Children at Shrubland Street can choose to bring their own sandwiches or purchase a cooked meal. Cooked meals are provided by Class Catering . All ingredients are sourced from accredited suppliers and menus are varied and change regularly. Class Catering are able to adapt menus for specific needs related to allergies or cultural specifications. Paid meals cost £2.50 however if your child is in Reception, Year 1 or 2 they are entitled to free meals under the Universal Meals System.
Lunch boxes brought from home need to be clearly labelled and robust enough to survive the rigours of a school day.
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A Healthy Lunchbox at Shrubland Street |
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Healthy and definite 'yes!' |
Unhealthy and a 'No!' |
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Get the children involved – learning about food and nutrition are important life skills and should be encouraged from an early age. Children are more likely to be interested in their lunches if they have helped to choose and prepare them. Don’t be afraid to let them experiment! Try new foods – trying new foods from an early age plays a huge role in a child’s willingness and acceptance of different foods. Children’s food preferences evolve as their palates mature, so continuously encouraging them to try new and different foods is a crucial step in their development of good eating habits. Shake things up – variety is key, not only does variation in the diet provide nutritional benefits, but reduces boredom and lack of interest in food. This is particularly important for children and teenagers, as they can be prone to becoming fussy eaters. Tailor lunches to the time of year – for example, a flask of soup with brown bread during the cold, winter months or pasta salad during spring and summer. Make it look appetising – it is worth spending that extra few minutes on presentation, especially for younger children. Aim for a variety of shapes, colours and textures in the lunchbox. The more pleasing a packed lunch looks; the more likely kids are to eat and enjoy it. It may be worth investing in colourful, easy-open Tupperware, lunchboxes and thermos flasks to liven up the school lunchtime. Be prepared and organised – preparation in advance will not only save you time, but will reduce the chances of opting for last minute ready-made lunches or convenience foods which can be high in sugar, fat and salt. |
Don’t leave it to the last minute – lack of time may increase the chance of filling lunchboxes with unhealthy, convenience foods. Don’t repeat the same lunches over and over – while it’s a good idea to establish a number of reliable lunches that work, try not to overdo it. Mixing it up will increase the variety of nutrients provided. Don’t forget about portion size – this should be specifically tailored to your child/teens age, size and activity levels. Younger children will generally need smaller portions than older or more active children. × Don’t forget about hydration – research suggests dehydration can lead to reduced concentration and performance in children. Water and milk are two excellent tooth-friendly choices; try to avoid sugary drinks. Don’t forget about breakfast – it’s no myth that ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day’. Break the overnight fast and set the school goers up with a bowl of milky porridge or mixed berries with yogurt and granola. It can be a long wait until small break, so opt for a breakfast that will fill and fuel! No Sweets! |
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Don’t forget that a school lunch is one of your child’s three meals a day, so it’s important to ensure they are getting nutritionally balanced lunches and snacks. Typically, a packed school lunch should contain all of the major food groups; consider: 1. 1 portion of starchy carbohydrate (e.g. wholegrain breads, pittas and wraps, brown rice/pasta) 2. 1 portion of meat or meat alternative (e.g. chicken, fish, egg, pulses) 3. 1 portion of dairy (e.g. yogurt, cheese) 4. 1(+) portion of vegetable (e.g. carrot sticks, peppers, sweetcorn, lettuce, onion) 5. 1(+) portion of fruit (e.g. apple, orange, banana, pear, kiwi) 6. A drink of water and/or milk |
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