Packed Lunch Toolkit

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2 Contents

SECTION 1 BACKGROUND Page 4

SECTION 2 STEP BY STEP GUIDE & TOOLS Page 6

Step 1: Project planning/ task group Page 8

Step 2: Carrying out a packed lunch survey Page 9

Step 3: Discussion and consultation Page 10

Step 4: Write the packed lunch policy Page 11

Step 5: Marketing, promotion and communication Page 12

Step 6: Review, monitoring and evaluation Page 13

Incentivising pupils and parents to follow the policy Page 14

Packed lunch slip Page 15

Lunchbox ideas and activities Page 16

Lunchbox policy guiding principles Page 17

Packed lunch policy planning tool Page 18

Packed lunch policy checklist Page 19

Useful websites Page 20

SECTION 3 RESOURCES Page 21

2 Welcome

This toolkit has been It provides helpful guidance There are three sections developed to help you developed from experience within the toolkit: and knowledge gained from work with the whole Section 1 Background pilot projects in Ealing and information and a summary of school community to good practice gathered from the issues. create healthy packed schools around the country. Section 2 A step-by-step lunches in your school, The toolkit also draws on guide to creating a packed along with a policy to national resources to provide lunch policy. support this work. a useful guide with advice to help set up a packed lunch Section 3 A resources section The aim of creating a packed policy. consisting of checklists, lunch policy is to offer a posters, forms, templates, sensible approach to promote lesson plans and activities healthier packed lunches in which fully develop the line with the national school themes set out in section 2. meal standards that restrict access to foods high in After reading each fat, sugar and salt. step in Section 2, A packed lunch policy answer the questions is not mandatory but on the planning tool can improve pupils’ on page 18 that concentration, correspond to this behaviour and step. attainment. Schools that decide to put their own policy in place should first consult with pupils and their families, using the different steps and stages in this toolkit. About the toolkit This toolkit has been designed to provide Information, tips and solutions for primary schools to improve the types of food brought into school in packed lunches.

3 Background

In January 2015, the In the first study of its kind, in This toolkit will help schools to government launched a 2010 the Leeds research develop a successful packed team surveyed 1294 children lunch policy that will new set of standards for from 89 schools in the UK. encourage pupils and parents food served in schools. The researchers found that 82 to pack a healthy lunchbox. As part of the new per cent of lunchboxes Schools need to have a contained foods high in standards, caterers packed lunch policy to achieve saturated fat, salt and sugar must provide a variety their Healthy Schools London ) such as crisps, sweets and of vegetables or salad HSL) Bronze award and biscuits. Only one in five every day, wholegrain schools can also choose packed lunches contained any ‘lunchbox policy’ as their foods must be available, vegetables or salad and about health priority area to achieve and fried food and foods half included an item of fruit. their HSL Silver award. that include pastry must This study also found that only Under the new Ofsted be limited to two one in 100 pupils' packed inspection framework released lunches meet the basic dietary portions a week (see in September 2015, schools standards that school meals new standards on will now be asked what they provide. opposite page). are doing to support pupils to We welcome these changes to Ealing pupil’s health data lead healthy lifestyles. A food served in schools as Ealing’s Health Related packed lunch policy is an foods high in fat, salt and Behaviour Survey (2013) excellent piece of evidence to sugar are linked to a range of found that 32% of pupils in show inspectors that your health issues affecting children Ealing meet their 5 A DAY and school is committed to healthy. including obesity, tooth decay, 7% of pupils ate no fruit or supporting pupils to be anaemia, and diabetes. A long vegetables the day -term diet, high in salt, sugar before the survey. and fat, and low in other foods According to Ealing’s such as fruit and vegetables, NCMP 2013/14 data, is likely to lead to diseases 38% of Year 6 pupils later in life such as heart are overweight or disease, stroke, and some obese. cancers. In 2007, eight schools About half of all children in in Ealing participated in England take a packed lunch a packed lunch audit. to school. Many parents The audit found that mistakenly imagine that a only 16% of lunches packed lunch is the healthiest surveyed included any option. However, packed fruit or vegetables and lunches often include 36% of lunchboxes convenience food items which contained foods high in tend to be high in salt, sugar fat, sugar or salt. and fat.

4 5 Step-by-step guide

Step by step guide to developing your packed lunch policy.

STEP 1 STEP 2 PROJECT CARRY OUT A PLANNING TASK PACKED LUNCH GROUP AUDIT

STEP 3 STEP 4 DISCUSSION AND WRITE THE CONSULTATION PACKED LUNCH POLICY

STEP 5 STEP 6 MARKETING, REVIEW, PROMOTION AND MONITORING & COMMUNICATION EVALUATION

6 7

Read the 6 steps on the following pages to find out how to develop a successful packed lunch policy.

7 Step 1: Project Planning/Task Group

Choose a lead person new group if you already and set up a group of have a health-related working group set up A SNAG is a group of pupils and/or staff to within your school. people including work on creating a You can use an pupils, teachers, packed lunch policy. existing group such cooks and SMSAs Alternatively, ask the as your School that promote healthy school council to look Nutrition Action Group eating. Learn more here: http:// at the topic as part of (SNAG) or your school council. Or you could www.healthedtrust.com their school council ask a group of pupils who meetings. Include the bring packed lunches to project in your School school to represent pupils Improvement Plan. across the school. Pupil input packed lunch policy, as solutions may need to be The key to a successful is essential at this early stage found in the early stages of the project is careful planning. of development as it helps planning and working process. Before starting to develop your pupils to understand the need for a packed lunch policy. You packed lunch policy you will These may include: could also involve parents in need to think about the  more pupils taking school following: this planning group. meals or free school meals; Clear leadership is essential   What is the aim of the longer queues for school policy? from the start, so a member of meals; staff should be chosen to  What will be the end  staff time needed and results? manage the work and lead the staffing allocation during working group. During your meal times;  How long will it take? planning, it is also useful to  more litter and recycling;  Who will be responsible for conduct an impact the day-to day running of  space in the dining room; assessment. This is discussed the project?  behaviour in the dining further in step 3. This will allow  What are our key activities? room; you to consider and recognise  seating arrangements; and  Including it in your School the possible impact of your Improvement Plan.  the effect on your open Creating a packed lunch policy gate policy. involves and affects the whole For more information, clear school community. You can guidance as to ‘what counts’ begin to involve the school towards a healthy packed community in the early lunch such as snacks, and planning stages by setting up help with this early planning a working group. This working stage, you can look at the group can begin to set out a Children’s Food Trust guide to clear and shared vision for introducing the Government packed lunches in your school. food-based standards for You do not need to create a school lunches.

8 Step 2: Carry out a packed lunch audit

To gather information tool in the resources section have completed all your about the current (page 24). Hand out the Letter lunchbox activities to find out to teachers (page 25) what impact your policy has contents of packed alongside the lunchbox audit had on improving the nutrition lunches, the working tool so that teachers know how of pupils’ lunchboxes. The group or school council to carry out the audit. audit can be completed in should carry out an Alternatively, carry out a photo several ways: audit by taking pictures of audit. Audit results  Staff or school council can should be collated and pupils’ lunchboxes and then carry members can carry collate your results from the shared with the whole out a paper audit or photo audit using the Audit table on audit at lunchtime. school community. They page 26. can be then used to  Pupils who bring packed Undertaking a lunchbox audit lunches to school can decide the aims of the will help you gather information complete a paper or packed lunch policy. about what is currently in electronic audit pupils’ packed lunches. To help create a clear picture (Survey Monkey) about packed lunches in your The audit will provide good during class time. school, it is important to carry evidence that your can use to out a lunchbox audit to find out evaluate the impact of your what food pupils bring in their policy. You can carry lunchboxes. For this activity, out the audit The results from use the Pupil lunchbox audit again after you the audit will also add to your Ofsted evidence

9 Step 3: Discussion and consultation

To encourage change in parent discussions. Special dietary needs the types of foods in What discussion methods Parents of children with clinical packed lunches, both can be used? conditions should be encouraged to follow your parents and pupils need Use the Lunchbox pupil medical diet policy. You will to be consulted. A range questionnaire (page 27) to need to include a section in of methods can be used consult with pupils to find out what they would like included your school policy for this. to begin the discussion in the policy. You can use the Nutritional content and this section gives Parent survey (page 28) to It is important for parents and some ideas. find out parents’ needs and carers to be aware that a concerns. Page 29-30 outlines Consulting pupils and parents school meal provides a healthy ideas for consulting with pupils, offers you the opportunity to balanced meal option and this parents and the whole-school explain what you want to gain is the aim for a packed lunch. and why, it gives you the community. Cost chance to look at some of the When should I run a issues or barriers which may discussion exercise? Parents may feel that healthy currently prevent parents from lunches cost more money. You will need to choose the providing healthier packed Hand out the posters on pages most appropriate lunches such as 50-53 to show parents that setting for your cost, and allows they can make a quick and school, such as children and healthy lunch for less than £1. parent evenings, families to Or, hand out the posters on health fairs, recognise that pages 54-55 to show parents lunchtime, sports their views are that an unhealthy lunchbox is days and after school. valued, which will actually more expensive than a result in more It may also be healthy packed lunch. confidence and compliance possible to link with your Food hygiene and safety with the policy. school nurse, Health Improvement Team or Parents may be concerned As well as consulting pupils Extended Services Officer. about providing a lunch box and parents, you can involve containing meat or dairy due to To help in the involvement other stakeholders such as lack of cold storage within exercise, display leaflets and teaching staff, governors and school. To reassure parents, examples of healthy packed catering staff. identify cool storage areas for lunches. Taster sessions could Who will carry out the packed lunches. be held, trying healthy foods discussions? which could be included within Discussion findings Where packed lunch policies a packed lunch. This is also an Widely communicate the have been created opportunity to work with your findings from your consultation successfully, pupils have been catering provider. Your caterer exercise to parents, pupils, involved with the discussion could provide a display about staff and governors. You could process, and the school council their service, promoting school do this through your school have been involved in driving meals alongside packed website or parent newsletter. forward both the pupil and lunches. 10 Step 4: Write the packed lunch policy

Now that the information information, communicate your  Is healthy eating and has been gathered from aims, outline what food should nutrition information be included and what food is communicated to parents? the consultation restricted, give storage process, you can write  Is your snack policy in line information, and explain how with your lunchbox policy? your packed lunch your policy will be evaluated, policy. disseminated and reviewed.  Are pupils and parents regularly asked about Once you have completed Use the example Packed issues relating to healthy your packed lunch audit and lunch policy (pages 31-33 ) to eating, such as school food, discussions, the working group help you write your school’s the dining environment and can start to create a packed lunchbox policy. The school the curriculum? lunch policy which meets the council should continue to be needs of your school. It is involved at this stage to make  How are other stakeholders important to think about the sure that the policy is written in such as governors involved findings from your audit and a pupil-friendly way. in school food? discussions to make sure your Once you have developed You should include your final policy will be useable and that your packed lunch policy, it is packed lunch policy in your it becomes an important part of important to carry out a review whole-school food policy your schools culture. of your whole-school food document. What to include in your policy to make sure that the Display your packed lunch policy? two policies are in line with one policy in visible areas such as In your policy, you should another. in the reception or dining area, provide background The whole-school approach upload it on your website, and send it home to update A whole-school approach is families, so they know what required to encourage pupils your policy is based on. and parents to make changes. Ensure it is included in your Clear, reliable and correct school prospectus and school messages need to be given to induction pack. the whole-school community

about healthy eating and good nutrition within school. When making changes to packed lunches, it is

important that the whole- Read the ‘Guiding school day is thought about – not just lunchtime. Principles’ on page 17 to help you Things to consider develop your  Have you reflected the lunchbox policy. messages given in the curriculum throughout the school?

11 Step 5: Marketing, promotion and communication Feedback gained from dining room at A3 (page 47-49) Page 16 outlines a the discussion process Newsletters and website number of ideas and will help you to develop Customise your own lunchbox activities which can a plan for how you will flyer and healthy eating be used to raise the market and promote newsletter articles through the interest of packed your packed lunch Healthy Lunch website (see page 74), lunches and your policy. This section policy. gives you some ideas There are four easy lunchbox and activities. recipes on pages 56-57 that parents can make. You can The poster Talking about packed lunches include the these recipes in Sandwiches (page 45) shows parents how and relating them to the your school newsletter. ‘Eatwell plate’ (page 71) within to put together a healthy On pages 38-40 there are a school helps children to gain an sandwich selection of letter templates understanding about how The poster on page 44 which can be adapted to important healthy balanced illustrates packed lunch money communicate your packed eating is. A number of activities saving ideas. lunch policy to parents. can be carried out with class The packed lunch ideas on groups or with the whole school Support for families pages 50-53 provide parents (See Practical classroom When creating a packed lunch with examples of packed activities on pages 34-37 for policy, it is important that all lunches that they can make ideas). families feel supported and easily for less than £1. Communicating your packed encouraged to make positive, The Tips for fussy eaters lunch policy to pupils and gradual changes. Any changes poster (page 42) shows ideas parents is a major step in should be made slowly. parents can try to encourage making sure that the whole Families need to be kept up-to- their children to eat vegetables. school is aware of the policy. date at each step of the The Snack Swaps poster Make parents aware of your process to make sure that they (page 47) provides parents with lunchbox policy by providing a understand why the changes healthy snacks they can buy copy of your policy to parents are taking place, and to allow instead of junk food. when their children join the them to give feedback at school, displaying the Packed suitable times along the way. Are you sugar savvy game (pages 67-70) reveals how lunch policy poster (page 42) When introducing your packed much sugar is hidden in drinks in reception and on your school lunch policy, give families a and is a great activity to carry- website and by sending home copy, making it clear what out with parents and pupils . a letter (page 4) alongside your items are discouraged in Packed lunch policy poster packed lunches. Create excitement around your (page 42). new policy whilst educating The Healthy balanced lunch Let pupils know about your pupils by holding a healthy in 4 steps poster (page 43) lunchbox drawing competition. policy regularly at assemblies, shows parents how they can You can adapt the in class and by displaying the create a healthy balanced competition form on page 65 Policy reward posters in your packed lunch in 4 steps. 12 Step 6: Review, Monitoring and evaluation

It is important that you The monitoring of packed their own free will and may build in time to review, lunches should not be the choose foods which are responsibility of your catering discouraged within your policy, monitor and evaluate to staff. However, you could and that these can be eaten at make sure that you agree a monitoring method home as part of a balanced explore how successful with school members. For diet. Avoid sanctions about your policy has been. example, you could involve these situations by focusing on positive messages that reflect Encourage your working group senior pupils or school council the schools health culture. to talk about how they feel it members who have been can be monitored. Pupils need trained. Some schools also get Once your policy is in place, to be fully-involved in this. teaching staff or Midday remember it will need to Make sure pupils can develop meal supervisors be regularly to monitor creative ways to track progress Pupils and reviewed, build packed and help to keep up the parents need to this into your momentum. This could include: lunches - policy review feel supported in reporting process.  doing a packed lunch audit pupils who making positive

on a regular basis to track don’t follow changes to packed progress; the policy and lunches.  keeping an eye on packed rewarding lunches to watch for those who do. Page 14 outlines the compliance with your Use your school policy; assemblies and different ways that  keeping your records of all websites to support you can encourage the activities you have done positive messages and incentivise within school to encourage about healthy food. At pupils to follow healthier packed lunches; the same time, your policy. recognise that pupils have  using a time line to observe how packed lunches have improved as a result of these activities; and  write to parents to communicate the school packed lunch policy to promote a healthy school ethos. The policy should not be a punishing measure to families. Monitoring should be carried out through suitable and sensitive methods without the removal of foods.

13 The SNAG (School Nutrition Action Group) is a collective group of people including children, teachers, cooks, mid-day supervisors and a parent that join together to promote the Food For Life Project.

How to incentivise pupils and parents to follow your policy

Once you have finalised of what a healthy diet looks your lunchbox policy, like. Then use incentives to encourage pupils to bring in a you need to have a healthy packed lunches that process in place to includes a portion of ensure both pupils and vegetables and fruit. Remember to also reward parents follow your school lunch pupils that lunchbox policy. Here chose the vegetable or are some suggestions. salad bar option. Ideas for incentives may include: Staff, SMSAs or senior pupils can be responsible for  Rewarding children with a monitoring lunchboxes. Your raffle ticket for a major an electronic whiteboard prize such as a bike. policy should outline what will in your dining room. Use happen when the policy is  Reward children with a to app to record pupils disregarded, for example, slip token that they put in their that bring in a healthy a note into lunchboxes that do class container. At the lunch. Group pupils by not follow the policy. You might end of term, the class their house colour or like to adapt the lunchbox with the most tokens wins class to add an element note on page 15. a prize such as an of competition. You will need to have a afternoon cooking with process in place for their teacher.  Hand out copies of the reoffenders. For example,  Handing out certificates Eat Like a Champ record which pupils receive each week to pupils that reward card (page 59). lunchbox notes and send a try bring in a healthy Reward pupils who eat letter home to parents after lunchbox. Use the vegetables at lunchtime three notifications, which certificate on page 58. with a stamp in their invites the parents to meet with  Reward pupils that have a passport that can be the Head teacher if it happens healthy lunchbox with a traded in for a prize such again. This does need to be consistent. sticker. You can use the as stationary or for a Superfood Hero sticker special privilege. For a subtler approach, resolve template on page 60. or Privileges could include: to make lunchboxes as healthy order healthy eating as possible. For example, send  Choosing a song to stickers from the Comic out weekly newsletters to play on your music parents, explaining what the Company. player. rules are on packed lunches  Decide whether to hand  A seat at your ‘royal’ and why they are important, out stickers as a reward table (a table i.e. Nutella sandwiches are not on their own, or ask allowed because they “do not decorated with a pupils to stick their sticker have the necessary protein to white table cloth, on a class sticker chart support children’s learning silverware, glasses where classes compete throughout the afternoon.” and flowers) These rules are linked to the against one another.  Extra playtime, or Eatwell plate so that parents  Display the Dojo app on and pupils all have a clear idea  Extra golden time

14 15

Dear Parent/Guardian

Today your child’s lunch included …………………………………...

As part of our new packed lunch policy that we developed in consultation with pupils, parent s and staff, the following foods are only allowed on Friday’s:  fruit juice, chocolate milk and soft drinks  crisps  chocolate & sweets  biscuit and cakes  fried meat & pastries  snack bars

Please have a look at our website to read the full policy and for recipes, tips and ideas on how to put together a healthy packed lunch on a budget.

Thank you.

Research shows that children that eat health foods achieve higher grades, have higher self- esteem, concentrate better, sleep better, are calmer, are a healthier weight and less likely to get health problems such as diabetes later in life.

15 Promoting healthy lunch messages in school

Listed here are a range important healthy balanced is with local restaurants; invite of ideas and activities will encourage healthy food chefs into school to run items to be put in packed cooking demonstrations for schools can do to lunches. Base all teaching on pupils and parents. engage pupils in healthy the ‘eatwell’ plate and 5 a day eating messages and to messages. Contact local supermarkets to sponsor events such as food educate pupils about Use both theory and practical tasting. Ask if it would be healthy packed lunches. based sessions to help support possible to visit the healthy eating messages. supermarket and have a tour Competitions Resist telling pupils about your looking at different items to put Design a healthy packed lunch personal beliefs in food. When in lunchboxes. competition sheet or use the talking about food and nutrition, keep messages Link with your catering competition form on page 65- provider to explore what 66. Ask pupils to design a simple and refer to the ‘eatwell plate’. It is important to initiates they might be able to healthy packed lunch using the support within the school. eatwell plate. Staff select the remember that no food is a best twenty to frame and ‘bad’ food, the message Visit your local shops to look at display in the dining room. should be that high fat, sugar what types of foods are Pupils then vote for their and salt foods need to be available for lunchboxes. favourite poster and the eaten in small amounts and Compare different retailers for winning poster receives a prize foods such as fruit, vegetables cost and the types of food and is featured in the school and starchy foods need to items available. newsletter. The winner of the eaten in larger amounts. competition will need to have Posters Encourage pupils to talk to included food from each their parents and carers about section of the eatwell plate in Invite a class to design a the lunches that they take to appropriate amounts. The healthy packed lunch poster or eat at work. Explore how the winner could receive a prize art work. Display the poster in whole family can make such as a new lunchbox. your reception area. changes to their packed lunches. Healthy eating quiz Whole school events

A quiz can be done in many Assemblies – An different ways such as a assembly may be used written quiz for pupils to take to explain the importance home with questions that of a healthy packed pupils can research the lunch as part of a child’s answers. A quiz could also be balanced diet. done in the classroom with the Healthy picnic day – A winner receiving a reward such healthy picnic day could as a sticker, extra golden time be organised. or house points. Other ideas Curriculum links Contact and make links Teaching children about how

16 16 Lunchbox policy guiding principles

Consultation & participation Celebration days and events someone to lead on it to make sure the progress is successful. The whole school community Schools should try to include and local partners should be appropriate healthy foods on Cultural diversity involved and engaged with celebration days and events Schools should make sure they developing a packed lunch where possible to avoid giving include foods that meet the policy. out confusing messages. cultural needs of all their Monitoring Marketing and children and young people. Each school should be communication Affordability responsible for monitoring Schools can promote their policy Schools should look at providing packed lunches in a way that through the prospectus, website, support for families who choose complements your schools food parent evenings and transition packed lunches as the ethos. days. This will help to make sure affordable option, perhaps in the Gradual changes parents, carers and pupils are form of information leaflets/ aware of the policy. An ideal packed lunch menus. Schools should introduce time to launch new policies is at changes slowly and in Special diets the start of term, advising agreement with whole school The standards do not apply to families before the end of the community, with a final goal of children with clinically diagnosed developing a school policy which previous term so that they are special dietary requirements. fits in with national standards. prepared for the change. Parents are responsible for Alternatively, schools can Evaluation making the school aware of any such diet. There is a set introduce changes in stages, Collecting data and monitoring procedure for requesting a such as promoting water only, the impact of your policy will medical diet for a school meal. changes to confectionery items allow you to see and make etc as is appropriate. improvements. This could be Food safety and hygiene Impact assessment done gradually; it also provides Consider food safety, storage evidence for your Healthy and high-risk foods (especially Schools should assess the Schools Award. during the warmer months). impact of their policy during the Cooler bags and boxes could be early planning stages to help Curriculum links used if a refrigerator is not manage risk and identify The policy should link to the available for storage. solutions, such as seating government’s ‘eatwell’ plate. arrangements, reviewing offsite www.eatwell.gov.uk and Food Governors policy, or lunchtime staff Standards Agency Food A nominated governor in each provision. Competencies - Food Route a school has legal responsibility to Whole school food policy journey through food make sure food standards are www.food.gov.uk met. The packed lunch policy is Schools should review their not mandatory, although it will current whole school food Project planning contribute towards your policies at the same time as Schools should include the evidence for Ofsted and is developing the new lunchbox packed lunch project work in needed to get your Healthy policy. This will avoid confusing their school improvement plan Schools Bronze Award. messages. and consider appointing

(sports days,(sports parent teacher evening)

STEP 3:Consultation STEP How youwill communicate your findings to parents, pupils and staff? How How youwill consult parents? focus(Events, group, via a display, taster session, meeting, newsletter) How youwill consult pupils? (Survey, focus group, assembly, graffiti wall) Are there any events such you where can consult parents?

Who will write it? Who needs to approve it? STEP 4: Write the policy 4: Write STEP

6: Monitor STEP

Who will auditWho lunchboxes will regularly ? How youwill follow up that ondon’t pupils follow the policy? How youwill reward pupils who do the follow policy? How youwill ensure positive aremessages pupils? and parents to regularly communicated What kind ofyou audit carry will out? (Photo, paper survey survey, monkey) Who will lead the audit? (PSHE lead, PSA, school council, 6 pupils) Yr STEP 2:Conduct an audit STEP

PACKED LUNCH POLICY PLANNING LUNCH PACKED

STEP 5: Promotion STEP

Who will be part of your planning group? planning your be part of will Who Who will Who will lead it? STEP 1: Project planning 1: Project STEP How youwill communicate your to policy pupils? How youwill support to parents follow the policy? in(tips the newsletter,send parenthome packs, run workshops) How How youwill communicate your to policy parents? How youwill encourage to follow the pupils policy (class activities, art projects, events, competitions, assembly)

Packed lunch policy checklist (tick each task as you complete it) STEP 1 PROJECT PLANNING TASK GROUP  Choose a lead person.  Set up a SNAG of working group of pupils & staff.  Write an action plan. How long will it take, who will be responsible for the project? What are your key activities?  Assess the impact of the policy to manage risks. STEP 2 CARRY OUT A PACKED LUNCH AUDIT  Carry out an audit of packed lunches such as a photo, paper, or online audit.  Collate results from your audit. STEP 3 DISCUSSION AND CONSULTATION  Communicate the results from your audit to pupils, parents and staff.  Consult pupils using a pupil questionnaire or Survey Monkey.  Consult parents and provide them an opportunity to feedback on a packed lunch policy using a survey, suggestion box, focus group or solution tree.  Engage parents in discussions by setting up a display or taster sessions at a parent evening or school event.  Widely communicate the findings from your survey to everyone. STEP 4 WRITE THE PACKED LUNCH POLICY  Write your packed lunch policy thinking about your findings.  Include your policy in your whole school food policy.  Review your whole school policy at the same time.  Include the project work in your school improvement plan. STEP 5 MARKETING & PROMOTION  Communicate your policy to pupils.  Display your policy in dining area, reception, website, post to families, include in newsletter and school induction pack.  Send a lunchbox pack to parents that include the policy and recipe ideas.  Carry out a packed lunch workshop with parents.  Carryout healthy eating lessons with pupils.  Promote the policy to pupils through a packed lunch assembly, quiz, celebration events, guest speakers, healthy picnic day or drawing competition.  Ask the art teacher to facilitate a healthy eating collage or mobile display for the dining room. STEP 6 REVIEW, MONITOR & EVALUATE  Carry out a packed lunch audit regularly to track progress.  Include healthy packed lunch tips and your policy summary in every parent newsletter.  Agree who will monitor the packed lunches and follow up on pupils that do not follow the policy e.g. lunchbox slip.  Support positive messages bout healthy food at every assembly.  Regularly review your policy.  Reward pupils who are bringing in a healthy packed lunch through certificates, stickers, a healthy eating passport, termly raffle. 19 Useful websites

Below is a list of resources you might find useful when developing your packed lunch policy.

Food a fact of life Food standards agency www.foodafactoflife.org.uk www.food.gov.uk Follow links: Nutrition, Schools, Divided into teachers guides for 3 - 5 Teaching tools - this will take you to a years 5 - 8 years and 8 - 11 years variety of resources relating to food with PPTs, worksheets, games, e.g.: Dish It up, games, food route. curriculum links and lesson plans.

Eatwell Change 4 Life www.eatwell.gov.uk www.nhs.uk/change4life Healthy diet section has eatwell plate Helping families to eat better, move and advice on healthy balanced more and live longer. Follow links eating. Ages and stages section has and resources for even more practical nutrition advice section. information.

School Food Trust 5 A Day www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk www.5aday.nhs.uk A host of food in school information. Lots of information and resources to Follow links for lesson plans – Key help everyone eat more fruit and stages 1 - 4. Use search tool for vegetables. lunchbox guidance.

RESOURCES

Gathering data—lunchbox audit

The pupil lunchbox audit is useful for finding out the contents of pupils’ packed lunches and will give you baseline data from which you can see if any changes occur as a result of promoting healthier lunchboxes. After collectiong your data, collate your results in the audit table.

Lunchbox audit for pupils Page 24 Lunchbox audit—letter to teachers Page 25 Lunchbox audit—Audit table (for collating data from lunchbox audit) Page 26

Discussion and consultation

Use the following tools to help you consult with parent, staff and pupils. Your whole school community needs to be consulted before you write your draft policy.

Lunchbox pupil questionnaire Page 27 Parent consultation tool —parent survey Page 28 How to discuss the packed lunch policy with stakeholders Page 29-30

Lunchbox policy templates

You can use this example policy as a template for your packed lunch policy. Remember to keep in mind the information from your audit and consultation when writing your policy

Example packed lunch policy Page 31-33

Practical classroom activities

Here are some activities that teachers can carry out with their pupils to reinforce the messages in your packed lunch policy and help pupils understand why a healthy lunch is important.

Eatwell plate activities Page 34 Packed lunch cooking activities Page 35 Packed lunch snack tasting activities Page 36 Food tasting activity sheet Page 37

Communication

Here are three sample letters that you can send to parents to communicate your policy and policy activities. These templates can be used and adapted as required.

Sample letter – Invitation to a packed lunch policy feedback meeting Page 38 Sample letter – Inviting parent feedback on the draft packed lunch policy Page 39 Sample letter – Informing parents about your final packed lunch policy Page 40

Support tools and posters

These posters and recipes have been developed to help schools support parents to follow the policy. Include these posters in your newsletter, website, and induction pack, hand out at health fairs, enlarge and display in your reception area or enclose a selection of posters along with your letter informing parents about your new packed lunch policy.

Poster – packed lunch policy poster (a visual summary of the policy) Page 41 Poster - Tips for fussy eaters Page 42 Poster – A healthy balanced lunch in 4 steps Page 43 Poster – Packed lunch money saving ideas Page 44 Poster – Sandwiches. Healthy sandwich ideas. Page 45 Poster - Smart lunchbox snack swaps Page 46 Poster – Pupil award scheme posters for the dining room. Page 47-49 Poster - One minute packed lunches under £1 Page 50-53 Poster – Cost of healthy vs unhealthy lunchbox Page 54-55 Recipes – Packed lunch ideas Page 56- 57

Award and incentives

Use these certificates, passports and stickers to award pupils who follow your policy.

Healthy packed lunch award Page 58 Superfood hero stickers Page 59 Superfood Hero sticker award chart Page 60 Where to purchase stickers and stamps Page 61 Eat Like A Champ award card Page 62

Activities for pupils and parents Carry out Sugar Savvy with parents or pupils at a health fair or workshop. The drawing competition and planning tool can be completed by pupils in class. Healthy lunchbox planning tool Page 63- 64 Drawing Competition Page 65-66 Are you sugar savvy? Page 67- 70

The Eat Well Plate

Use the Eat Well plate to educate parents and pupils about your policy.

The Eatwell plate – lunchbox version Page 71 Eatwell plate - blank Page 72

Purchase resources and customise own tools

Create your own lunchbox flyer or order more resources.

Comic Company packed lunch resources Page 73 Customise your own lunchbox tools Page 74 23

LUNCHBOX AUDIT

Year Group:

What have you got in your lunchbox today? (write or draw)

Do you have a drink today?

 Yes. What is the drink?  No

SCHOOL USE ONLY

 Fruit (fresh, canned, dried)  Protein (Meat, fish & other alternatives)  Vegetables (salad, crudités, sandwich fillings)  High fat snacks (crisps, quavers, chapatti)  Dairy (Milk, cheese, yoghurt)  Water  Starchy foods (bread, other cereals & potatoes)  Sugary drink (soft drink, juice, cordial, chocolate milk)  Sugary snacks (chocolate, bars, cakes, biscuits

LUNCHBOX AUDIT – LETTER TO TEACHERS

Dear teacher Please photocopy the Lunchbox Audit Sheet for all the children in your school who bring a lunchbox for some/all of the week.

They will need to look inside their lunchbox before lunch time and be given the opportunity to draw and label the contents. Can teachers please help the children with this task, as we need as much information as possible about the contents of their lunchboxes. The completed sheets will be returned to me and I will be analysing the results against the eatwell plate.

Below is a table giving some more detail about what we count as one portion of the different types of food in lunchboxes – please use this for your reference. This is a rough guide only – the idea is to get a general picture of what is in each lunchbox..

FOOD GROUP 1 PORTION

Fruit and vegetables  Apple / banana / orange / 2 satsumas / slice of melon  Handful of fruit  Salad bowl  Carrot / celery sticks Bread, other cereals and potatoes  2 slices bread (ie 1 sandwich)  1 whole pitta bread  1 average cob  1 pizza slice  Potato salad / pasta salad Milk and dairy foods  1 cheese filled sandwich  Cheese cubes / slices  Carton of milk  Yoghurt pot (plain fruit type yoghurt) Meat, fish and alternatives  1 meat or fish filled sandwich  Chicken drumstick  Houmous as a dip  1 egg filled sandwich  Lentils and other beans/pulses Foods containing fat, foods  Chocolate bar / muesli bar / flapjack containing sugar  2 x biscuits (digestive type)  Chocolate mousse / dessert or pudding  Jam, butter, margarine or mayo in sandwich  Sausage roll / spring roll  Samosa / bhaji / pakora Sweet drinks  1 popper/carton/bottle of juice or fruit drink  1 can sweetened or fizzy drink  Chocolate milk

tinned dried, fresh, Fruit:

crudités filing, sandwich salad, Vegetables:

The following form is for use in in following formisThe foruse schools toobserve madeby choices pupils

milk, custard cheese, yoghurt, Dairy:

PACKED LUNCH AND SCHOOL MEAL AND SCHOOL LUNCH PACKED PACKED LUNCH AND SCHOOL MEAL AUDIT

The following form is for use in schools crackers to rice,pasta, observe Bread, food: Starchy choices made by pupils

Fruit: Vegetables: Dairy: Starchy Protein: High fat Sweet Drinks fresh, dried, salad, yoghurt, food: Meat, fish, snacks : snacks: tinned sandwich cheese, Bread, egg, pulses crisps, chocolate, Water Sweet: juice filing, milk, custard pasta, rice, quavers muesli bar, drinks such

crudités crackers egg, pulses fish, Meat, Protein: cakes, as Ribena, biscuits, calypso, fruit sweets shoot

quavers crisps, : snacks High fat

AUDIT chocolate, chocolate, snacks: Sweet sweets biscuits, cakes, muesli bar,

Water

Drinks Sweet: shoot fruit calypso, Ribena, as such drinks

juice juice 26 26 LUNCHBOX QUESTIONNAIRE

Name:

Class:

1. Why did you bring a packed lunch? ...... 2. Of all the foods that you have regularly in your lunchbox what is your favourite food and what is your least favourite food?

Favourite food Least favourite food

3. If you could have anything you wanted in your lunchbox, what would you have? ...... 4. Do you think there are foods that should not be allowed in lunchboxes? Yes  No  5. If yes, which foods would they be?...... 6. Why should these foods not be allowed?...... 7. What do you do with the food in your lunchbox that you don’t like? ......

Dear Parent/Carer

As you know our school is dedicated to developing the health and wellbeing of all children and staff. This term the school council is looking at healthy balanced packed lunches within the school. We want you to be involved in this too and value your help in finding out what would encourage children to eat healthy balanced packed lunches. Please return the completed questionnaire by (insert date) to the school office. Please circle one box as appropriate. 1. Does your child take a packed lunch?

Yes No Sometimes

2. If your child takes a packed lunch, please could you explain why? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………… 3. Would you like some advice about what makes up a healthy balanced packed lunch for your child?

Yes No Sometimes

4. Would you like some ideas and suggestions for healthy packed foods?

Yes No Sometimes

5. Would you like recipes for foods/snacks to make to include in packed lunches?

Yes No Sometimes

6. Do you think that some types of foods (for example crisps, sweets or fizzy drinks) should be discouraged or not allowed in packed lunches?

Yes No Sometimes

7. If yes, which types of foods should be discourages or not allowed in packed lunches? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 8. Any other suggestions/requests? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Thank you for taking the time to complete and return this survey.

HOW TO DISCUSS THE PACKED LUNCH POLICY WITH STAKEHOLDERS

Questionnaire and Surveys

Questionnaires and surveys can help gather information from a lot of people quickly. Lots of questions can be sued such as:

Closed questions

 Does your child take a packed lunch to school? YES  NO 

 Do you feel your child’s packed lunch is healthy? YES  NO 

 What is your favourite food in your packed lunch? YES  NO 

 What is your least favourite food in your packed lunch? YES  NO 

 Do you think there are foods that should not be allowed in YES  NO  lunchboxes?

Open questions

 Why do you bring in a packed lunch or why do you give your child a packed lunch?

 What do you regularly include in your child’s packed unch?

 What foods do you think should be discouraged in packed lunches?

 Why should these foods be discouraged?

Boxes and stickers (pupils)

This method can be used as another option to the questionnaire idea above and is more suitable for gaining information from younger pupils. This activity involves giving pupils questions with possible answers; the pupils use coloured pens or stickers to select their answer. Questions may include:

 Do you take a packed lunch to school? YES  NO 

 Do you have fruit or vegetables in your packed lunch? YES  NO 

Suggestion box (parents and children)

A suggestion box can be used for the whole school community to offer ideas, bring up problems or ask questions about packed lunches. Using a suggestion box can encourage pupils/parents to put across their views and questions in secret which may be more appealing to those who do not want to be known. A box can be put in reception and everyone is encouraged to contribute.

Focus groups

Focus groups can be used with many groups of people, parents and children included. For focus groups to be successful it is important that those involved provide their true opinions to the questions asked. The types of questions used are similar to those open questions sued within a questionnaire. Open questions need to be used to allow for conversation to develop between those involved. A focus group will require a lead person to lead the activity with another to write ideas on a flip chart, this could be another member of staff or a pupil. Your focus group could be carried out with a parents group already set up or with the school council. Focus groups allow schools to develop a greater understanding of the problems faced by pupils and parents and give the chance to ask and investigate some of these problems further. Example questions can include:  Why do your children have packed lunches?  What do you feel is a healthy packed lunch?  Do you feel your child’s or own packed lunch is healthy?  How do you think we can make packed lunches healthier within school?  What so you feel prevents parents from providing healthy packed lunches?  How do you think we can address these ideas?  Which foods do you feel should be discouraged within packed lunches? Problem wall/ solution tree / graffiti wall

This method could be used within a school to give all stakeholders an opportunity to input their ideas including pupils, teachers and parents. This would also be a suitable method of discussion at events such as parents evening.

Dining room activity

You may wish to think about the eating environment at the same time as writing your policy. This activity can be used to gain feedback from pupils about the dining room in particular. Ask pupils to draw a plan of the dining room; use happy and sad faces for primary pupils and coloured post it notes for secondary pupils, encourage them to think about and write down the things they like and dislike about the dining environment. Once they have completed this, ask pupils to think about what they can do to improve the areas they dislike so you can start to develop a plan for your dining room.

EXAMPLE PACKED LUNCH POLICY

1. Introduction What children eat at school is important and school lunches have to meet strict standards to provide 1/3 of a child’s nutrient requirements. Research from the Food Standards Agency (School Lunchbox Survey, 2004) and later research by the School Food Trust has shown that the majority of lunchboxes surveyed were high in fat, sugar and salt. The policy should form part of the overall food in school policy. {Also mention here the results from your packed lunch audit and feedback from your parent surveys}. 2. Aim This policy has been drawn up in consultation with parents, pupils and staff with the following aims:  To improve the nutritional quality of packed lunches and other foods taken into schools.  To ensure that all packed lunches brought from home (or on school trips) provide the child with healthy food that is similar in its nutritional value to food served in schools.  To make a positive contribution to children’s health by encouraging healthy eating habits in childhood setting a trend for lifelong changes.  To contribute to the self-evaluation for review by Ofsted

This policy applies to all pupils and parents providing packed lunches and other foods to be consumed within school or on school trips during normal school hours. This packed lunch policy promotes a whole school approach to food and healthy eating. 3. The policy

 The school will work with the pupils to provide attractive dining room arrangements.  The school will work with parents to ensure that packed lunches abide by the standards .  The school will ensure that free, fresh drinking water is readily available at all times.  Pupils are advised to bring packed lunches in insulated bags with freezer blocks where possible to stop the food going off.  Glass bottles and tins are not permitted due to safety issues that could arise.  Wherever possible the school will ensure that packed lunch pupils and school dinner pupils will be able to sit and eat together.  All uneaten food and waste will be kept in the lunchbox and returned home with the child so that parents are able to monitor their child’s food consumption

Food contained in a packed lunch Packed lunches should be based on the Eat Well plate model and should include the following every day:  Fruit and Vegetables - at least one portion of fruit and one portion of vegetables or salad.  Non-dairy source of protein - meat, fish, egg, beans or pulses such as lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas, hummus and falafel.  A starchy food like bread, pasta, rice, couscous, noodles, potatoes or other type of cereals. 31

 Dairy foods such as milk, cheese, yoghurt, fromage frais  Drinks - the school provides water but a healthier drinks, such as water, 100% pure fruit juice, semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, yoghurt or milk drinks and smoothies.  Oily fish, such as salmon, should be included at least once every three weeks.

To keep packed lunches in line with the food based standards for school meals, packed lunches should not include:  High fat, high salt, high sugar snacks such as crisps, sweet popcorn, other high fat / salt packet savoury snacks such as crisps.  Confectionery such as chocolate bars, chocolate-coated biscuits, sweets and chewing gum.  Chocolate spread, honey, jam or marmalade as a sandwich filling.  Cereal bars and fruit bars.  Fizzy / sugary drinks or fruit flavoured squash. This includes diet drinks and energy drinks which can contain high levels of caffeine and other additives and are not suitable for children.

Occasionally, the following may be included:  Meat products such as sausage rolls, individual pies, corned meat and sausages / chipolatas should be included only occasionally due to their high fat and salt content.  Cakes and plain biscuits are allowed but children should be encouraged to eat these only as part of a balanced meal.  Schools may wish to consider allowing children to bring in crisps on a Friday when many schools have fish and chips on the school meal menu.

Special diets and allergies {Be aware of nut allergies. Visit the www.allergyinschools.co.uk website for accurate, reliable information on managing allergies in schools. It is not advised that a school adopts a nut free policy.}

The school also recognises that some pupils may require special diets that do not allow for the standards to be met exactly. In this case parents are urged to be responsible in ensuring that packed lunches are as healthy as possible. For these reasons pupils are also not permitted to swap food items. Health and safety It is the responsibility of the parents / carers to provide an appropriate packed lunch container where food items can be stored securely and appropriately until the lunchtime period. Parents are advised to include an ice pack. Food products prepared and stored in ambient temperatures after a period of time can have increased levels of bacteria in them. Storage of Packed Lunches The school will provide storage area / facilities for packed lunch bags, in the most convenient place possible. However the school cannot provide cooled storage areas and therefore cannot take legal responsibility for foods prepared at home and then brought into school. Assessment, evaluation and reviewing:

 Packed lunches will be regularly reviewed by teaching staff / catering staff / midday meal supervisors / pre-identified pupil packed lunch helpers {delete as appropriate}.  Healthy lunches will be {rewarded / acknowledged / celebrated} by... {stickers /congratulatory letters home / assembly}  Parents and pupils who do not adhere to the Packed Lunch Policy will…{examples of actions that could be taken: receive a leaflet in the packed lunch informing them of the policy / be invited to a packed lunch workshop}. If a child regularly brings a packed lunch that does not conform to the policy then the school will contact the parents to discuss this.  {We recommend that if items are confiscated, that they are returned to the child at the end of the day with a note to the parent. Consideration also needs to be given to children with wholly inappropriate packed lunches, as they will need to be given an alternative if all of their food is confiscated - some schools provide the child with a school meal and charge the parent.} Pupils with special diet or food allergies will be given due consideration.

7. Dissemination of the policy

 The school will write to all new and existing parents / carers to inform them of the policy.  The policy will be available on the school’s website and will be incorporated into the school prospectus.  The school will use opportunities such as parents evenings to promote this policy as part of the whole school approach to healthier eating.  All school staff, including teaching and catering staff as well as the school nurse will be informed of this policy and will support its implementation.

8. Policy Review This policy will be reviewed as part of the schools agreed policy review process. In addition any major legislative or governmental changes regarding school food may lead to this policy being amended.

Signed: Date: Policy review date:

PRACTICAL ACTIVITY – HEALTHY LUNCHES USING THE EATWELL PLATE LEARNING OBJECTIVES By the end of the session pupils will:

 State three foods from each ‘eatwell’ section that could be put into a packed lunch  Design a healthy meal using the ‘eatwell’ plate as a guide  Produce a design of their healthy packed lunch to be used as part of a display for their health week/parent evening/ school display RESOURCES REQUIRED TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGIES

 Eatwell plate floor mat or poster  Small group and whole group activity  Food pictures or replica food models  Individual worksheets  Materials such as paper, card and pens for pupils to draw their lunchbox ideas  Lunchbox template LESSON OUTLINE STRUCTURE KEY DISCUSSION POINTS TIME TAKEN

Introduction to  A short discussion to introduce the pupils to food 15 minutes the session and why we need to eat healthy diet? What types of food do they enjoy eating?  Whole class to be shown the ‘eatwell’ plate using a poster/floor mat. Discussion about each of the food groups.  Give pupils food cards and ask them which food group they would place them in.  Each pupil to note the correct number of portions for each section. Choosing foods  In pairs or groups pupils to list the items that could 15 minutes to make a go into each ‘eatwell’ section suitable for a healthy lunch lunchbox.  Put together a class list, using floor mat and models wherever possible or create a board list. Design a healthy  Pupils to design their healthy packed lunch, each 20 minutes lunch activity child given a blank template Summary Give a summary and talk about the main points from the 10 minutes session asking pupils to show their designs to the rest of the class. EVALUATION AND REFELCTION

What went well: Even better if: PRACTICAL ACTIVITY – COOKING IN CLASSROOM/ TUNA PASTA SALAD 34

PRACTICAL ACTIVITY – HEALTHY LUNCHES USING THE EATWELL PLATE LEARNING OBJECTIVES By the end of the session pupils will:

What went well: Even better if: PRACTICALLEARNING OBJECTIVES ACTIVITY – COOKING IN CLASSROOM/ TUNA PASTA SALAD  34 LEARNING Encourage OBJECTIVES children to try out new foods;  Strengthen healthy eating messages  Encourage children to try out new foods;  Encourage ideas for packed lunches  Strengthen healthy eating messages RESOURCES Encourage REQUIRED ideas for packed lunches RESOURCESEQUIPMENT REQUIRED INGREDIENTS RESOURCES EQUIPMENT Chopping board INGREDIENTS Cooked pasta, sweetcorn, RESOURCES 5 a day information  Knife and spoons tuna, cucumber, red onion,  Recipes for children to  Chopping board  Cooked pasta, sweetcorn,  5 a day information  Mixing bowl cherry tomatoes and salad follow can be found at  Knife and spoons tuna, cucumber, red onion,  Recipes for children to  Plates cream www.foodafactoflife.org.uk  Mixing bowl cherry tomatoes and salad follow can be found at LESSON Plates OUTLINE cream www.foodafactoflife.org.uk LESSONKEY DISCUSSION OUTLINE POINTS TIME KEY DISCUSSIONIntroduce the POINTS activity TIME10 minute  Ask the pupils what they need to consider before they start the activity.  Introduce the activity 10 minute Explain the importance of washing hands before handling food. Also,  Ask the pupils what they need to consider before they start the activity. explain that if any food is dropped on the floor it should be thrown away. Explain the importance of washing hands before handling food. Also,  All pupils to wash their hands explain that if any food is dropped on the floor it should be thrown away.  Split children into groups around the tables  All pupils to wash their hands  SplitTake children the pupils into through groups each around of the the ingredients tables that will be sued to make 10 minute the recipe. Use this time to talk about:  Take the pupils through each of the ingredients that will be sued to make 10 minute  What counts towards their 5 a day (e.g. fresh, frozen, canned, juice) the recipe. Use this time to talk about:  The ‘eatwell’ plate  What counts towards their 5 a day (e.g. fresh, frozen, canned, juice)  Allow the children to try any ingredients they haven’t eaten before  The ‘eatwell’ plate  Talk to the group about equipment they will be using  Allow the children to try any ingredients they haven’t eaten before  Take this opportunity to talk about the importance of good knife skills and  Talk to the group about equipment they will be using how care must be taken with sharp knives  Take this opportunity to talk about the importance of good knife skills and  Showhow care the mustclass behow taken to make with sharpa pasta knives salad 5 minute  ShowGive each the class table howa tray to ofmake ingredients. a pasta saladAllow them time to use the recipe to 515 minute minute guide them on how to make the pasta salad  Give each table a tray of ingredients. Allow them time to use the recipe to 15 minute  guideWash themall equipment on how to make the pasta salad 15 minute  Give out the recipe sheets for the children to complete  Wash all equipment 15 minute  Talk with the class about their likes, dislikes and so on  Give out the recipe sheets for the children to complete EVALUATION Talk with AND the class REFELCTION about their likes, dislikes and so on EVALUATIONWhat went well: AND REFELCTION

WhatEven betterwent well: if: EvenPRACTICAL better if: ACTIVITY – FOOD TASTINGS/HEALTHY PACKED LUNCHES PLEARNINGRACTICAL OBJECTIVES ACTIVITY – FOOD TASTINGS/HEALTHY PACKED LUNCHES

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 35

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

 Encourage children to try out new foods;  Strengthen healthy eating messages  Encourage ideas for packed lunches RESOURCES REQUIRED EQUIPMENT INGREDIENTS RESOURCES

 Chopping board  Cooked pasta, sweetcorn,  5 a day information  Knife and spoons tuna, cucumber, red onion,  Recipes for children to  Mixing bowl cherry tomatoes and salad follow can be found at  Plates cream www.foodafactoflife.org.uk LESSON OUTLINE KEY DISCUSSION POINTS TIME

 Introduce the activity 10 minute  Ask the pupils what they need to consider before they start the activity. Explain the importance of washing hands before handling food. Also, explain that if any food is dropped on the floor it should be thrown away.  All pupils to wash their hands  Split children into groups around the tables  Take the pupils through each of the ingredients that will be sued to make 10 minute the recipe. Use this time to talk about:  What counts towards their 5 a day (e.g. fresh, frozen, canned, juice)  The ‘eatwell’ plate  Allow the children to try any ingredients they haven’t eaten before  Talk to the group about equipment they will be using  Take this opportunity to talk about the importance of good knife skills and how care must be taken with sharp knives  Show the class how to make a pasta salad 5 minute  Give each table a tray of ingredients. Allow them time to use the recipe to 15 minute guide them on how to make the pasta salad  Wash all equipment 15 minute  Give out the recipe sheets for the children to complete  Talk with the class about their likes, dislikes and so on EVALUATION AND REFELCTION

What went well: Even better if: PTheRACTICAL session has ACTIVITY been designed – FOOD to: TASTINGS/HEALTHY PACKED LUNCHES LEARNING Encourage OBJECTIVES children to try out new foods;  The sessionStrengthen has beenhealthy designed eating messages; to:  Encourage healthy choices in lunch boxes 35   EstablishEncourage links children with localto try food out newstore/supermarket foods;  Strengthen healthy eating messages; RESOURCES REQUIRED  Encourage healthy choices in lunch boxes EQUIPMENT Establish links with local foodINGREDIENTS store/supermarket RESOURCES RESOURCES Chopping REQUIRED board  Alternative suitable for  Example tasting recording  lunchboxes e.g. Scotch sheets (resource 2, for EQUIPMENT Plates/containers INGREDIENTS RESOURCES  Knife pancakes, malt loaf, use with tool 11C, page  Chopping board  differentAlternative types suitable of for  55)Example tasting recording  Plates/containers rbead,lunchboxes dried e.g. fruit Scotch e.g.  Foodsheets a (resourcefact of life 2, for  Knife apricots,pancakes, fruit malt in loaf,season useinteractive with tool games 11C, page different types of 55)www.foodafactoflife.org.u rbead, dried fruit e.g.  Foodk a fact of life apricots, fruit in season interactive games LESSON OUTLINE www.foodafactoflife.org.u STRUCTURE KEY DISCUSSION POINTS k TIME LESSONIntroduction OUTLINE  Introduce the activity 10 to the  minutes STRUCTURE KEY DISCUSSIONAsk the pupils POINTS what they regularly bring in a lunchbox ( on TIME session white board draw eatwell plate and write suggestions in Introduction  appropriateIntroduce the section) activity 10 to the  Ask the pupils what they regularly bring in a lunchbox ( on minutes  Refresher activity on ‘eatwell’ plate 15 session white board draw eatwell plate and write suggestions in  White board activity and use interactive ‘food a fact of life’ site minutes appropriate section)  Reinforce healthy balanced/proportion of food from each group  Refresher activity on ‘eatwell’ plate 15  All pupils to wash their hands 10  White board activity and use interactive ‘food a fact of life’ site minutes minutes  Reinforce healthy balanced/proportion of food from each group  Allow everyone to taste each food and complete tasting 20  All pupils to wash their hands 10 recording sheet using bank of describing/appropriate words minutes minutes  Talk with the class about the likes/dislikes of food sampled   EncourageAllow everyone them to to taste take eachsheet food home and to completediscuss foods tasting enjoyed 20 recording sheet using bank of describing/appropriate words minutes EVALUATION AND REFELCTION  Talk with the class about the likes/dislikes of food sampled What went well:  Encourage them to take sheet home to discuss foods enjoyed EVALUATIONEven better if: AND REFELCTION

What went well: Even better if:

FOOD TASTING OF HEALTHY LUNCHBOX FOODS I have tried I really liked It tasted Honeydew melon Nectarine Kiwi fruit Pepper (red/yellow) Dried apricots Malt loaf Scotch pancake Sultana scone

This sheet provides an example of foods for the tasting session activity on the previous page. Adapt it with foods you are going to taste and encourage children to describe the taste. Encourage children to take this home and share with parents/carers the foods they have enjoyed. Ensure you use fruit/vegetables in season and items available from your local shops or supermarkets: www.eatseasonably.co.uk.

LETTER INVITING PARENTS TO FEEDBACK ON THE DRAFT POLICY

Dear Parent(s)/Carer(s)

As you will be aware, there is increasing concern about rising rates of obesity and related health problems in children in schools. As a school, it is part of our responsibility to teach and encourage children how to eat a healthy balanced diet. Our school meals have benefited from the national nutritional standards for school meals and the school has now decided to complement these and work towards developing a policy for packed lunches.

The school believes that this will help your children to eat well. It will ensure that all pupils are following the School Food Trust guidelines and national standards for school food and that as pupils learn in class about healthy balanced eating, this is reflected in the dining room.

However, before we introduce a formal policy, we wish to gather as many options as possible on the subject, from pupils, governors, our school cooks and you, our parents, before we decide what the policy should say.

We are inviting you to attend an open discussion on the subject on (insert date here) at (insert time and place here). If you are unable to attend at this time then please speak to a member of staff, send us an email or write to us with your views on packed lunches.

We will be consulting with our pupils and governors so that we can create a policy that everyone will want to support. We will give you support, advice and time to adjust when the policy does come into place so that the change is as smooth as possible. Thank you for your support.

Yours sincerely,

(Signature here)

LETTER INVITING PARENTS TO FEEDBACK ON THE DRAFT POLICY

Dear Parent(s)/Carer(s)

As a school we are now engaging with the Healthy Schools Enhancement Model, as part of this we are updating our whole school food policy. We are hoping at the same time to develop our lunch time policy which will include packed lunches.

(Insert here who is leading this i.e. school council/SNAG) want to help us ensure everyone eats well and enable us all to follow the School Food Trust guidelines and national standards.

You will find a copy of our food policy and draft lunch time policy on our website.

We would welcome any comments/suggestions from you as parents and would be grateful if you could let us have these by (insert date).

Thank you for your support and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Yours sincerely,

(Signature here)

LETTER INFORMING PARENTS ABOUT YOUR PACKED LUNCH POLICY

Dear Parents / Carers

I am writing to inform you of a change regarding packed lunches in school. As you will know, weight and oral health is a significant issue in our school. Based on our school’s most recent health report, (insert percentage) of our Year 6 pupils were overweight or obese and (insert percentage) of pupils had a filling last time they visited the dentist.

In (insert month) this year our staff carried out a lunchbox audit which found that (insert percentage) of lunches contained junk food and only (insert percentage) of lunches included any vegetables or fruit.

In (insert month) we conducted surveys with parents to find out your views on a packed lunch policy. The survey found that (insert percentage) of parents / carers thought that some types of food should be discouraged or not allowed in packed lunches. We are therefore introducing a packed lunch policy which will be implemented from (insert day, month, and year).

Yes Please!

• Please help your child to prepare a balanced packed lunch containing sandwiches and / or other carbohydrate, at least one fruit and one vegetable, milk or dairy food and a drink of water.

• Please help your child to pack a healthy snack of fruit or vegetables for their morning break.

Take Care!

• Please exercise caution when choosing snacks marketed as being healthy, some cereal bars or processed foods contain large amounts of sugar.

No Thank You!

• Please do not include fizzy drinks, sweets, fried food chocolate, cake or crisps as part of a packed lunch or snack.

The foods listed in the ‘No Thank You’ list above were all suggested by parents / carers and we believe that our new guidelines will not involve any large changes by the majority of families in our school. We believe that the policy will have a positive impact on outcomes on pupils’ health and in some cases, their ability to focus during afternoon lessons.

From the (insert day, month, and year). children will not be permitted to consume any of the foods on our ‘No Thank You’ list during lunch. (Insert action to be taken if policy isn’t followed)

Please find enclosed with this letter a poster of the policy to put on your fridge and ideas to make healthy, quick and cheap lunches for your child that meets the new guidance.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any queries about our policy.

Thank you for your support, (Signature here)

How TIPSto get healthier FOR items FUSSY into your child’sEATERS lunchbox :

Here are some tips to encourage children to eat healthy food

Let child chose their lunchbox Involve child in making food Disguise veges in dishes

Don’t offer bribes Explain why we need healthy food Don’t make a fuss or force

Eat the same healthy foods Make lunchboxes fun Eat meals around a table

Remove distractions when eating Avoid buying junk food Build on favourite foods

Packed lunch money saving ideas

1 2 3

Buy fruit by the kilo Buy supermarket brands Buy rolls in bulk

4 5 6

Pop your own popcorn Pack dinner leftovers Buy reduced to clear items 7 8 9

Fill a bottle with tap water Look for special offers Replace meat with pulses

10 12 11

Portion yoghurt into single Buy veg and fruit frozen Look above and below eye serves or canned when out of level season

One minute packed lunches under £1

50p 10p 0p

30p

TOTAL COST: £0.90

70p 5p 0p

LEFTOVERS 20p

TOTAL COST: £0.95

One minute packed lunches under £1

60p 10p 0p

25p

TOTAL COST: £0.95

50p 15p 0p

30p

TOTAL COST: £0.95

Cost of healthy lunchbox v’s unhealthy lunchbox

60p 15p 0p

10p

TOTAL COST OF HEALTHY LUNCHBOX: £0.85

£1 50p £1.25

26p

TOTAL COST OF UNHEALTHY LUNCHBOX: £3.01

Cost of healthy lunchbox v’s unhealthy lunchbox

70p 5p 0 50p 10p 0

20p 20p£.30

TOTAL COT OF HEALTHY LUNCHBOX: 0.95 TOTAL COST OF HEALTHY LUNCHBOX: £0.80

40p 17p 50p 60p 28p 30p

32p 50p

TOTAL COST OF UNHEALTHY LUNCHBOX: £1.39 TOTAL COST OF UNHEALTHY LUNCHBOX: £1.68

YUMMY PIZZA MUFFINS

Method 5 mins 1. Cut the muffins in half to prep create four pizza bases and spread the tomato-based sauce over each pizza base. 3 mins 2. Tear the ham, mozzarella and cooking basil into small and share it Ingredients between the pizzas.  3. Add sweetcorn and any other 2 English muffins Serves  40ml tomato based sauce toppings, such as sliced 1  2 slices of ham mushroom, chopped cherry  1 handful of basil leaves tomatoes, diced courgette or  2x 15ml spoons sweetcorn canned tuna. 5/5 for (canned 4. Place them under the grill for a  60g mozzarella cheese few minutes until the cheese taste begins to turn brown.

CHICKEN WRAP

Method 5 mins

1. Place each tortilla onto a plate, prep cover with cling and warm through in the microwave for 10 seconds. (This makes them 10 easier to roll or wrap even if secs they are being served cold). Ingredients  4 wholemeal tortilla wraps 2. Spread each tortilla with a little sour cream, top with  140g sliced chicken Serves  sliced chicken, sliced peppers, 1 pepper, deseeded, thinly 4 sliced grated cheese and sliced  100g low-fat cheese, cherry tomatoes. Fold over the end facing you (to stop the grated 4/5 for  filling falling out) and then fold 12 cherry tomatoes, halved taste  2tbsp low-fat sour cream in the sides over each other. 56

TUNA PASTA SALAD

Method 5 mins prep 1. Cook the Goodness pasta animals according to the packet, drain and refresh in cold water. 10 mins Set aside in a large bowl. cooking Ingredients 2. Add the diced peppers, cheese  100g pasta animals cubes, sweetcorn and peas. Mix  ¼ red and yellow pepper, together the light mayonnaise Serves and lemon, and stir through the chopped into small pieces 1  40g low-fat cheese, in cubes pasta.  40g sweetcorn, drained 3. Stir through the tuna and then  chill until ready to serve. 50g frozen peas, defrosted 4/5 for  1tbsp light mayonnaise taste  squeeze of lemon juice  150g tinned tuna, drained

MEXICAN LAYERED SALAD

Method 5 mins 1. In bowl, mix together balsamic- prep tomato dressing and lime juice

2. In separate bowl, toss white rice and 4 Tbs. dressing 10 mixture. In another separate mins Ingredients bowl, gently toss diced avocados and 2 Tbs. dressing  3/4 cup Balsamic dressing mixture.  1 lime, juiced  Serves 2 avocados, diced 3. In 6 small Tupperware 5  2 sweet red peppers, diced containers, layer peppers,  2 cups diced tomatoes avocados, beans, rice,  1 can black beans, drained tomatoes and corn. Drizzle with and rinsed remaining dressing mixture. Or 5 for  1 1/2 cups cooked corn toss all ingredients together to taste (canned) serve.  1 cup cooked rice 57

WHERE TO PURCHASE STICKERS AND STAMPS

Packed lunch DRAWING COMPETITION

Please draw your idea for a healthy lunchbox in the box below to win (mention prize). You can make your design as creative and colourful as you like. Your lunchbox should include a fruit and vegetable, starchy food, protein, and dairy food (see the Eatwell Plate on the back for ideas).

Name: …………………………………………………… Class: …………...

Give your drawing to your class teacher by the: 1st May 2015.

Terms & conditions

This competition is open to all year groups. The winning entry will be decided by a panel of judges including your headteacher. The judges are looking for illustrations that are colourful, creative and healthy. The winning entry will receive (include prize here). Remember to include your name and age on this entry form. Entries close on the 1st May 2015.

Eatwell Plate When designing your healthy balanced packed lunch remember to include a food from the yellow, green, blue and pink sections of the eatwell plate. 66

repair and tissue healthy blood Iron for regularly the toilet Helpsus go to

and eyes Healthy skin

Healthy teeth and strong Helpsus go regularly and bones

the toilet

P gives us Well energy Eat Eat late

to to 71

COMIC COMPANY PACKED LUNCH RESOURCES http://www.comiccompany.co.uk/

Keep me cool, keep me clean poster £1.56 each

Healthy lunchbox snapper quiz 50 for £5.95

A3 packed lunch poster Healthy lunchbox roller banner 73 £175 each £1.50 each

CUSTOMISE YOUR OWN LUNCHBOX TOOLS

Healthier lunches for children is an excellent website where schools can download and print lunchbox audit tools and questionnaires, sample lunchbox policies, lunchbox stickers and badges, healthy eating newsletter articles and lesson plans. The website is at the following URL: www.healthylunch.org.uk.

Customise your own lunchbox leaflet

Schools can also use the website to customize their own lunchbox leaflet. The main aim of the leaflet is to help parents, carers and children make healthy choices about what to put in packed lunches. The leaflet can be customised to include your school’s logo and cover image, choose different food types that reflect your school community's dietary profile and food policy, and it can be translated into thirteen different languages.

To gain access to all the publishing tools, including the flyer, you will need a username and password. Every school in Ealing has been set up with a unique username and password. Contact your Health Improvement Officer to find out your details or use the username and password below:  username: karen.gibson  password: 92t9ZH

Contact Information

Nicole McGregor Health Improvement Officer [email protected] 020 8825 5484