Healthy Lunch Box

Llanddulas Playgroup aims to adhere to the national standards set by the Government. As stated below our suggestions for a healthy lunchbox are guidelines not rules. At playgroup we will continue to teach and discuss aspects of a healthy lifestyle, of which healthy eating is only one. We do hope you feel able to support our efforts to help our children to make healthy choices.

Food and drink in packed lunches

The playgroup will provide a place and adequate time for children to eat a packed lunch and ensure that fresh drinking water is readily available at all times. As fridge space is not available inplaygroup, you are advised to send packed lunches in insulated bags with freezer blocks, where possible, especially during the summer. A good substitute for a freezer block is a frozen drink which will defrost during the morning. The playgroup will encourage parents to consider the guidelines for a healthy packed lunch listed below.

Please can you ensure that your child's lunchbox, bottles etc are all labelled The following are intended as guidelines, not rules. However, we feel as a playgroup that consideration of these guidelines will support the whole of the playgroup community in developing healthy eating habits. Packed lunches should include:

• At least one portion of fruit and one portion of vegetables each day e.g. carrot sticks, cucumber, small apple or orange, banana, dried fruit, mini tomatoes, mango cubes.
• Meat, fish, or vegetarian source of non-dairy protein e.g. chicken, turkey, ham, beef, pork, tuna, lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas, falafel, soya, tofu.
• A starchy food e.g. bread, pasta, rice, crackers, rice cakes, oat cakes, pitta bread, tortilla wraps.
• Dairy food e.g. milk, cheese, eggs, yoghurt, fromage frais.
• A drink of either water, fruit juice, milk, yoghurt drink, smoothie. (No fizzy drinks or glass bottles please.)

Other issues

Please do not include sweets and chocolate bars in a lunchbox. We do not expect sweets to be eaten in playgroup except on special occasions. (The amount of sweets would then be limited.) We would hope that cake would be limited. Perhaps consider healthy recipes such as fruit cake and carrot cake.

Please try not to include crisps in a lunchbox every day.

Good alternatives are savoury crackers, breadsticks or cereal bars. High fat meat products such as sausage rolls, individual pies, corned meat and sausages should only be included occasionally.

Children will be encouraged to eat their savoury food first.

Children should not swap food. Parents expect their child to eat the lunch that they have provided. We encourage children to regard foods very high in sugar or fat as treats and not staple foods for a lunchbox. The playgroup will, from time to time, send lunchbox ideas home.

Special diets and allergies

We will be aware of food allergies,( often nuts, but not exclusively.) and ensure that all staff are familiar with each child's dietary conditions. The playgroup recognises that some pupils may require special diets that do not allow for the guidelines to be adhered to exactly. Parents will provide the appropriate diet for that child, another reason why children should not swap food items. Playgroup recognises that our children come from diverse home backgrounds, cultures, ethnic and faith groups, so we aim to meet the needs of all children and ensure equality of provision whilst taking account of this diversity and difference. We understand that some children are 'fussy' eaters and that it is a major step to get some children to eat anything at all. We would want parents to let us know if this is the case so that we can deal with such children sensitively and with encouragement and praise for what they have eaten. If your child has not eaten enough of their lunch, we will wrap it up and send it home in their lunch box in order for you to see.

This policy was adopted by Llanddulas Playgroup 14th November 2012 and will be due for reviewing in 1 year.