The School Food Trust gives the following advice regarding packed lunches:

Packed lunches should include:

• at least one portion of fruit and one portion of vegetables every day.
• meat, fish or other source of non-dairy protein (e.g. lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas, hummus, peanut butter and falafel) every day
• oily fish, such as salmon, at least once every three weeks.
• a starchy food such as any type of bread, pasta, rice, couscous, noodles, potatoes or other type of cereals every day.
• dairy food such as milk, cheese, yoghurt, fromage frais or custard everyday
• only water, still or sparkling, fruit juice, semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, yoghurt or milk drinks and smoothies.

Packed lunches should not include:

• snacks such as crisps. Instead, include nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruit (with no added salt, sugar or fat).  Savoury crackers or breadsticks served with fruit, vegetables or dairy food are also a good choice.
• confectionery such as chocolate bars, chocolate-coated biscuits and sweets. Cakes and biscuits are allowed but encourage your child to eat these only as part of a balanced meal.
• Meat products such as sausage rolls, individual pies, corned meat and sausages / chipolatas should be included only occasionally.

Heathcote School will provide facilities for pupils bringing in packed lunches and ensure that free, fresh drinking water is readily available at all times. 

As fridge space is not available in school, pupils are advised to bring packed lunches in insulated bags with freezer blocks where possible to stop the food going off.

Whenever possible, Heathcote School will ensure that packed lunch pupils and school dinner pupils will be able to sit and eat together.

Special diets and allergies

Be aware of nut allergies. We recommend you visit the www.allergyinschools.co.uk website for accurate, reliable information on managing allergies in schools.

The school also recognises that some pupils may require special diets that do not allow for the standards to be met exactly. In this case parents are urged to be responsible in ensuring that packed lunches are as healthy as possible. For these reasons pupils are also not permitted to swap food items.