School Meals

Mendip Green Primary School is a NUT-FREE school.

PLEASE HELP US TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN WITH ALLERGIES FROM THE RISK  OF ANAPHYLAXIS.

Food and products where nuts of any type or quantity are listed as ingredients are strictly prohibited on the school grounds. This includes chocolate spreads (including Nutella), cereal bars and sun creams/hand lotions where nuts are listed in the ingredients.

In some cases, packaging will state the product 'may contain nuts'. This is usually due to environment that the product is made in and possible risk of contamination.  Food/products where packaging only states it 'may contain nuts' and nuts are not listed in the ingredients, can be brought into school.

School Meals With Aspens

All information regarding school meals at Mendip Green, including menus, can be found below.

School meals cost £2.50 per day. Please ensure that there are sufficient funds in your ParentPay account if you wish your child to have a school dinner.

The Aspens menus correspond to the below options which the children will select during morning registration:

RED option - main event

GREEN option - meat free magic

PURPLE option - big toppings

YELLOW option - pasta twirler

Week 1 Spring/Summer Menu 2024

Week 2 Spring/Summer Menu 2024

Week 3 Spring/Summer Menu 2024

Do I need to book a school meal?

• There is no need for you to book a dinner in advance.
• During morning registration, children can select a school dinner (including their choice of meal) or a packed lunch.
• Children will have the choice of a red option (main event), a green (meat-free magic), or purple (big topping) option.  All dinners are served with vegetables and children may select additional fresh sides from the salad bar. Children can also choose from a range of puddings each day: the pudding of the day, organic yoghurt and fresh fruit.

How much are school dinners and how do I pay for them?

• Our school dinners cost £2.41 a day.
• Our preference is for meals to be paid for via ParentPay.  This means you can control the amount you have on your account and add additional amounts at anytime to suit you.  If you would rather pay cash, please bring this to the school office.
• We politely request that there are sufficient funds on your ParentPay account to pay for any school meals in advance of your child requesting a dinner.
• To set up a ParentPay account or if you have any questions regarding an existing account, please contact the school office.
• To login to an existing account, visit the online payments section of our website.

Is my child eligible for free school meals?

There are two schemes for free school meals:

• universal infant free school meals for all children in EYFS, Year 1 and Year 2 – you do not need to apply for these meals. Children are automatically entitled to them
• free school meals for people on qualifying benefits – you will need to apply for these

You can find full details about Free School Meals and how to apply for them here.

Drinks Bottles

Children need to bring in a drinks bottle every day. This should be filled with fresh water or weak squash. Children will have access to their drinks bottle throughout the school day. This is part of our commitment to being a 'healthy school' and supporting the health and wellbeing of our children. 

Mendip Green water bottles are available for purchase from the school office.

Packed lunches

Children may bring a packed lunch to school. These should not include:

• hot/fizzy drinks
• glass containers
• food that requires reheating/cooking
• food that requires refrigerating
• chocolate bars or sweets

We ask that parents do not include nut products (nuts or any products where nuts are listed in the ingredients) in packed lunches as we have children in school with severe nut allergies.

Children are not permitted to share any of their packed lunch with others. This is to ensure the safety children with allergies and food intolerances, 

It is important that children eat a balanced diet - this will naturally include a mix of healthy foods and small treats.  Although we request that chocolate bars and sweets are not packed in the children's lunch boxes, a chocolate biscuit, small cake or other sweet treats such as popcorn can be included as part of a balanced meal.

So that you can monitor how much and what your child has eaten, children will be asked to take their rubbish and any left over food home with them in their lunch box.

• Children will receive free milk, a third pint carton, up to their fifth birthday.
• Children over the age of 5 can continue to receive milk in one of two ways:
  • If they are entitled to free school meals (not universal free school meals) milk can be provide free of charge throughout their time at school.  Please contact the school office if your child is entitled to free school meals and would like to receive milk.
  • If children are not eligible for free school meals, the opportunity to continue receiving milk beyond their fifth birthday is available at a cost.  Please arrange this with the school office.

Snacks

Fruit and vegetables are a good source of the nutrients that children need and form part of a healthy, balanced diet. It is recommended that children – like adults – eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day.

Children may bring a healthy snack with them which can be eaten during the morning session. These snacks should be fresh or dried fruit/vegetables.

As part of the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme, all children in EYFS, Year 1 and Year 2 will be offered a fruit/vegetable snack each day. This provides 1 of their '5 A Day' portions. The scheme also helps to increase awareness of the importance of eating fruit and vegetables, encouraging healthy eating habits that can be carried into later life.

Teachers find that distributing the fruit in class groups helps to encourage a sharing, calm, social time. It also allows them to incorporate the scheme into teaching and learning.

The fruit and vegetables are delivered to schools 3 times a week to ensure freshness.

Depending on the season, the choice of fruits will vary. However, most commonly, there's a choice of:

• bananas
• apples
• pears
• carrots
• tomatoes
• easy-peel citrus fruits, such as satsumas

During the year, cucumbers, strawberries and raisins are also offered delivered.

All the fruit and vegetables are washed before they're handed out, which is usually just before the mid-morning break, normally in individual class groups.