support the personal development and well-being of our pupils;
- Enable our pupils to appreciate the importance of good nutrition for growth, development and good health;
- Encourage our pupils to accept personal responsibility for adopting a healthy, balanced diet;
- Assist each of our pupils to concentrate to the best of his/her ability in school.
Daily Nutrition
Correct nutrition and hydration are important pre-requisites for learning. It is our hope that each of our pupils will come to school having enjoyed a sustaining and healthy breakfast, and will have a substantial dinner to look forward to in the evening time.
Lunch is an important meal for school-going children. It should provide approximately one third of their recommended daily allowance of nutrients without being high in fat, sugar or salt. Younger children will generally require smaller portions than older children, and it is important that the quantity of lunch provided matches the needs of the individual child so that the child does not feel pressurised to eat all their lunch. Children are encouraged to bring home items they do not eat, in order to avoid waste, and so that parents can see what has/has not been eaten during the day. Pupils should be provided with a lunch that they can manage themselves, avoiding difficult to open bottles or messy yoghurts etc.
The pupils are given the opportunity to have a small snack before the 11am break, and a larger lunch before the 1.00pm break, in the supervised comfort of their own classrooms. Depending on the needs of the age-group/class, the teacher organises a suitable curricular activity while lunches are being eaten (e.g. listening to a story read-aloud by the teacher or to music from the religion programme). Generally, children are not permitted to bring lunch items onto the yard, but exceptions may be made to this if necessary and picnics may be organised in good weather or as a treat.
Providing a variety of foods throughout the week ensures that lunch is an enjoyable meal. The food pyramid offers useful guidance for ensuring this variety while also providing a balanced diet:
Source: http://www.safefood.eu/Healthy-Eating/What-is-a-balanced-diet/The-Food-Pyramid.aspx
Some healthy lunch ideas
Bread and alternatives:
Bread or rolls, preferably wholemeal Rice – wholegrain
Pasta – wholegrain
Wholemeal scones
Bread sticks
Crackers
Pitta bread
Rice crackers (unsalted)
Wraps
Savouries:
Lean meat
Chicken/turkey
Tinned fish e.g. tuna /sardines
Cheese
Quiche
Pizza
Fruits and Vegetables:
Apples, Bananas, Peaches
Mandarins, Orange segments,
Fruit Salad, Dried fruit,
Plum, Pineapple cubes
Grapes,
Cucumbers, Sweetcorn
Tomatoes, Coleslaw
Drinks:
Water
Milk
Fruit juices
Low sugar squashes
Yoghurts
Other ideas for healthy lunches can be found at:
http://www.safefood.eu/Publications/Consumer-info/Healthy-lunchboxes.aspx
http://www.enjoyhealthyeating.info/
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/school-packed-lunch-inspiration
We ask that children do not bring the following to school:
The following foods are not suitable for school lunch-boxes, for behavioural and/or practical reasons:
- Fizzy drinks (including fizzy fruit-flavoured water)
- Energy drinks
- Sweets
- Chocolate bars
- Chewing gum
- Fruit winders
- Crisps
- Lollypops/sherbert dabs or similar
Should a pupil bring an item from the above list to school, they may be asked not to consume it during school hours, and it may be confiscated.
The consumption of sugary foods before or during the school day is likely to have a seriously detrimental effect on children’s concentration, behaviour and learning. Due to their high sugar content, cereal bars and chocolate spread are not encouraged as part of our Healthy Eating policy.
In the event of a child/staff member suffering from a serious food allergy, certain food items may be banned at classroom or whole school level, on a case-by-case basis. Repeated breaches of the Healthy Eating Policy will be addressed with reference to the Code of Behaviour. Parents are expected to support the school’s Healthy Eating Policy by supplying appropriate lunch items.
Treat Days
On Fridays, the pupils are permitted to bring a small treat item (e.g. small chocolate bar, biscuits) along with their lunch. Fizzy drinks, energy drinks and chewing gum are never allowed, however. On occasion, (e.g. as a reward, last day of term, or in celebration of a school success) the teachers and/or Parents’ Association may provide each child with a treat item. This is not envisaged as contradicting the overall objectives of the healthy eating policy, in that a balanced diet can occasionally contain treat items.
Parental involvement
This policy has been formulated in consultation with the parent body. Once ratified, all parents are expected to support the school in upholding it, both in the interests of their own children and in fairness to their classmates. The success of the policy will depend hugely on parental support, given that it is parents who supply lunches to their children.
It is essential that parents provide the school with ongoing details of any medical conditions relating to food and diet that their children have. Exemptions to the Healthy Eating Policy will be made where necessary for individual children in accordance with medical advice.
Curricular links
The importance of a balanced and healthy diet is taught throughout the school, particularly during SPHE, PE and Science. Our pupils are also taught to appreciate their good fortune in having adequate food available to them, during SPHE, Religion and in the various charitable endeavours we undertake.
Information on initiatives and programmes that support the objectives of the Healthy Eating Policy (e.g. Agri-Aware GIY project, the Supervalu Safari, Lidl Farm to Fork, Food Dudes etc.) are circulated to staff and consideration is given to participating in them.
Ratification and Communication
This formal policy reflects the ongoing policy in Ballyfin NS. It was circulated to the parent body for consultation during February 2024. A copy of the finalised policy will be uploaded to the school website and will be available at the school to parents upon request.
The policy was ratified by the Board of Management on June 12th 2024
