Healthy Eating Policy

Healthy Eating Policy 2017-10-01T20:39:49+00:00

 

We, at St. Columba’s GNS with Facility for Deaf Children encourage children to bring into school only healthy lunches from Monday to Thursday with the allowance and reward of a ‘treat’ as part of their lunch on Fridays.

Examples of healthy lunches can comprise of:

  • Breads, Crackers, Wraps, etc.
  • Fruit & Vegetables etc.
  • Popcorn &Cereal bars etc.
  • Yogurts, cheese, cold meats, fish products etc.

We encourage the children to drink water and milk as the healthy option for drinks as fruit juices are full of sugar and very bad for their teeth.

Products that are discouraged, for younger children in particular, because of the difficulty in opening and, thereby, constant spillage (and tears!):

  • Frubes
  • Capri Sun
  • Actimel

Products that are strongly discouraged or banned Monday to Friday:

  • Nuts ( as there quite a number of children with nut allergies in the school at present)
  • All kinds of Fizzy Drinks ( Too many chemicals that make the children hyperactive, inattentive, thereby, making it difficult for children to concentrate)
  • Chewing Gum ( Banned for Health & Safety reasons)

Drinks during class time: The children are allowed to take a small sip of drink during class time if they are thirsty and need it, but only water because of the damaging affects of fruit juices on children’s teeth and the frequency with which some children may drink throughout the class day.

The school suggests that, if a child has a tendency to drink throughout the day, they should be given a bottle of water for this purpose if their drink for lunch time is a fruit juice or milk.

The Curriculum: The school will encourage and educate the children about the importance of healthy eating and healthy living in general through the curricular subject SPHE (Social, Personal and Health Education), integrated with other curricular areas such as Drama, Music, History, Geography, Science, Visual Arts, An Ghaeilge, Physical Education etc., group & class discussion work, activities and interventions such as ‘Food Dudes’, ‘Healthy Eating Week’, project work and general praise and encouragement.