Health for Schools and Families

RedBranch is a not-for-profit organisation that promotes healthy lifestyle choices in Irish children and young people. We work with schools and parents, and act as advocates for healthy food and physical activity choices.

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Food In Schools

Many secondary schools sell carbonated soft drinks, crisps and chocolate bars to students, often in very large quantities. Where schools have canteens, these often sell a high proportion of junk food. We think that all schools should only sell foods that make a positive contribution to the health of children. Even in National Schools, where food is not sold to students, many parents struggle with the school food culture. Often parents tell us that they try to send their children to school with wholesome food, but junk-food is the norm and they feel like they are swimming against the tide. 

A school shop or canteen is part of the school environment and therefore has an educational role, as does a vending machine situated in a school. Children learn about healthy eating as part of the curriculum, and it is therefore perverse when foods that are unhealthily high in fat, sugar or salt are promoted in school. When schools sell junk food, it gives the impression that junk food is endorsed by authorities. Children need to be educated and empowered so that they can make informed healthy choices about their diet. However, it is crucial that the school environment should promote a culture of healthy eating, as it is pointless talking to children about a healthy diet when junk food is so easily available at school.

When schools are made aware of the health and performance issues associated with junk food consumption, they are usually keen to change, and we have successfully facilitated this process. It is possible to promote healthier alternatives to students, and when students understand the issues involved they tend to be supportive of change. We have helped schools to source more appropriate options, and schools are usually able to maintain the financial concessions from the sale of food. Teachers report anecdotally that behaviour improves as students move away from inappropriate food. 

Just as schools do not raise money through pinball machines or gambling, we feel that they should not raise money through the sale of junk food. We feel that schools are not to blame for the situation...they have had little or no support on this issue.  One of the main aims of our work is to facilitate schools and guide them through a process of change. In order to do this, we work with food suppliers that can provide healthy food in schools. As a health consultancy, we don't take this issue lightly, and we ensure that the food supplied to schools is wholesome and nutritious. We have found that this is the best way to displace junk food consumption and to encourage healthy eating. 

If wholesome, tasty food is available at school, children tend to respond in a positive way. Click here if you are interested in having healthy food supplied to your school.

Check with your own school to see what is on offer at the canteen/school shop.  Don't be afraid to point out the issue to school management. Why not write to your TD to outline your concerns? Why isn't your local health board doing more to help schools? Why not write to them and find out? Grass roots pressure is the only thing that will change the current situation.

Many Irish children survive on a diet of junk food throughout the school day. If you want to chuck out the junk from your school, contact RedBranch.

 

 

 

    

Simply by facilitating the availability of bottled water and encouraging the  removal of “junk” vending machines, we have created a drastic shift away from fizzy drink consumption in schools. This has proved extremely popular with children, teachers and parents.

 

 

 

 

 

Tel: +353 (0)61 713 750    email:  info@red-branch.com

RedBranch School Health Ltd, Sixmilebridge, Co. Clare, Ireland

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Last modified: December 07, 2007

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