Limerick school leads healthy eating drive

AMID mounting concerns at the amount of junk food being consumed by tens of thousands of young children, a school in a disadvantaged area of Limerick continues to lead the way with it’s healthy eating programme.

A new report claims more than half of Irish children eat large amounts of sweets every day and 37% drink fizzy drinks on a daily basis.

On the other side of the dietary coin, fruit and vegetable intake is only half the recommended amount.

As a result of these findings, a major initiative to tackle “food poverty” among primary school pupils will be launched shortly by three anti-poverty groups including St Vincent de Paul.

In drawing up a plan of action they could take a lead from what has been achieved in Corpus Christi primary school in Moyross where 340 boys and girls enjoy a highly nutritional plan which the school has pioneered.

The healthy food programme at Corpus Christi is funded by the Paul (People Against Unemployment in Limerick) Partnership and the Government. It costs around €50,000 a year.

Each child gets a daily food pack containing sandwiches, fruit juices, spring water and a selection of fruit during the school day free of charge.

Parents who do give children food must comply with the school’s healthy eating policy.

Under the policy all fizzy drinks, sweets, lollipops, crisps, and chewing gum are banned.

Principal áine Uí Chroimin said when they decided to embark on the heathy eating model, the school brought in a professional dietician, Christine Gurnett.

Ms Uí Chroimin said: “Junk food was a big issue, but Christine told us it was all about education and educating the pallet of children to healthy tastes.”

As well as helping beat childhood obesity, the healthy eating strategy has yielded other benefits.

Ms Uí Chroimin said: “The fact that the children do not have fizzy drinks, we find that their ability to engage in class activities is improved as they are not hyper. All the teaching staff say the class rooms are much calmer.”

Compliance with the ban on junk food is almost 100% with an occasional sweet tooth breaching the rules.

The sandwiches are prepared by a professional outside caterers and delivered to the school with fruit at 10.30am each day.

The healthy food packs are given out to the children during the 10.45 morning break and at the main lunch break at 12.30pm.

One parent said: “It is great and the kids get used to a heathy diet and are less inclined to resort to junk food even at weekends and after school. My daughter would prefer to have an apple than a bar of chocolate if she feels like a snack.”

Ms Uí Chroimin praised parents for promoting the healthy eating programme.

She said: “Our parents are wonderful and are totally supportive... And it’s great to hear them tell us this.”