Englewood Home & School Association 
 
 

October 2006 

Health Eating Program at Englewood School.  

The Englewood Home and School Association, along with the school staff, saw a need to improve the eating habits of our children and took the recommendations of the “PEI School Nutrition Policies” to implement a program at Englewood intended to educate our children of the importance of good nutrition, and that nutritious foods can be good tasting, as well as good for you. Compounding this, we as a society are seeing more and more obesity, diabetes, high blood pressures, cancers and more…. mostly often related to eating habits as a child that expands into adulthood.  At the school level – it is a known fact that proper nutrition, those without high fat or sugar contents, lead to a better learning potential. In combination with proper eating, our school also ensures the children get adequate exercise through the physical education programs. 

As parents, we started in January of 2005 and the program has grown steadily. The children love it, the parents love it and the staff loves it.  

We offer a hot lunch item ($2.00) on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays …ranging from macaroni with meat sauce, lasagna, baked potatoes with various toppings, pizza (beef, ham or chicken topping), soups and more! We avoid “processed meats”. Once a month we offer a sub from Captain Subs in Kensington (pre-ordered and delivered to the school). Every Tuesday we deliver fruit (3 choices) and cheese trays to each of the nine classrooms and every Thursday we deliver vegetable (3 choices) and cheese trays to each of the nine classrooms during morning “little recess”. These trays are free and always “come back empty”!  

Our canteen offers homemade cookies (baked by parents), 100% fruit juices, bottled water, yogurt tubes, fresh fruit, canned fruit, and more for purchase at discounted prices. Most items are 50cents. 

Feedback from parents shows this is working! Children are eating fruits and vegetables they would normally never try. The older grades (7-9) who tend to think “it’s not cool to eat healthy” are now participating more, and bringing back empty trays that initially were three-quarters full on return! There is approximately a 75-80% participation rate with the children on the hot menu. We are seeing less processed/pre-packaged foods coming into the school –even on days when a child brings their own full lunch. Chip and ice cream sales are down – cheese strings, water, 100%juices, yogurt tubes are up! 

Encouraged by the Home & School parents – children have a snack at 10:10-10:20 am (For trays) and now have 20 minutes first for outdoor recess, eating for 20 minutes afterwards. Children tend to be hungrier after being outside and will eat more…of the healthy food provided, that will stay with them for the rest of the afternoon! It better prepares them for an afternoon of classes. “Silent Reading” follows the lunch so that there is some additional time to finish the lunch (if required) while reading. 

Many thanks to all the volunteers who arrange the menu, watch the flyers, buy the groceries, stock the canteen, bake, prepare the food trays and meals, and fundraise to subsidize the costs. Thanks also to the following businesses and organizations who have financially contributed to the program for 2005/6: 

South Shore Pharmacy, Crapaud

Harvey’s General Store, Crapaud

Crapaud Women’s Institute

Victoria Women’s Institute

North Tryon Women’s Institute

Hampton Women’s Institute

Tryon Women’s Institute

St. Joseph’s Parish Catholic Women’s League

St. John’s Anglican Christian Women

Breakfast for Learning – Canadian Living

PEI Healthy Eating Alliance 

We also need to recognize the farmers in our community who have generously provided the potatoes and the ground beef for the macaroni sauce.  

Program Costs 

Because of the minimal profit made on Macaroni and Potatoes – we are able to offer the other selections at $2.00 as well generally breaking even on the food costs. But there are so many other costs often not recognized. Some of these include:

• Electricity (we often have three ovens going for potatoes, chicken, lasagna, etc)
• Extra freezer to pre-buy (specials, etc)
• New fridge was required
• Cookware, serving trays, cooking utensils and supplies
• Disposable serving dishes, cups/covers, cutlery, napkins
• Dips for vegetable trays, individual serving cups
• Groceries – often bought in bulk ahead to reduce costs by taking advantage of specials (especially cheese, macaroni and sauces, juices, water)
• Surgical gloves and antiseptic solutions for handling food by volunteers

Englewood Healthy Eating Committee