Students of Rathregan NS recently considered healthy lunches in school...

"Having a healthy lunch is important for growing children, it keeps you fit and healthy. The school encourages us to have healthy food habits.We are encouraged to eat fruit and vegetables and to cut down on sugary foods.

• We try to have a balanced diet
• Eat fruit and vegetables
• Drink water
• Eat brown bread / whole fibre
• Eat a little of a lot
• Have at least two of our ‘five a day’ during the school day

We took photographs of some healthy lunches that pupils had in school today"

Rathregan National School's Healthy Lunch Policy

Rathregan NS's Healthy Lunch Policy aims to promote healthy lunch eating by the pupils, you can click to download it here. Lunch is an important meal for school going children. It should provide one third of the recommended daily allowance of nutrients without being high in fat, sugar or salt. It should also provide fibre. The school promotes the eating of healthy lunches as soon as the children start school. The following are promoted as providing healthy, appetising and nutritious lunches:

Bread / alternatives: Bread / Rolls / Wholegrain rice, bread and pasta / potato salad / wholemeal scones.
Savouries: Lean meat / chicken / turkey / tinned fish / cheese / quiche / pizza.
Fruit and Vegetables: Apples, bananas, peaches, oranges, grapes, pineapple etc., fruit salad, dried fruit; cucumber, tomato, sweetcorn, coleslaw, crudités.
Drinks: Milk, fruit juice, yoghurt, sugar free and additive-free drinks.

Certain foods are prohibited in the school: chewing gum, crisps, popcorn, peanuts. Others are strongly discouraged: sweets, chocolates and fizzy drinks.