Healthy Eating

Primary schools tend to find it easier to adopt a whole school healthy eating policy, but many secondary schools also have good practice to share.

· Water is available all day:
Water bottles are provided or the school has water fountains

· Encourage healthy snacks at break times:
Schools have a policy where children are encouraged to bring into school only healthy snacks including fruit or pieces of vegetables. Crisps are discouraged

There are schools running breakfast clubs

Many schools provide toast and fruit at morning break, for which children pay

· Schools run after school cookery clubs, for example the Healthy School Scheme Scrumptious Cookery Club

· Schools promote healthy eating to parents:
Healthy eating work is displayed at new parent's and parent's evenings

Schools have taster sessions either run by the catering service or outside agencies which parents are invited to attend

· If schools have vending machines there are healthy options

· Secondary schools carry out focus group work around the provision of school meals:
In some schools this work is facilitated by the catering service and in others it is through the school council

For more information primary schools should refer to the document 'A Whole School Approach to Healthy Eating - policy and guidelines'