School Meals

Lunch

All our pupils have been consulted about school lunches and lunchtimes.  Many of their ideas have either been implemented or are being developed.

All our pupils are offered a cooked lunch each day. You can see sample menus by clicking here.

We have an excellent and experienced team of lunchtime supervisors, who are aware of special dietary needs, and the eating pattern of the pupils in their care. We encourage the children to eat a varied and balanced diet. Vegetarian meals are available on request – please contact the school office. If we are concerned that a child is not eating well at lunchtime, parents will be informed.

School dinners cost £1.30 per day and need to be paid for either weekly, half termly or termly in advance. Please support the school by paying for meals on a Monday morning. If you receive Family Income Support you may be entitled to claim for free school meals. Application forms are available from the Education Offices.

Children may bring a packed lunch as an alternative, which should be in a container clearly marked with the child’s name. Water is provided but children may bring their own drink. Plastic water bottles filled from the school water dispensers may be brought to school to re-hydrate during lesson time.

Packed lunch 

We want to ensure that we give all our pupils a consistent message about the importance of healthy eating by having a balanced and varied diet.  We are asking all parents and carers to follow the same guidelines applied to our school meal service so that pupils who bring their own lunch have ‘healthy lunchboxes’.  

• It is school policy that children only drink water during the school day including lunch time. Packed lunch pupils may ONLY bring still, non flavoured water to drink.

    

• We want our pupils to see crisps as treats. They are never offered as part of our school lunches, nor should they be brought in lunchboxes.

    

• Puddings and cake are only offered as part of school dinners 2 or 3 times a week.  We think it would be in the best interest for pupils who bring a packed lunch to follow the same principles.  (Fruit and yoghurt will be offered to pupils who have school dinners every day).   

    

• Sweets, chocolates and chocolate biscuits should not be brought into school

    

• Please do not include nuts as we have a number of pupils with a severe nut allergy.

    

• Glass containers are not allowed.

The Food Standards Agency gives ideas and suggestions for healthier lunchboxes, including a menu planner. http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/agesandstages/children/lunchboxsect/

  They provide this healthier lunchbox checklist:

ü      a good portion of starchy food, e.g. wholegrain bread roll, thick sliced wholemeal bread, pitta pocket, pasta or rice salad
plenty of fruit and vegetables, e.g. an apple, satsuma, handful of cherry tomatoes or carrot sticks, mini-can of fruit chunks or small box of raisins

ü      a portion of dairy food, e.g. individual cheese portion or pot of yogurt

ü      a portion of lean meat, fish or alternative, e.g. ham, chicken, beef, tuna, egg, or hummus

ü      a drink (at Southdale, this will be water only)

We ask all families to decide to make a choice between school dinners and packed lunches each half term. We are unable to accommodate mid-term changes in meal arrangements, unless by prior agreement. Therefore children may only change between school dinners and packed lunches at the beginning of each half term.