Nutritional standards

The current nutritional standards for school lunches and other food in schools came into effect in September 2007 and August 2008 and are contained in the following documents:

Nutritional standards for school lunches: A guide for implementation PDF 1.72 MB

Nutritional standards for other food and drinks in schools: A guide for implementation PDF 1.71 MB

As well as detailing the standards these documents, published by the Health Promotion Agency (now the Public Health Agency - PHA), also offer practical advice on how to implement them. The Agency has also published a poster for use by schools containing guidance on foods for religious faiths.

Guidance on foods for religious faiths poster PDF 732 KB

In support of the School food: top marks programme the Agency has published School food: the essential guide which contains a series of practical guidance booklets designed to help schools improve pupils’ nutrition and implement healthier eating and drinking practices.  Individual booklets in the series are available here:

School food: the essential guide (English) PDF 1.35 MB

School food: the essential guide (Irish) PDF 1.39 MB

Establishing a whole school food policy (English) PDF 1.62 MB

Establishing a whole school food policy (Irish) PDF 1.64 MB

Healthier breakfast clubs (English) PDF 1.44 MB

Healthier breakfast clubs (Irish) PDF 1.45 MB

Healthier breaks (English) PDF 1.22 MB

Healthier breaks (Irish) PDF 1.23 MB

Healthier vending (English) PDF 1.22 MB

Healthier vending (Irish) PDF 1.22 MB

Water provision (English) PDF 1.12 MB

Water provision (Irish) PDF 1.13 MB

Improving the dining experience in schools (English) PDF 1.42 MB

Improving the dining experience in schools (Irish) PDF 1.43 MB

Healthier lunch boxes (English) PDF 1.84 MB

Healthier lunch boxes (Irish) PDF 1.83 MB

Useful contacts (English) PDF 786 KB

Useful contacts (Irish) PDF 794 KB

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Leaflets for parents

A leaflet for parents of primary school children has also been produced by the PHA. It contains practical tips for parents, carers and children on how to pack an appetising, healthy lunchbox.

Are you packing a healthy lunch? (English) PDF 2.55 MB

Are you packing a healthy lunch? (Irish) PDF 2.61MB

Evaluation

From the 2006/07 school year until March 2011, the Education and Training Inspectorate evaluated the nutritional quality of meals in schools and examined schools' general approaches to promoting healthy eating. Two reports were published:

Progress made in the implementation of Catering for Healthier Lifestyles and general approaches to promoting healthy eating in schools (January-June 2007)

Evaluation of the progress made in the implementation of the food-based nutritional standards (School Food: Top Marks) and general approaches to promoting healthy eating in schools (September 2007-May 2009)

Further Background

Further background on the introduction of nutritional standards in schools

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