Aim of Policy
The goal of our Healthy eating policy is to promote an awareness of healthier eating among pupils, teachers and parents. It is recognised that eating habits are established at a young age; therefore it is essential that young children choose healthy options as early as possible. We believe this should ensure good foundations for health in the present and in the future.
We focused on this policy to support parents and pupils around developing healthy eating habits at an early age.
This policy is linked to:
Guidelines for creating a healthy lunch box
The food pyramid shows the different types of food we choose from and helps us to know how much of each food type we need to eat. We need to eat more of the foods at the bottom of the pyramid than we do the foods at the top. By following the recommendations of the food pyramid you can be sure that you are eating a balanced diet.
Lunch should provide one third of a child’s food requirements for the day. The most effective way to plan a healthy lunch is to include one food from each of the food groups – two pieces of fruit or vegetable, milk/yoghurt, two slices of bread and meat/poultry/cheese. Each child should have enough lunch for the whole day.
Group 1
Fruit / Vegetables
|
Any fruit or vegetable items
Salad in a box Please remember to peel or cut fruit for younger students
|
Group 2Bread / cereal / pasta Carbohydrate |
Sandwiches / Rolls
Pitta Bread Pockets Naan Bread Pasta Salad Crackers Crisp Bread |
Group 3
Dairy |
Cheese
Yoghurts with spoon (not for junior or senior infants) Milk to drink |
Group 4
Meat Protein |
Meat in sandwiches or salad
Cold meats or tuna |
In Cadamstown National School three lunch breaks are timetabled:
A fifteen minute break at 11.00 a.m. (Sos beag)
A thirty minute break at 12.30 p.m. (Am lóin)
A ten minute break at 2.00 p.m
Sos beag
Children may take a small item of lunch outdoors to eat (e.g. an apple, something from the bread / cereal / pasta group). Younger children may be allowed some class time to eat indoors before going to play. This can be particularly important for Junior Infants in the first term.
Am Lóin
Children are given 10 minutes to commence their lunch before going outside to the yard. Children are not allowed to walk around the room while eating. This is necessary in terms of good eating etiquette and also to minimise opportunity for spillage. Children are taught that treat items should always be eaten last once all other items have been eaten. Children should not exchange food items or save food to be eaten on the way home after school.
In the winter months (between Hallowe’en and February mid-term holidays) children are permitted to bring warm soup in a flask. It is not possible or safe to provide hot water in school for large groups of children to make instant soup.
The water in school is treated and tested every year by the HSE to ensure that it is perfectly safe to drink.