Guidelines for Healthy Packed Lunches

Geng your Five a Day Guidelines for Eang 5 porons of fruit and vegetables has been sug- Guidelines for Healthy Packed gested to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease Healthy Packed and some types of cancer. Lunches at Bishops Down. One poron for a child is approximately what would fit in Lunches the palm of their hand. School meals have to be prepared using naonal Try to present your child with as wide a variety as possi- guidelines to ensure they provide a healthy bal- ble. Fresh, frozen and dried fruits and vegetables all count It is recommended that a packed lunch should as does the tomato sauce around baked beans or nned anced diet, but is just as important that the food spaghe. in a packed lunch brought to school is prepared include something from each of the following following similar principles. This means packed Fruit juice and unsweetened fruit smoothies may count four food groups. only once per day and should be a meal accompaniment lunches should provide plenty of foods that con- 1.Starchy foods to reduce the fruit sugars harmful effects on teeth. tain the nutrients that children need, and fewer Beans and pulses also count as just one of your five a day foods that are high in sugar and saturated fat. These are foods that provide slow release energy and should be about one third of the lunch. no maer how much is consumed. This informaon is designed to give you some Morning break. All children in Nursery through to Year 2 ideas for healthy packed lunches and why parc- Includes bread, rice, will receive a free piece of fruit or vegetables a day at ular foods should be included for your child’s pasta, noodles and break-me. We encourage you to provide only a fruit or health but also the foods that should not be in- potatoes. veg snack for mid-morning break. cluded. We are aware that some children have A tradional sand- Lunch me. Aim to include at least one poron of their special dietary needs either because of food al- wich is absolutely five a day in their packed lunch lergies or intolerance or because of ongoing fine but for added vari- Dried fruits such as sultanas, raisins, apricots and medical condions such as Type 1 diabetes or ety you may wish to mango are easy to eat opons for packed lunches. coeliac disease, you may have a child who is par- try bagels, pia bread, ciabaa, wraps, baguees or Cherry tomatoes or carrot, celery, cucumber or pep- rolls. per cut into scks are also a good choice. cularly acve and so has greater calorific needs. If this is the case these guidelines may Encourage your child to eat different variees of bread; Add salad to their sandwich or other starchy food need to be modified to meet their individual wholemeal, seeded and rye bread are healthier bread opon. dietary needs. opons. A flask of warm vegetable soup is another alternave. The school would be grateful if you would ad- Rice, noodles, lenls, couscous, bulgur wheat and pasta On the way home. Children are oen very hungry aer a here to these guidelines for packed lunches both can make an excellent basis for a salad, served with day at school and may be willing to try something new fruit and vegetables. Protein such as tuna, chicken, when your child is eang at school but also when they are hungry. A fruit or vegetable snack is a prawns or soya can also be added. much healthier opon than crisps biscuits and sweets. when they are going on school trips. Le over pizza, omelet or quiche can also be used as an alternave to a sandwich. Bread scks, plain rice cakes or crackers served with cheese are also acceptable. Drinks 2. Protein 4.Dairy Tap or boled water or milk based drinks Provides the vital nutrients for growth. Milk, cheese and yogurt are also part of a balanced diet without added sugar. to provide calcium. Found in meat, fish, eggs , dairy foods Fruit juice and fruit smoothies should also and beans and Small pots of custard or rice have no added sugar. pulses. pudding are alternaves. Avoid sugary drinks that can add a lot of Try to keep the unnecessary extra calories and are more amount of harmful to teeth. saturated fat down. These are Poron sizes. Consider carefully the poron sizes that you include in your child’s packed lunch. They should have the amount that they can finish oen higher in comfortably, with lile or no waste. Children are encouraged to eat all of processed meats their school meal as the poron sizes are carefully regulated but you need such as sausages and meat pies. to discuss with your child what you would like them to finish from their packed lunch. Children will be encouraged to eat the majority of their savoury items first. A small piece of cheese eaten aer the sweet items or a Other packed lunch items. drink of water has been shown to help prevent dental decay. 3. Fruit, vegetables and salad Cakes, biscuits and desserts. Vegetarians. If your child is vegetarian it is essenal that they sll get sufficient protein and iron for their growth and development. Good sources The anoxidant properes of this food Many parents like to include a sweeter item, of protein include eggs, Quorn, pulses (beans, lenls and peas) and foods group have been shown to reduce the made from pulses such as tofu, hummus and soya mince.Vitamins B12 and similar to a dessert, in their child’s packed D may be more difficult to source in a vegetarian diet.Forfied breakfast incidence of cardiovascular disease and lunch. This is acceptable, although not essen- cereals, eggs, dairy products, margarine and yeast extracts such as Marmite help in the prevenon of some types of al to meet their nutrional needs. Be aware are good sources. cancer. that shop bought cakes and cookies are oen higher in saturated fat and sugar than home- Foods that should not be included made ones, so aim for a small poron. Nuts, peanut buer and kiwi fruit and other products with Hot cross buns, fruit scones and malt loaf are nuts or kiwi We have a number of children and staff with severe healthier opons. nut allergies & a child allergic to kiwi, so we aim to Dairy desserts such as yoghurt, mousse, keep the school a nut & kiwi free environment at custard and rice pudding, or low sugar jelly break and lunch mes. are good alternaves. Sweets, chocolates and fizzy drinks Of lile nutrional value and harmful to teeth. Chocolate covered items, e.g. KitKats and other chocolate coated biscuits and cakes They are also an important source of Cakes and biscuits baked with cocoa to make them dietary fibre, vital for a healthy digesve chocolate flavour are acceptable. system. Crisps and other fried potato snacks should not rounely be included. Try to include at least one poron in As children having school dinner are served chips every packed lunch and aim for at least 5 on a Friday a packet of crisps or similar may be included porons each day. (More about how to in packed lunches on Fridays only. include five-a-day later.) .

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