Healthy Eating & Food Policy Eat of the good things which we have provided for you. (Quran 2:172) Eat of what is lawful and wholesome on the earth. (Quran 2:168) Aim We are aware of the current situation regarding rising obesity levels in children and concerns about the effect of junk food on the health and behaviour of children and young people. We also understand the need to improve the diets of children and young people and the role our school can play in this. We aim to encourage our children and young people to develop healthy eating habits. Through our curriculum, we will promote clear and consistent messages about food, drink and nutrition through the classroom setting, through the provision of food and drink and in all other aspects of school life and in conjunction with parents/carers. We aim to provide a service that is consistent with our teaching of healthy eating and drinking thus enabling children and young people to put their learning into practice. Objective: To ensure that all packed lunches brought from home and consumed in school (or on school trips) provide the pupils with healthy and nutritious foods. Formulation of Policy This policy was formulated in conjunction with the School Council, PTA and staff and is based on the DfE guidelines on School Food (July 2014) and the School Food Standards. Snacks and School Lunch All our pupils are encouraged to bring a piece of fruit or vegetable which is eaten during morning break time. In addition to this our pupils in Nursery and Reception are entitled to free school milk. This initiative is partly subsidised by the European Union Nursery milk initiative. Any children that suffer with allergies to dairy products will be provided with soya milk or an alternative if this is available. The school does not provide lunches therefore all pupils require a healthy packed lunch. In agreement with the school council all crisps, chocolates, sweets and fizzy drinks and other confectionary items are considered to be unhealthy and therefore must not be included as part of a packed lunch.
Water for All Pupils are encouraged to drink water throughout the day and teachers also act as good role models. Food Across the Curriculum There are many opportunities across the curriculum in subject areas such as Science and PSHE for pupils to develop knowledge and understanding of health and healthy eating choices. Pupils lunch boxes should offer balanced nutrition. The school community is aware of the possibility of food allergies within the school population, particularly nut allergies. Parents or carers of children who are on special diets for medical reasons, or who have allergies, will be asked to provide as much information as possible about which foods are suitable or foods which must be avoided. This information is recorded on the whole school medical log. Pupils are taught not to share packed lunches and parents are reminded about the need to avoid sending in packed lunches containing nuts. Portion no pupil is made to finish all the food that they are offered because we know that appetites vary from person to person. However, we do actively encourage the children to try a little bit more if they can to ensure that they are not hungry later on in the day. The dining room is staffed with lunchtime organisers who assist the pupils in a variety of ways such as opening yogurt lids and other packaging. Developing Good Eating Skills Children will be encouraged to develop good eating skills and table manners at lunch time and will be given plenty of time to eat. This will be achieved by: Washing their hands and reciting the dua before eating Sitting with their friends Entering and leaving the dining hall in an orderly way; to show respect for other diners Parents or carers will be advised if their child is not eating well Demonstrating good manners in the hall e.g. saying please and thank you to the lunchtime staff. Seeking permission from the staff before leaving the table
The Role of Parents: The school is aware that the primary role model in children s healthy eating education lies with parents. We wish to build a positive and supportive relationship with the parents of children at our school through mutual understanding, trust and co-operation. In promoting this objective we will: Inform parents about the school healthy eating education policy and practice; Encourage parents (via the PTA) to be involved in reviewing school policy and making modifications to it as necessary; Inform parents about the best practice known with regard to healthy eating so that the parents can support the key messages being given to children at school. The school recognises that some pupils may require special diets that are no in line with the school food standards, in such cases parents are requested to ensure they take extra care to ensure that the lunches are as healthy as possible and discourage children from swapping food items. Birthdays/Celebrations We appreciate that parents would like to mark and recognise special events e.g. birthdays or birth of a new baby, however as per the Parents Handbook we would like to remind parents not to send in treats etc. for birthdays as there are many children who do not celebrate birthdays. Please note in cases where should parents send treat food items into school, the school will regretfully have to return these to parents at home time. In addition to this should parents wish to mark a special occasion we would like to ask them to donate a book to the class library. Please speak with the class Teacher if you would like any ideas or suggestion on which book to purchase. Monitoring and Evaluation: The effective implementation of this policy will be monitored by the Senior Lunchtime Organiser and the Head Teacher The policy will be reviewed after two years through a survey of the views of the whole school community, particularly the views of pupils. This takes place through assemblies, in class discussion and school council. Packed lunches will be regularly reviewed, healthy lunches will be rewarded through stickers and certificate awarded by the lunchtime staff.
Parents and pupils who do not adhere to the packed lunch policy will receive a note in the packed lunch box informing them of the policy. If a child regularly brings a packed lunch that does not conform to the policy then the school will contact the parents to discuss this. Appendix 1: Packed lunches should include: At least one portion of fruit and one portion of vegetables or salad every day. Meat, fish or other source of non-dairy protein (e.g. lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas, humous and falafel) every day. A starchy food such as any type of bread, pasta, rice, couscous, noodles, potatoes or other type of cereals every day. Dairy food such as milk, cheese, yoghurt, fromage frais or custard. Oily fish, such as salmon, at least once every three weeks.
Healthy Lunch Box Ideas Main Meal Dessert Additional items Grilled chicken in a wholewheat Fruit salad Veggie sticks wrap Fish sticks & chick pea salad Small box of raisins Celery sticks with humus Banana sandwich Low fat fruit yoghurt Tomato, boiled egg wholemeal bread, Tuna and sweet corn Satsuma Reduced fat cheese triangle
wholemeal roll Pasta and sausage salad with spring onion and red pepper Stewed apple and blackberry with crumble topping Edam cheese. Chicken and Small flap jack (without Tomato/ fruit lettuce pitta pocket chocolate) Humous, red pepper and Slices of malt loaf? Carrot sticks grated carrot wrap Creamed rice pot Tinned sardine bagel Kiwi Tomato Egg and tomato roll Dried apricots Oatcakes and low fat cheese Potato and sausage salad with plain yoghurt Chicken salad sandwich Wholemeal English muffin pizza (cheese, cherry tomato and spinach) Banana Mixed dried fruit Mini blueberry muffin Fresh fruit salad with low fat fromage frais Low fat soft cheese dippers, red and green pepper sticks fruit Mexican chicken wrap Mixed fruit salad Carrot sticks and baby corn Spicy beans and vegetables in pitta pockets Low fat fromage frais & raspberries Tinned salmon salad Flap jack with dried apricots Orange baguette (cucumber, lettuce and yoghurt) Cold spicy chicken strips, Fruit smoothie rice with beans and beans Oatcakes with cheese and Fruit scone salad chutney and salad Pasta salad Fromage frais Plums Sliced chicken/turkey with cucumber, lettuce and reduced fat coleslaw Potato salad with spring onion, mixed beans, cherry tomatoes and avocado (with plain yoghurt) Tuna and sweet corn sandwich (brown bread and reduced calorie mayonnaise) Chicken salad with wholemeal bread Skinless chicken drumsticks Pear apricots Muesli yoghurt Mango slices Melon slices Fruit yoghurt Mango slices Kiwi fruit Pepper slices
Salad with sweet corn and tomato Tuna and rice salad with tomato sauce and mixed veg Fromage frais orange Banned Items The following items are deemed to be unhealthy and therefore not permitted in school: Banned Items Sweets (especially lollipops) Chocolates (of any kind) Fruit winders Crisps (baked, corn chips etc) Fizzy drinks Cakes (with our without chocolate) Cereal bars/ biscuits containing chocolate (chocolate chips or chocolate coated) Reason (based on DfE guidelines) Extremely high sugar content High Sugar Content High Salt Content Extremely high sugar content high sugar content Revised: July 2016 Review: July 2018