School Life / Healthy Learning
Blaenau Gwent Appetite for Life Update
The local Appetite for Life Coordinator for Blaenau Gwent is Libby Hampton, elizabeth.hampton@blaenau-gwent.gov.uk.
The Appetite for Life Coordinator has been training since February 2010, to deliver the OCN Level 1 in Food and Nutrition to all lunchtime supervisors.
The take-up of healthy school meals has been promoted by providing taster sessions at Parent’s Evenings. School meal samples are provided by Blaenau Gwent Catering and information stands are set up promoting the new standards in the food served in schools, as well as recommendations for children’s lunchboxes.
Salad bars have been provided in the majority of schools since 2008, this has encouraged the children to make their own healthy food choices for school meals. Positive comments have been received, expressing the effect of salad bars within the schools, examples are listed below:
The school cook said – “It has gone down really well with the children. They can make their own choices and we have very little waste’’.
Teachers commented that “More and more pupils are choosing the salad bar option, and trying new things’’.
Pupils Comments – “There are lots of healthy things to choose from”
“We get to choose whatever salad we want with our Jacket potato or baguette’’and “It’s always lovely and fresh’’.
Ystruth Primary School
A healthy school meals mascot ‘Fit Fred’ has been designed in a competition involving primary school aged children. The winning mascot, followed by the 2nd and 3rd place and 2 runners’ up mascots featured as part of the Blaenau Gwent Healthy Bunch. An award ceremony took place at the Mayor’s Parlour last December, where the Mayor presented the prizes to the winning five children.
Cookery clubs have been running in schools, with ‘school recipe files’ compiled and sent out to schools as a useful resource suitable for school cookery sessions with children. Some schools have set up cookery display boards, showing photos of the recipes being made, thoughts and feelings of the food cooked, and photocopies of the recipe for parents to take home.
If you would like further information about Appetite for Life in Blaenau Gwent, please contact Libby Hampton – Appetite for Life Coordinator on 01495 355312 or email: elizabeth.hampton@blaenau-gwent.gov.uk.