Break and Lunch Time Arrangements

The Latham School cafeteria provides break snacks and lunches. Parents will be able to purchase a daily meal plan for their children. This is an optional service, and not mandatory. Should you require more information than is provided here, please contact the cafeteria provided directly Tel: +255713966868. An application form for signing up for the cafeteria provision can be downloaded at the bottom of the page. A form can also be picked up at the School Office.

Pupils who do not subscribe to the canteen plan are required to bring a packed snack and lunch Monday – Friday.

There is a 45 minutes lunch break at 12.05 p.m. Children eat together and are required to spend a minimum of 10 minutes eating before they go to play.

Break Time Snacks

Children have a 15 minute break at 10.10 a.m. A small, healthy snack should be provided for that time. Pupils are required to eat their snack before they go to play.

Water

It is important that pupils remain properly hydrated throughout the day. In general, we find that children drink considerably more water at school than they do at home because they are very active outside throughout the day at break times, and during P.E. They are required to bring enough water bottles of sufficient size to meet their needs every day. Children should bring full water bottles to school each day.

Although filtered drinking water is available at school for refills, its availability is entirely dependent on DAWASCO provision which can sometimes be erratic. Parents should NOT rely on drinking water being available at school and should make provisions for their children to bring their own water each day.

A minimum size of a water bottle is 750 ml. Many children need 2 such bottles a day. Please ensure that they are re-useable water bottles. We do not allow plastic bottles to be disposed of at school.

Please note that all pupils, of whatever age, should bring only plain water to school.

Lunchboxes and Eating Utensils

Children should come with their lunch and snack in a lunch container that can be closed tightly to avoid food spilling out. The lunch container should be carried in a lunch bag into which all the containers will fit. This should not be a plastic bag. Lunchboxes routinely fall out of open bags and children find it difficult juggling with various containers and their water bottles.

Eating utensils - knife, fork, spoon – that children require for their lunch and snacks must also be carried in the lunch bag

Healthy Eating

We have a policy on healthy eating which our cafeteria service also follows. As part of their science and health education lessons, pupils learn about food groups and what constitutes a healthy, nutritious diet and are encouraged to make healthy eating choices. It is our responsibility to help them in this process. Parents are encouraged to observe the following guidelines:

Packed lunches and snacks should include:

• at least one portion of fruit and one portion of vegetables every day;
• meat, fish or other source of non-dairy protein (e.g. lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas, hummus, peanut butter and falafel);
• a starchy food such as any type of bread, pasta, rice, couscous, noodles, potatoes or other type of cereals every day;
• a dairy food such as cheese, yoghurt and
• only water to drink.

Packed lunches should NOT include:

• snacks such as crisps and sweets
• confectionery, such as chocolate bars, chocolate-coated biscuits and sweets/candies and
• sodas or juice of any kind. Cakes and biscuits are allowed, but children should be encouraged to eat these only as part of a balanced meal.

Portion Sizes

We are all becoming more informed about what factors lead to people becoming overweight, and one of them is the size of the portions we are given. In addition to the content of the lunch pack and snacks, parents are asked consider the size of portions that children are given. Frequently, children are given much more than they need to eat. As a result, younger children can spend almost the whole of the lunch period trying to finish their lunch. Please pack appropriate portion sizes for your child.

Not sure of the portion sizes your child needs for each food group? The ‘choosemyplate.gov’ portion sizes are listed below.

Source: https://www.superkidsnutrition.com/portion-sizes-for-kids/

*1 oz equivalent of Grains: 1 mini bagel, ½ cup of cooked rice, ½ cup of cooked pasta, or 1 regular slice of bread.

**1 oz equivalent of Protein Foods: 1 egg, ½ oz of nuts or seeds, 1 oz of cooked meat/poultry, fish, 1/4 cup of cooked beans or 1 tablespoon of peanut butter. To learn more about portions visit: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/

Sign-up for Snacks and Lunches