ISS - Feeding Hungry Minds

Feeding Hungry Minds

Packed Lunches

Here at Montpelier we follow the Healthy Schools guidance on healthy eating. Although we feel that many of our pupils at Montpelier have healthy packed lunch, we thought it would be helpful to remind parents of the following.

To keep packed lunches in line with the food-based standards for school meals, packed lunches should not include:

  • Confectionery such as chocolate bars, chocolate-coated biscuits, sweets, cereal bars and yoghurts containing chocolate bits
  • Chocolate spread or Nutella as a sandwich filling
  • Cereal bars
  • Any food containing nuts
  • Fizzy/sugary drinks or fruit flavoured squash. This includes diet drinks and energy drinks which can contain high levels of caffeine and other additives and are not suitable for children


Occasionally the following may be included:

  • Cakes and plain biscuits are allowed but children should be encouraged to eat these only as part of a balanced meal.
  • Although we allow crisps, we strongly discourage parents from providing them on a daily basis as they are high in fat and high in salt.
  • Many parents now provide their children with healthier alternatives such as breadsticks, plain rice cakes and plain popcorn.

Snacks in Lunches

Please ensure break time snacks and any after school snacks meet this guidance. It is vital that pupils do not have any snacks containing nuts as this poses a serious health issue to pupils and staff who have nut allergies

The best snack for pupils to have is a piece of fruit. For information about nut allergies and the consequences of being exposed, please see this link

Packed lunches should be based on the Eat Well plate model and should include the following every day:

  • Fruit and Vegetables – at least one portion of fruit and one portion of vegetables or salad.
  • Non-dairy source of protein – meat, fish, egg, beans or pulses such as lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas, hummus and falafel.
  • Starchy food like bread, pasta, rice, couscous, noodles, potatoes or another type of cereals
  • Dairy foods such as milk, cheese, yoghurt, fromage frais
  • Drinks such as water, 100% pure fruit juice, yoghurt or milk drinks and smoothies.
  • Oily fish such as salmon should be included at least once every three weeks

Food ideas

Please see below useful links to lunchbox recipes and ideas which may find helpful. The lunchbox tips section is particularly helpful with ideas on how to supplement high sugar or high-fat options for healthier ideas.

Need help? Visit Key Information