Healthy Eating Policy St Brigids Primary School Kildare Town

Introductory Statement

This policy is based on the previous policies of Scoil Bhríde Naofa and Scoil na Mainstreach De La Salle. It was formulated by members of the teaching staff in consultation with other staff members, pupils and parents. It was decided at staff level that our new school St. Brigids Primary should continue to undertake a healthy eating policy. RationaleIt was decided to focus on this area for development in order to improve the pupils’ health.Our SPHE & Science programmes endorse this view:

  • SPHE Strand Unit: Taking Care of My Body: Food and Nutrition (Curriculum J. Infants – 6th Class Making choices (See Teacher Guidelines pp 11-13)

  • Science Strand Living Things: Strand Unit: Myself: Human Life Processes (Curriculum J. Infants – 6th Class) (See Teacher Guidelines p.10-11)

Examples of Top Shelf foods that may be included on Friday:

Plain biscuit (digestive, rich tea)     Croissant                     Cereal bar Small bun (iced, currant, rock)        Flapjack     Small slice of cake (fruit, carrot)Fruit winders             Treat sized bar 

Examples of Healthier Snack Options:

Extra piece of fruit          Unsalted crackers          Sugar-free jelly pots Washed, raw vegetable pieces      Crispbreads       Pot of custard or rice pudding Plain breadsticks Plain rice cakes               Natural or low fat yoghurt

Review and Evaluation

  • This policy revises the previous Healthy Eating Policy of both schools amalgamated.

  • Advice, consultation and training was received from HSE Community Dieticians.

  • This policy was reviewed and approved by children, Parents (PTA), Staff and the Board of Management.

  • We appreciate that encouraging children to choose certain foods is not always easy. However, with the increase in obesity, type 2 diabetes and the prevalence of dental caries, we are encouraging best practice especially during school hours and after school activities held on site. For this policy to be successful, we need support from the whole school community.

  • This policy will be reviewed each year.

  • he children of St.Brigid’s are very keen to have healthy lunches and show a good understanding of what that means.  We hope these guidelines will assist everybody in making healthy choices. 

Useful links

Aims of this policy:

To promote the personal development and well being of the child.

o 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. 

Implementation

This policy will be implemented from 3rd September 2013In our school the children eat twice a day, before going out to play. To ensure good concentration it is important for children to drink lots of water, so please encourage your child to bring a bottle of water. Our school also recognises that growing children should get approximately one pint of milk a day.  This ensures that they get enough calcium, which is essential for healthy bones and teeth.We provide milk as part of the school lunches to the pupils in our school. Milk is a rich source of protein, calcium, vitamins and minerals.

Healthy Lunch Guidelines 

The Food Pyramid is the key tool to communicate healthy eating messages.It is very important for children’s energy and concentration levels that they eat a healthy breakfast before coming to school.

  • A healthy lunchbox includes a piece of food from each of the first four shelves of the food pyramid.

  • Bottom shelf carbohydrates (energy) and fruit and vegetables (vitamin/mineral rich) are especially encouraged (to ensure recommended daily portions are met).

  • Children are encouraged to drink water throughout the day during class time in a non-spill bottle

  • Children will normally have two food breaks during the day and will be given adequate time to eat.

  • Any food from the top shelf of the pyramid is actively discouraged during school hours and after school classes held on site.

  • However, children may bring a small top shelf food item on Friday, (see chart below), or last day of each term and on a school tour.

  • Nuts and nut products (including peanut butter and chocolate spread) are not permitted as a number of children in the school have serious allergies.

  • Chocolate, chocolate spread, crisps, popcorn, fizzy drinks, sweets and chewing gum are not permitted.

  • Staff will support the healthy eating policy through incorporating it in their SPHE and physical educations lessons.

  • In the interest of fairness cakes, buns or treats (sweets and chocolate) for birthday celebrations will not be distributed.

  • In support of our Green School Initiative, we encourage reusable airtight lunch containers and all waste materials are brought home.