What a great step.
The most recent report in Ireland found that 1 in 4 children in the country are overweight, with a 70 percent risk of obesity tracking into adulthood.
This is worrying for both parents and health professionals, but this new lunchtime initiative is looking to tackle the problem.
The Healthy Heroes Lunch Club aims to help kids understand what they’re eating and its nutritional value with games and fun activities.
This in turn will hopefully make it easier for you preparing a healthy lunch for your child, as well as them actually eating it.
In the hope that it will be spread out in every Irish primary school, sixth class pupils will set up lunchtime activities for their classmates and the younger classes.
“During lunch, the club meets to eat together and talk about nutrition informally through teacher led discussion. The children then take over to run the activities building on those suggested and developing their own club games,” the Healthy Heroes Lunch Club website reads.
“This programme will help to encourage children to change their eating habits, to educate them about nutrition and boost their activity levels at lunchtime, all whilst having lots of fun.”
The programme has been set up by behaviour experts, teachers and nutritionist and dietician, Dr Mary McCreery.
Speaking about the initiative, Dr McCreery said: “The school lunch box should provide about 25 to 35 percent of a child’s energy and nutrient needs.
“Yet studies have shown that packed lunches are deficient in ‘healthy’ foods and tend to be high in sugar, saturated fat and salt, while low on starchy foods and fibre.”
She continued: “The classroom is the perfect place to help improve children’s knowledge of food and what they eat for lunch.
“Incorporating healthy eating habits from a young age and in a playful environment is a vital stepping stone to their future food habits.”
Hopefully, by getting children engaged in the activities, and openly talking about food with their classmates will help them understand the importance of healthy eating.
The Healthy Heroes Lunch Club will “ensure that they will learn lots about nutrition and the importance of staying active, and we hope that they share their excitement and vital nutritional messages with their families and friends.”
If you want to find out more about the programme and how you can get involved, visit this website.
