Healthy Eating Policy
Healthy Eating Policy
As part of the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) Programme, at St. Lachtain’s National School 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 (Type 2). It is the responsibility of parents and guardians to ensure that children have a healthy lunch at school daily.
To promote healthy eating habits in our school, we introduced a healthy eating policy starting from September 2009. This policy was reviewed in 2015 and now in January 2020.
Aims:
on 2nd March 2020.
As part of the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) Programme, at St. Lachtain’s National School 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 (Type 2). It is the responsibility of parents and guardians to ensure that children have a healthy lunch at school daily.
To promote healthy eating habits in our school, we introduced a healthy eating policy starting from September 2009. This policy was reviewed in 2015 and now in January 2020.
Aims:
- To promote the personal development and well-being of the child
- To promote the health of the child and provide a foundation for healthy living in all its aspects.
- To enable the child to appreciate the importance of good nutrition for growing and developing and staying healthy
- To enable the child to accept some personal responsibility for making wise food choices and adopting a healthy, balanced diet.
- For Health & Safety reasons lunches are eaten in class before breaks.
- We encourage all children to eat healthy foods and ask that, sweets, sugary biscuits, crisps, popcorn, fizzy drinks etc are not included in the lunch boxes.
- We participate in the ‘Food Dudes’ programme periodically which encourages our children to enjoy a healthy range of fresh fruit and vegetables as part of their lunches. The success of this has encouraged staff and pupils alike to reinforce our healthy eating policy.
- Pupils are encouraged to keep packaging to a minimum. Fruit peels, apple cores etc. may be put in the compost bin and the remaining contents of lunch boxes must be brought home i.e. yogurt cartons, drink cartons, paper wrappings, and recycled / disposed of appropriately.
- Friday may be treat day if parents wish. On this day, children can bring ONE small treat. The children are encouraged to eat the treat AFTER their lunch is eaten.
- N.B. Parents/guardians of any child with a medical condition which requires a special diet should contact the school.
on 2nd March 2020.