::::::SCHOOL LUNCH::::::
INFANTS - 12:00 - 1.00PM JUNIORS - 12:00 - 12.50PM
Our school meals are provided by Chartwells catering and offer a healthy well balanced meal. Menus are offered on a three week cycle and can be obtained via the school office, a hot meal, vegetarian option, sandwiches and jacket potatoes are offered daily. There are also regular meals to celebrate special events throughout the school year.
Children can alternate between hot dinners or packed lunch on a daily basis. Please ensure that payment of hot dinners is sent to school on Monday's in an envelope with your child's name and class written on the front or use the school payment APP - school money.
Packed lunches should be clearly labelled with your child's name and class, as some children have the same lunch bag/box and it can sometimes cause confusion. In line with our healthy school policy please try to ensure you provide your child with a healthy packed lunch. Energy drinks are not allowed. We recommend that sweets and chocolate are kept to a minimum and maybe included as a treat on a Friday. As part of our on-going commitment to the environment we recommend that you use insulated boxes and reusable plastic containers.
School meals are a great choice for your child, but if you choose to make a packed lunch for them instead here are some tips for preparing a healthier lunchbox.
What to include in your child's lunchbox
A healthier lunchbox should:
- be based on starchy carbohydrates (bread, potatoes, rice, pasta)
- include fresh fruit and vegetables/salad
- include a source of protein such as beans and pulses, eggs, fish, meat, cheese (or dairy alternative)
- include a side dish such as a low-fat and lower-sugar yoghurt (or dairy alternative), tea cake, fruit bread, plain rice/corn cakes, homemade plain popcorn, sugar-free jelly
- include a drink such as water, skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, sugar-free or no-added-sugar drinks
The Eatwell Guide shows you how to have a healthy balanced diet and can help you decide what to put in your child's lunchbox.
Find healthy lunchbox ideas at Change4Life.
Healthier breaktime snacks
Children often like food they can eat with their fingers. Try these ideas:
- Chop up raw veggies – such as carrots or peppers, and give them hummus or cottage cheese to dip the veggies in.
- Chop up fruit – such as apple, satsuma segments, strawberries, blueberries, halved grapes or melon slices. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to stop them from going brown.
Dried fruit is not recommended as a snack between meals as it's high in sugar and can be bad for teeth, but it's OK when eaten as part of a meal.
Try these ideas for healthy food swaps.
More healthy lunchbox tips
It may take a while for your child to get used to a healthier lunchbox but keep trying. These tips may help:
- Get your children involved in preparing and choosing what goes in their lunchbox. They're more likely to eat it if they helped prepare it.
- Get ideas on how to introduce more fruit and veg into your family's diet.
- Read supermarket food labels to help you buy healthier foods for your child's lunch and family mealtimes.
All children in Reception and KS1 are entitled to free school meals under the Universal Free School Meal entitlement; but if you are in receipt of benefits please still make an application for free school meals as you will be supporting the school towards Pupil Premium funding. This will also mean that when your child enters KS2 (Yr3 - Yr6) your child will automatically be entitled to free school meals and no further application will be necessary unless your circumstances change.
Please click the link below to check if you are entitled to free school meals.
Click here to - Apply for Free School Meals
Click here for - Special Diet Policy
