School Dinners

At Howard Primary School, our menus are created in line with the Department for Education's standards for school food in England.  The menu options are nutritionally balanced to include some of the recommended daily intake of vitamins, protein, carbohydrates, fats and sugars for your child.

Our menus match the seasons, with fresh ingredients in every meal. All year round, we encourage children to try new dishes and learn more about fresh, healthy food.

Please click here to download our School's Lunch Menu (includes dates and allergen information)

For more information on the Department for Education's standards for school food in England, please click here.

 

Medically Prescribed Diets

If your child requires a medically prescribed diet, please complete the Medical Diet Request Form and email a copy to both office@howard.croydon.sch.uk AND specialdiets@pabulum-catering.co.uk

A Nutritionist from Pabulum, our current catering contractor, will then create a medically prescribed diet menu to meet your child’s dietary requirements and send this to you within 10 working days.

Packed Lunches

You may choose to send your child to school with a packed lunch from home.

Packed lunch advice:

The UK government produced packed lunch guidance to support the implementation of new school food standards for school lunches and ensure that all children benefit from eating quality food during the school day.

The guidelines are:

  • One portion of fruit and one portion of vegetable or salad every day to be included in packed lunches
  • Meat, fish or another source of non-dairy protein should be included every day. Non dairy sources of protein include lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas, hummus, and falafel
  • An oily fish, such as salmon, should be included at least once every three weeks
  • A starchy food, such as bread or pasta, rice, couscous, noodles, potatoes or other cereals, should be included every day
  • A dairy food, such as semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, cheese, yoghurt, fromage frais or custard should be included every day
  • Free, fresh drinking water should be available at all times
  • Include only water, still or sparkling, fruit juice, semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, yoghurt or milk drinks and smoothies
  • Snacks such as crisps should not be included every day. Instead, include seeds, vegetables and fruit (with no added salt, sugar or fat). Savoury crackers or breadsticks served with fruit, vegetables or dairy food are also a good choice
  • Confectionery such as chocolate bars and sweets should not be routinely included. Cakes and biscuits are allowed but these should be part of a balanced meal

Meat products such as sausage rolls, individual pies corned meat and sausages / chipolatas should be included only occasionally

Packed lunches MUST NOT include

  • nuts – including peanut butter and Nutella – because of the life threatening risk to any other child who may have a severe allergy​

 Please click here to view our Whole School Food Policy

The NHS has published healthy packed lunch information, including healthy, quick and tasty recipes and lunch ideas, which you can access here.

 

Parent Information