Healthy snacks and balanced lunchboxes

We would like your support in encouraging children to enjoy healthier snacks at break time and balanced-packed lunches. Our aim is to develop positive habits that help children feel well, concentrate and have energy for their school day.

Break-time snacks

Please choose fruit or vegetables wherever possible—for example, an apple, banana, easy-peeler or a small container of cucumber, carrot or pepper sticks.

If your child needs an alternative, suitable choices include plain bread or pitta, a small sandwich with a savoury filling, or a small portion of cheese.

Please keep biscuits, cakes, crisps, cereal bars and sweet pastries for lunchtime or home. Children should have water in their drinks bottles.

Packed lunches

A balanced lunchbox should usually include:

• A filling savoury main, such as a sandwich, wrap, pasta or rice dish.
• Some fruit, vegetables or salad.
• A yoghurt, cheese or suitable dairy alternative.
• Water to drink.

A small treat is welcome as part of a balanced lunch. Children having school dinners sometimes enjoy a cookie, cake or another pudding, so packed lunches may also include one small biscuit, cookie or piece of cake. Please keep portions small and avoid packing several sweet treats or snack packets together.

If including crisps, please choose a small packet and vary these with other foods across the week. Please leave sweets, chocolate bars, fizzy drinks and energy drinks at home.

All food brought into school must follow our allergy safety arrangements, and children must not share food.

We recognise that some children have medical, sensory or other needs that affect what they can eat. Please speak to your child’s class teacher if your child needs a different arrangement so that we can work together.

We will reinforce these messages positively with the children, and a poster will provide a clear reminder of suitable break-time snacks and lunchbox choices. Any concerns about an individual child’s food will be discussed sensitively with parents and carers.

Thank you for helping us make healthy eating an enjoyable part of school life.