School Meals & Packed Lunches
PLEASE NOTE WE ARE A NUT FREE SCHOOL
All pupils in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 are entitled to a government funded free school meal (Universal Infant Free School Meal). Our school meals are provided by an excellent company called Fresh Start Catering.
They provide delicious, nutritious, fresh options, which need to be ordered online by parents and carers. You can see an example menu on their website.
More information on the process of ordering is available from the School Office.
Christmas Menu Thursday 18th Dec
International Day Poster - Thur 15th Jan - FULL
Currently, we are only able to offer this meal provision for Universal Infant Free School Meals and to those entitled to benefits-based Free School Meals throughout the whole school. We do not yet have the facility to be able to offer hot meals to all but hope to be able to do so sometime in the future.
Packed Lunches
For those children not eligible for any of the free school meals, or those not wishing to have a hot meal in school, they will need to bring a packed lunch in from home.
Unfortunately, due to Health & Safety, we cannot allow any hot food in packed lunches; and neither do we allow any products containing nuts (this includes products such as Nutella). We have a number of children in school who are severely allergic to nuts, and therefore ask all parents and carers to be extra careful when selecting items for packed lunches. Food must be brought to school in a suitable container/bag, clearly marked with the child's name. No glass containers should be brought into school.
A balanced packed lunch should contain:
• Starchy Foods Wholegrain bread
• Protein Foods Meat, fish, eggs
• A Dairy Item Cheese or yogurt
• Vegetables or Fruit
• No fizzy drinks allowed in school, and please avoid high sugar drinks
Starchy foods are a good source of energy and should make up a third of the lunchbox. But it does not have to be boring. Instead of sandwiches, give children bagels, pitta bread, wraps and baguettes. Use brown, wholemeal or seeded bread, preferably not white bread. Children often like food they can eat with their fingers. Some foods need to be prepared carefully to be safe for younger children (Reception);
- Whole grapes, cherry tomatoes, and other small, round foods should be cut lengthways into quarters.
- Hard raw vegetables, like carrots and apples, should be cut into slices, not chunks.
- Sausages should be cut into thin strips.
Houmous or cottage cheese are ideal to dip the vegetables in. Breadsticks and wholemeal crackers are great finger foods, and they can be spread with low-fat soft cheese or eaten with reduced fat cheddar cheese.
Replace chocolate bars and cakes with fresh or dried fruit. Vary the fruit each day and get them to try new varieties, such as kiwi or melon. You could also make up a tasty fruit salad. Be inventive and praise your children when they try something new!
