Blackrock School

Introduction

Our class attended a healthy eating and exercise course with students from DKIT. The course lasted ten weeks and we learned all about eating healthily. We now know how important a healthy diet is. It helps us to grow and stay strong. We have completed a project based on what we have learned. We hope you like it and learn from it.

Miss Stanley’s Fourth class

Our Definitions of Healthy Eating

Eating fruit and vegetables and not too much junk. Eating five fruit and vegetables a day and maybe three portions of junk per week (G.B)


I think healthy eating is eating healthy foods like fruit and vegetables because they help your body in many different ways (C.H.D)

I think healthy eating is when you eat less junk and more grain, fruit, vegetables, dairy and protein. (L.H)


I think healthy eating is when you eat lots of fruit and vegetables and hardly any sweets (N.S.)

Healthy eating needs a balanced diet, you should even eat chocolate to be fit and healthy. (C.P.)


I think healthy eating is a way to be strong, fit and healthy. It is a good way to eat after exercise. (S.D.)

I think healthy eating is good because it makes you strong and gives you lots of energy. (A.C.)

I think healthy eating is to keep you healthy as you grow up (D.F.)

Healthy eating means to keep yourself fit and healthy (AMcQ)


I think healthy eating is about eating different types of veg. and fruit, not just eating the same thing over and over again (N.S.)


I think healthy eating is eating the right amount of food from each of the food groups (A.K.)


Healthy eating is the best because if you eat your fruit and veg. you will become big and strong. (GMcC)

Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It provides us with nutrients we need to keep us alert during the day.

Here are some facts about cereals:

What you should look out for in a cereal:

Whole Grain- this should be the first ingredient on the packet. Refined grains are not as good.

Added Sugar-you want little or none of this.

Fibre- you want to see a lot of this.[eg2-3g]


Top Breakfast Cereals.

1. Porridge.

2.Ready Brek

3.Shreddies

4.Bran Flakes

5.Weetabix

Cereals to be avoided:

1. Cocoa Pops

2. Frosties

3. Sugar Puffs

4. Special K

5. Corn Flakes

6. Rice Krispies



Our Class Top 5 Cereals

1. Porridge
2. Weetabix
3. Cheerios
4. Rice Krispies
5. Special K

Porridge was the most popular cereal. Twelve people eat it for breakfast every day.

Porridge provides lots of energy. It keeps us full for longer and helps us to concentrate better.

You can make porridge even healthier by adding fruit.

It is also advisable to eat toast or bread of some sort.

Lunch

In our school, we have a Healthy Eating Policy. We think that this is a great idea because it encourages us to eat healthy items for lunch.

We have made a list of a variety of foods we eat for lunch. Here are some of our ideas:

Lunch box ideas

Sandwiches on wholemeal bread
Bagels with salad
Rice cakes (low salt)
French rolls – ham, chicken, salad
Pitta bread
Pasta
Caesar salad
Salad
Chicken curry
Cold meatballs
Homemade soup
Scone
Fruit
Raw vegetables
Fruit salad
Yoghurt

Drinks
Water
Milk
Orange juice (small amount)
Cordial
Fruit smoothies
Apple juice (small amount)
Grapefruit juice
Carrot juice
Beetroot juice

Dinners

We discussed dinners in our class and made a list of our favourites. We now know that we need to eat at least one portion of vegetables or salad for our dinner to help us achieve our five a day!

Here is our list:

Our Favourite Dinners

Steak with potatoes and vegetables
Chicken with potatoes and vegetables
Roast dinner
Stew
Toad in the Hole
Quiche
Vegetable pie
Salmon with rice and vegetables
Paprika chicken with potatoes
Gaelic chicken
Fish with vegetables
Plaice with soy sauce
Bangers and mash
Chicken Kiev
Spicy rice with chicken and peppers
Spagetti Bolagnese
Lasagne

Healthy snack options (lower in sugar and salt)

Fruit (e.g. an apple or banana, handful of grapes)
Washed, raw vegetable pieces (e.g. stick of carrot, celery, pepper and cucumber)
Washed, whole raw vegetables (e.g. cherry tomatoes)
Half tin of fruit (in its own juice)
Plain popcorn (unsalted)
Plain breadsticks, unsalted plain or wholewheat crackers, crispbreads or water biscuits served with fruit or cheese
Plain rice cakes
Natural or low fat yoghurt with chopped fruit (fresh, frozen or tinned in its own juice)
Wholemeal/ plain scones plain biscuits (e.g. digestive biscuits, Rich tea)

Food Dudes

Our school started The Food Dudes program this year. For phase one each child in the school was given a portion of fruit and vegetables each day for sixteen days. If they ate the portion, the child received a prize. This worked very well. It encouraged the children in our class to try different fruit and vegetables.

We are currently in Phase Two. If we eat a portion of fruit and vegetables we get a tick on our wallchart. There are prizes given out when we reach certain goals.

We are now well on our way to achieving our five a day!

Exercise

The students from DKIT also taught us about the importance of exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle. Each child should be exercising for at least an hour per day.

Here are some photographs of us exercising:

Food Pyramid

our research we learned about The Food Pyramid. This shows us the amount of carbohydrates, fats, protein, fruit and vegetables we need to eat each day. Here is some of the information we have learned.
should be eating at least six portions of carbohydrates each day. These are foods such as bread, potatoes and pasta. These are the foods that supply us with energy, in the form of glucose. Where possible go for the wholegrain variety as you will get more fibre and will feel fuller for longer.

We should be aiming to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day.

The next group is the dairy, 2-3 servings for calcium and Vitamin D to help strengthen bones and teeth.

The fourth group on the pyramid is the meat, fish and bean group. This group also includes eggs. This group provides us with protein and iron which our body needs to stay healthy and strong. We should try to eat 2 or 3 servings each day.

last group includes sweets and fatty foods. These should only be eaten occasionally as a treat.

are some photographs of our class making our own food pyramids.

Our class was split into groups and we were each asked to compose a poem based on healthy eating. Here is what we came up with

Fruit and Veg
I love fruit and veg,
They're good for your head.
If you like sweets,
you're not cool
you're just a fool.

My name is Ned.
I love fruit and veg
I eat them in my bed.,
yummy, yummy,
In my tummy, tummy.

Fruit and veg are cool
Eat them up don't be a fool.
Fruit and veg are very good foryou
Eat them, you'll say 'Phew!'

Jessica, Aaron, Alanna, Melissa and Maxiim