Packed Lunches
Packed Lunch Ideas
At Flatts Nursery School all children bring a packed lunch from home. We use lunchtime as an opportunity to develop social skills, managing self and developing a sense of community. Here are some guidelines for creating a healthier packed lunch:
- We don’t have anywhere to keep all lunches cool, so please do not put in food that may go off.
- We cannot heat up food brought from home
- We provide water or milk for all our children; no drinks are required. We encourage the children to drink lots of water to help them concentrate and feel well. Fruit juices often contain a lot of sugar which is damaging to young teeth.
- Include some foods high in carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, wraps or rice
- Add some protein such as chicken, turkey, ham, eggs, tofu, cheese, beans etc
- Add some vegetables such as carrot sticks, tomatoes, cucumber; fresh fruit such as apple, banana or pear; or dried fruit such as raisins or apricots
- If you provide grapes, please cut them in half lengthways, as whole grapes are a choking risk for small children
- You can include a dairy product or dairy alternative, such as Fromage Frais or yoghurt
- We don’t recommend crisps, chocolate and biscuits. Snack foods tend to be high in fat, sugar and salt, causing weight gain, possibly leading to heart disease. High sugar foods are high in calories and are bad for teeth.
- Please avoid anything with nuts. Some children can be highly allergic. CHOCOLATE SPREAD often has nuts or traces of nuts in it.
Please remember your child will have a healthy snack and drink during their session. They only need a child sized portion for lunch. Children can often feel overwhelmed by too much food or too much choice. Start small and then build up. Please speak to your child’s key person if you have any concerns.
Here are some website links to healthy packed lunches