St. Brigid’s N.S. Healthy Eating Policy
As part of the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) Programme, at St. Brigid’s NS 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).
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.
Objectives:
- 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.
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).
Food/drinks which are encouraged –
Bread/Cereals – brown bread is recommended
Fruit and Vegetables
Milk, cheese and yoghurt
Meat, chicken or fish (e.g. tuna)
Water or milk.
We ask that children do not bring the following to school:
Snacks known to be high in sugar, saturated fat, salt, additives and preservatives, including the following:
- Fizzy drinks (including fizzy fruit-flavoured water, juices, etc)
- Crisps ( including crisp- style snacks)
- Sweets
- Chocolate biscuits/bars
- Cereal bars
- Chewing gum, fruit winders
So as to take a proactive approach to healthy lunches, teachers may from time to time, reward children who can show a piece of fruit or other healthy foods in their lunchboxes.
Treat Day
Friday will be our treat day. On this day, children can include one small food item from the ‘not allowed’ list.
Teachers may give treats to their own class on occasions such as:
- End of the week on a Friday/assembly, End of term, Halloween, School events and tours
If children do bring prohibited food or drink into school they will be asked by the class teacher to bring it home in their lunch box that day. If they persist in bringing unhealthy food to school, the teacher will remind the parents of the school’s healthy eating policy.
Green Flag School
Our green school motto is:
‘GET GREEN, KEEP GREEN, MAKE IT INTO A REGULAR ROUTINE!’
With this in mind, children are also asked to:
- take home (in lunchbox) all uneaten food, silver paper, wrappings, containers and cartons
- not bring in cans and glass – for safety reasons.
N.B. Parents/guardians of any child with a medical condition which requires a special diet should contact the school.
Please follow the link to access the Safe food Healthy Eating Lunchbox Leaflet: