GAELSCOIL NA DÚGLAISE                              

Healthy Eating Policy

It is the policy of Gaelscoil na Dúglaise that healthy eating be encouraged by pursuing both education for pupils and guidance for parents.  We approach this policy with the understanding that ultimately children's appetites and tastes differ and it is a parent's responsibility to ensure that his/her child eats healthily at all times, including during the school day.

Mission Statement
To promote life long education of healthy eating for mind and body

Objectives & Aims
To help children improve concentration, learning and energy levels
To support parent and children make healthy enjoyable decisions around food
To develop nutritional awareness i.e. ingredients in food

In the course of studying science children will be exploring
•  Food groups
•  The consequences of a poor diet
•  The Food Pyramid
All children are encouraged to eat balanced and proportionate meals at all times including those meals eaten while in school.

Foods selected from each level should be in decreasing amounts.               

The food pyramid outlines an excellent common sense approach to healthy and balanced eating. All children's lunches should contain a majority of items from the three lower food groups. Fluid intake is very important and children should be encouraged to take a drink with their meal. Children are encouraged to drink water.  School milk can be purchased at the start of each school year.
In Gaelscoil na Dúglaise two lunch breaks are timetabled.
A ten minute break at 10.50 a.m. (Lón Beag)
A thirty minute break at 12.30 p.m. (Lón Mór)

It is the policy of our school that:
Healthy lunches be encouraged and fizzy drinks, sweets, bars, chocolate and crisps be discouraged
A healthy lunchbox includes a piece of food from each of the bottom four shelves of the Food Pyramid, e.g ham sandwich, carton of orange juice and strawberry yogurt
Friday may be treat day.  On this day one piece of food from the top shelf of the Pyramid may be included.

To help highlight awareness of healthy school lunches the following will take place:
A poster of the Food Pyramid will be displayed in every classroom and will be referred to by the teachers
At the beginning of each school term teachers and pupils will discuss healthy eating
Parents will be offered the opportunity to attend a healthy eating information evening facilitated by a dietician.
Children will be given opportunity to sample the produce from the school garden. A seasonal school garden shop will also be in the school.
Cumann na d'Tuismitheoirí (Parents Association) will be requested to hold a "Healthy Eating Day" for all pupils in the school, as such events proved very positive in the past. Visiting sport stars to the school are asked to highlight the importance of healthy eating.

Promotion of Policy
Parents and staff will promote the policy through out the school week

This policy was ratified by the Board of Management in September 2010, and will be reviewed again in 2011.

Sínithe ag_______________________________

Cathaoirleach an Bhoird Bainistíochta

Dáta__________________________

.