By Sarah Turpitt
Amisfield School approached the Tokoroa Hospital Dietary department with the idea of providing healthy school lunch orders. They had recently closed their canteen and wanted to offer healthier options to the students. Together we have developed a range of healthy packed lunches and hot meals that we are piloting across three primary schools in Tokoroa. The lunches include a range of lunch boxes (a couple of sizes to suit different appetites and age ranges). The items in the lunch box were developed in line with what Project Energize have been promoting within the schools and include wholemeal rolls, club sandwiches, raw fruit and vegetables, hummus and hi-fibre/reduced sugar baking. The hot meals are fortified with vegetables and loaded with nutrient dense foods. The most popular has been the macaroni cheese, but the shepherds pie isnt far behind! The aim was to provide healthy options that directly compete with the cheap pies and sausage rolls that are available on the market, and to work in collaberation with different agencies to promote healthy eating as a way of life. The children at the schools have been very receptive to the lunch orders. We regularly get feedback from the children themselves as well as the parents saying how they are enjoying the lunches.
Looking forward we are aiming to develop a community based healthy lunch orders program to be available to all school children in the Tokoroa area.
