Lunch Arrangements

Lunch Arrangements

Belvoirdale Primary School is a Healthy school.  Our lunches are provided by Leicestershire schools food service and are not cooked on site but are brought in each day and served from our kitchen. School Meals cost £2.20 per day or £11 per week

• School Meals are ordered each day in the morning in class. There will be a red, green or yellow option for the children to choose from which they will be given a coloured band for the day.
• Reception & KS1 Meals are counted under the Universal Free School Meal Scheme and are paid for by the Government.
• Meals can be paid for on a weekly basis using Parent Pay or Pay Point. More details are available from the School Office.

Healthy Packed Lunch

The lunchbox your child takes to school should provide as healthy and balanced a lunch as what they would eat at home and at school. This means plenty of foods that contain the nutrients that children need, and fewer foods that are high in sugar and saturated fat.

A balanced packed lunch should contain:

• starchy foods – these are bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, and others
• protein foods – including meat, fish, eggs, beans, and others
• a dairy item – this could be cheese or a yoghurt
• vegetables or salad, and a portion of fruit

Starchy foods are a good source of energy, and should make up a third of the lunchbox. But don't let things get boring. Instead of sandwiches, give kids bagels, pitta bread, wraps and baguettes. Use brown, wholemeal or seeded bread, not white bread.

Low-fat snacks for kids
Children often like food they can eat with their fingers, so chop up raw veggies such as carrots or peppers, and give them hummus or cottage cheese to dip the veggies in. Breadsticks and wholemeal crackers are great finger foods that can be spread with low-fat soft cheese, or eaten with reduced-fat cheddar and pickles.
Replace chocolate bars and cakes with fresh fruit or dried fruit. Vary the fruit each day and get them to try new things, such as kiwi or melon. Unsalted nuts are a great snack food for children to have at home, but it's best to leave them out of your child's packed lunch. Many schools ban nuts to protect pupils with a nut allergy.
You could also make up a tasty fruit salad. Be inventive and encourage your children when they try something new.

Making healthier food
It may take a while for your children to get used to a healthier lunchbox. But it will be worth it for their health, so keep trying. You can help by eating a wider range of foods at home as a family. For ideas on how to introduce more fruit and veg into your family's diet, read 5 A DAY and your family.
Reading supermarket food labels can help you buy healthier foods for your child's lunch and family meal times. Learn more in Buy healthier food. Save chocolate and cakes for occasional treats. Remember to praise your child when they've tried something new to show your encouragement.

LINKS

• http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/childhealth6-15/pages/lighterlunchboxes.aspx
• http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/lunchbox
• http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/family-meals/slideshow/25-quick-and-easy-school-lunches-to-pack-for-your-kids/?slide=1
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/parents/packed_lunches/
• http://www.netmums.com/family-food/food-for-kids/lunchbox-ideas
• http://www.healthylunch.org.uk/government/
• http://www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk/childrens-food-trust/parents/your-childs-food-at-school/packed-lunches/what-to-put-in-a-lunchbox/
• http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/school-packed-lunch-inspiration

Fruit

Fruit is provided for all children at break time free of charge

Special Diets

If your child requires certain dietry requirements, please come to the school office as we acan work with our kitchen to make sure your child can have a suitable hot dinner.