"Green Lane is a good school with MANY outstanding features!" - OFSTED March 2006

Healthy Eating Questionnaire

Question 1. Are you happy with the portion size?

Result:

The majority of parents/carers are happy with the portion size offered to their children although; some parents have no knowledge of the portion size.

Response

Portion size is governed by catering standard rules. Each item is cut or portioned so each child gets an equal amount. In addition serving staff always try to be mindful of individual children?s likes/dislikes and appetites.

Question 2. Are you aware of the choice of food offered?

Results:

The majority of parents feel they are aware of the choice of food offered to their children. Just below half do not know about the choices available.

Response:

There is now a large menu board on display, outside the main hall, showing the daily choices available. Healthy choices are highlighted with a ?healthy option? label, helping children to make better decisions. In addition, pparents are always welcome to join us at lunchtime to view the choices. It is also an intention to post the current menu on our school website in the near future.

Question 3. If yes to Q2. Are you happy with the choice of food available?

Results

Although most parents are happy with the choice of food available, there are a significant number of parents who say they are unhappy with the choices.

Response:

The School Cook, in collaboration with the ?Healthy Schools Team? has reviewed the school lunch menu to include more healthy options. E.g. More fresh produce is included in a variety of ways and fewer processed foods are now available. Every day there are several choices of main course available, at least two or three carbohydrate choices, e.g. new potatoes, roast potatoes, baked potatoes and once a week chips ? plus a variety of vegetable choices. Every day there is a wide choice of puddings. In addition to a traditional cake & custard choice there is melon, other fresh fruit yogurt and biscuit, plus other choices. All this in addition to a variety of choices in the salad bar.

Question 4. Do you think the meals offered are of good nutritional value?

Results:

The majority of parents have little knowledge of the nutritional value.

Response:

The new and improved menu includes many more meals high in nutrition. New healthier dishes will be introduced throughout the year and children will have the opportunity to try these foods before choosing them for lunch ? on special ?tasting days?.

An information leaflet, ?Healthy Eating for School-aged Children: A Guide for Parents? is included with these results.

All unit supervisors/cook have had to take a course in Healthy Eating. This has now been completed. All menus and products are supplied low in salt, sugar and fat taking into account of the nutritional needs of children still growing.

Question 5. Do you encourage your child to choose a healthier school meal?

Results:

An overwhelming number of parents do encourage their children to choose a healthier school meal. However, parents are concerned about the final choices their children are making in school.

Response:

This week we have introduced a ?healthy eating? award system, in which children are rewarded for healthy choices (both school dinner and packed lunch). Each day children can receive award tokens for healthy meals. These are collected in the classroom and counted each week. The class in each key stage, with the most tokens, will receive a basket of fruit to be consumed during Golden Time. The variety of choice is maintained throughout the service period still providing a number of choices to the last children into the hall.

Question 6. What type of healthy options would you like to see included on the menu?

Results:

There were many valuable comments included in this question, we have summarised the main points below.

· More vegetarian options

· More Halal meat offered

· Fresh ingredients in all meals with regulated options to ensure a balanced meal

· Less processed food

· More wholemeal bread

· Soup option

· Complete removal of unhealthy choices

· More oven baked meals instead of fried

Responses

There is always plenty of vegetarian choice as well as the salad bar. Every day throughout the service, suitable choices are available for our Muslim children be that Hallal or vegetarian choices. All staff involved in serving the meals attempt to encourage children make to choices which ensure balanced meals.

Other comments:

Results:

· ?I would like to see a menu selection for my child?s school dinner.?

· ?I feel my child should be encouraged to try something different.?

· ?Sometimes those last in the line appear to have no vegetable options.?

· ?I have concerns over my child choosing carbohydrates as a main meal and not being given encouragement to choose vegetables.?

· ?I do commend the school for spending 50p/child/day, however I feel there could be further improvements to the diet approach to nutrition generally. School is a great place to cover nutrition within lessons, perhaps doing food preparation and cooking.?

· ?Few children will pick the healthy option when offered things unhealthy.?

Responses

There have obviously been a number of misconceptions about the content provision and service of school meals. We hope the responses to Questions 1 ? 6 provide an appropriate response to the additional comments and clarify some of the misconceptions. We are certain that we provide healthy, balanced meals, which are well presented and provide a nutritional meal, which represents good value for money. However, we would reiterate that any parents who have concerns, or are merely interested are more than welcome to join us on any day of the week to view the meals on offer.