Scoil Cothaithe Sláinte/ Healthy Eating School

Scoil Cothaithe Sláinte/ Health Promoting School 

Mar Scoil Cothaithe Sláinte déanaimid tréaniarracht béim speisialta a chur ar shláinte. Molaimid lóin sláintiúla. Tagann seachadadh torthaí agus bainne go dtí an scoil sa tréimhse idir an Nollaig agus an Cháisc. Ní cheadaítear deochanna fizzy, criospaí, milseáin, gráin rósta, barraí abhair, táirgí seacláide, guma coganta & rudaí ón gcéad seilf ar Phirimid an Bhia ar scoil. Tá cead rud ‘deas’ amháin a thabhairt isteach ar an Aoine.

As part of the HSE Health Promoting Schools Initiative we at Gaelscoil Mhic Easmainn have a healthy lunch box policy. Much of the recent focus on children’s health has been in the areas of nutrition, exercise and rising levels of obesity.  The school wishes to support parents in providing healthy food that will enable their children to participate fully in the school day.  By raising nutrition awareness amongst our children we are providing them with a basis to make informed choices about their health into the future.

What is a Healthy Lunch box?

A healthy lunch box should include a wide variety of foods. The lunch box should include 2 servings from the bottom shelf of the food pyramid and 1 serving from each of the next three shelves.

Servings from the top shelf are not allowed at school except for one small treat on a Friday & special occasions when the children will be told that they may bring treats.

The following items should not be included in your child’s lunch box for the reasons stated:

 

 
Actively Discouraged:
Sweets, chocolate bars, crisps, fizzy drinks
Cereal bars’
Processed Ready Lunches e.g. Lunchables
Reason:
These are from the top shelf of the food pyramid
These are often  loaded with sugar and not the healthy option they seem
These are full of additives, high in salt, fat and sugars

Lunch Box Ideas

  • Washed cut up raw veg (e.g sticks of carrot, celery, pepper, cucumber).
  • Whole veg (e.g. tomatoes).
  • Sesame sticks, plain popcorn, dried mixed fruit.
  • Get creative with alternatives to sandwiches – pasta salad, filled pitta, tortilla wraps. Instead of a cereal bar, why not fill a small sealable container with cereal, include a spoon and let them add the milk..

How Much is Enough?

Parents often over estimate the amount their child will eat during the school day. Children don’t want to spend all of their break-time eating, so rather than putting pressure on them to finish everything in the box, reduce the number of items or the amount of food. On the other hand if your child consistently comes home with an empty box, add something extra. Take your child’s lead on this – they are often not as hungry at school as you imagine. And remember if you put treats in the box, don’t expect the healthier items to be eaten first – they will always be left behind.

Fluid intake is very important and children should be encouraged to take a drink with their meal.  The children will be allowed to drink water during the school day if it is provided in a non-spill bottle.

Foods, which have wrappers, are best kept to a minimum.  All food wrappings must be brought home and to aid in our Green Flag efforts we encourage the use of lunch boxes and reusable bottles for drinks. If at all possible try to avoid cartons of juice as these are not resealable and mostly not recyclable.

“Is feárr an sláinte ná na táinte”.