School meals at Wheatcroft are provided by Hertfordshire Catering

Information from HCC about Free School Meals

We recommend that your child has a school meal. Children starting school eating school dinners tend to be less fussy eaters and enjoy the social side of eating a meal with others. The Kitchen is able to cater for children with special individual dietary requirements such as nut allergies. Water and beakers are provided at the table.

As an alternative to school meals, children may bring a packed lunch in a single plastic container clearly marked with their name. Drinks (not fizzy) should be in cardboard boxes, or plastic bottles or flasks (no tins, glass bottles or squashy bags please). Water is available throughout the day. Children are allowed to bring in a piece of fruit to eat at break time. This needs to be wrapped separately from any packed lunch. Oranges should not be provided as they prove to be somewhat messy for children to eat in school. Parents should note that packed lunches are stored in the classroom and not refrigerated. Please be careful that none of the lunch ‘leaks’ or melts! We ask that you do not include sweets or chocolate bars in packed lunch boxes.

We also ask you to exclude nuts or products with nuts as we have Children and Staff in school with nut allergies.

Some suggestions for healthy packed lunches from Change 4 Life

Please ensure that your child always has a water bottle in class and that this only contains water with no additives such as squash or flavourings.

Milk

Milk is available for Reception and Key Stage 1 children (Reception to Year 2) but parents must pay for this in advance for each term. The current cost is available from the office and, unlike dinner money, refunds are not made for absence. Milk is provided free for Nursery children and children who qualify for free meals.

Fruit

The school is part of the NHS Fruit In School programme. This provides children from Nursery to Year 2 with a piece of fruit each day. The aim is to complement healthy eating and provide one of the five pieces of fruit or veg a child should eat each day.