Healthy Eating at Bloxham
Day-to-Day Snacks and Drinks
To positively encourage the school community (teachers and pupils alike) to bring in healthy snacks for break-time, with an emphasis on fresh fruit and vegetables. Foods high in sugar, such as chocolate, cereal bars and biscuits, and those high in fat and salt, such as crisps, are not allowed in the playground. Pupils in Foundation Stage and Key Stage One are able to have a free portion of fruit or vegetables every day through the National Fruit Scheme.
We encourage pupils to drink water whilst at school rather than fruit juices or sugary drinks, with pupils actively encouraged to bring clearly labelled water bottles into school that can be kept in the classroom.
For health and safety reasons, pupils are required to take their drink bottles home regularly to be washed.
We encourage healthy and balanced meals in school lunchboxes. Through learning about a balanced diet, children will be able to comment on their own lunchboxes.
We encourage pupils to take their time to eat their dinner, and to eat as much of it as possible – both for their own health and to minimise food waste. If a child has a packed lunch, they are required to take home all unfinished food, so that parents are aware of what has been eaten, and what has not.
Fresh Start Catering
Fresh Start catering, our school meal providers, believe that providing your child with a healthy ‘home-cooked’ meal during the school day is essential. Meals are freshly prepared in the school kitchen every day. They offer 3 different meal options including, unlimited salad cart, hand-made bread, a main pudding or fresh fruit and organic yoghurt. The menus work on a 3 weekly rotation and all meals are nutritionally analysed by the Children’s Food Trust.
The benefits of a wholesome school meal is at the forefront of the news at the moment and with the government’s backing for Free School Meals for all Key Stage 1 children it’s easier than ever for children to enjoy a healthy school meal.
Healthy Eating
School health nurses promote healthy eating in a variety of ways. You can learn more about the work they undertake as part of the National Childhood Measurement Programme (NCMP) by going to the section above called ‘Child Measurement’.
Further resources to help keep families healthy and active:
Healthier Families – Home – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Why Your Child’s Weight Matters (leaflet)
Physical activity guidelines for children and young people – NHS (www.nhs.uk)