Healthy Eating Policy

Introduction:

In line with the SPHE (Social Personal and Health Education) curriculum, Scoil Bhríde aims to provide opportunities to foster the personal development, health and well-being of the individual child. With this in mind, we have created this Healthy Eating Policy, to encourage our pupils to have a healthy diet.

 

Aims:

  • To take a whole school approach to healthy eating, in relation to both our school culture and the curriculum
  • To promote the consumption of healthy food at lunch time and to discourage unhealthy food choices
  • To ensure that food provision in school reflects the ethical and medical requirements of all pupils, for example, religious, ethnic, vegetarian, medical and allergenic needs
  • To make the provision and consumption of food an enjoyable and safe experience.

 

Culture and Environment:

  • Healthy lunches are encouraged; unhealthy lunches are strongly discouraged. See table below for suggestions.
  • Milk, sandwiches and fruit are provided in Scoil Bhríde on a daily basis.
  • Nuts, nut spreads and other nut products are discouraged in general and forbidden in numerous classes due to nut allergies. Pupils and parents will be informed if this is the case in their class/ their child’s class.
  • As part of our commitment to our Active School status we have removed “sweets as treats” in the day to day running of our school. Alternative rewards are encouraged, such as stickers, certificates, Active Time, Golden Time etc… Treats are only permitted on special occasions, such as end of term days.

 

Lunch Box Suggestions:

Encouraged Discouraged
Food:

•        Bread (slices, rolls, wraps, pitta…)

•        Crackers

•        Rice/Corn/Oat cakes

•        Meat/Cheese/Salad fillings/toppings

•        Yoghurt

•        Raw or cooked vegetables

•        Fruit

•        Dinner leftovers

 

Drinks:

•        Milk

•        Water

 

  

Food:

•        Biscuits

•        Sweets

•        Chocolate

•        Cakes

•        Cereal bars

•        Fruit winders

•        Crisps

•        Popcorn

 

Drinks:

•        Fizzy drinks

•        Juices

•        Any drink with a high sugar content

 

 

Curriculum (Teaching and Learning)

  • The following areas are some of the areas that may be covered as part of the SPHE curriculum:
  • Awareness of the importance of food for growth and development
  • Exploration of food preferences and their role in a balanced diet
  • Exploration of various food qualities and categories
  • The Food Pyramid (1st & 2nd Classes)
  • Plant and animal food sources
  • Food Hygiene
  • Dental care and hygiene
  • Classes may engage with various programmes and initiatives which support healthy eating, for example, Food Dudes, Incredible Edibles, The Moo Crew and Mighty Mouth programmes

 

Roles and Responsibilities in Implementing this Policy:

  • Teachers are responsible for teaching the “Taking Care of my Body” Strand Unit of the SPHE curriculum, thereby promoting healthy eating.
  • Parents are responsible for providing a healthy lunch for their child/children.
  • Pupils are encouraged to participate in making their own healthy school lunch.
  • As a Green School, the school community as a whole, has a responsibility to be mindful about the waste associated with lunches. Children are encouraged to bring their own waste home and recycle it. Food waste can be put in the compost bin in each classroom. Reusable containers, lunch boxes and water bottles are recommended. Minimising packaging such as cling film and sandwich bags is also encouraged.