Healthy Eating Policy

St. John the Baptist National School aims to help all those in our school community: children, staff and parents to develop positive attitudes towards healthy eating and to learn how healthy eating may contribute to our health. It is our policy that healthy eating be encouraged by pursuing both education for pupils and guidance for parents. We approach this policy with the understanding that ultimately children’s appetites and tastes differ and it is the parent’s responsibility to ensure that his/her child eats healthily all times.

Research suggests that attention and concentration levels improve with the consumption of nutritious food.

In the course of our SESE Programme the children will be exploring:
· Food groups
· The Consequences of a poor diet
· The Food Pyramid

The following is a list of suggested foods for a healthy, balanced school lunch box.

food group pyramidGroup 1 Bread/Cereal/Pasta (Carbohydrate)

Sandwiches/ Rolls Pasta Salad
Pitta bread Pockets Crackers
Rice cakes, Bread sticks

Group 2 Fruit/Vegetables

Any Fruit or Vegetable items
Salad in a box,Dried fruit e.g. raisins

Soup
(For infants please peel and cut oranges into half segments.)

Group 3 Dairy

Fruit or natural yoghurt pot (with a spoon)
Small packets of cheese
Milk to drink

Group 4 Meat (Protein)

Meat in Sandwich
Cold meats or Tuna

Friday is treat day and the children may include one item from group 5.

Group 5 Treats (Fats/Oils/Sweets)

Small fun size bar

Mini pack of jellies
Small cake/bun
Cereal Bar
Biscuits

Parents please be aware that may cereal bars, yoghurts, smoothies and fruit drinks, while seemingly healthy actually contain a high level of sugar.

The following items should never be included in the lunchbox:

  • Full sized chocolate bars
  • Crisps
  • Fizzy drinks.
  • Chewing gum

As we are a Green school we would encourage parents to be mindful of the amount/type of packaging used in lunches. In an effort to reduce the amount of waste in the school children are asked to bring home all packaging. 

Nut Ban

We have a ban on nuts in our school as a child in the school has a severe allergic reaction to peanuts/nuts. This allergic reaction (anaphylactic shock) can occur through ingestion of peanut/nut products, cross contamination and breathing peanuts in the air.

Since this condition can be life threatening, we are asking for your help in minimising the risk to this child by:

  1. Avoiding giving children peanuts in school lunches
  2. Avoiding giving peanut butter sandwiches, other spreads containing nuts such as Nutella and snacks/bars containing nuts or labelled “may contain nut traces” in school lunches
  3. Asking children not to share their lunches.

Due to the severity of the problem, it is important that all parents carry out the suggested measures and reduce the risk of allergic reaction to this child.

We thank you for your co-operation.

Reviewed by the Board of Management November 2016