Stop, Look and Cook: recipe book for schools in Northern Ireland

Nutrition is central to health and children's diets can be an important influence now and in the future. Stop, Look and Cook is a new recipe book for use by catering staff in all grant-aided nursery, primary and post-primary schools in Northern Ireland.�Recipes have been collected from school caterers across the region. These recipes have been checked to ensure that they are compliant with nutritional standards for school lunches and have been tested in schools for taste and suitability. In addition all the recipes have been analysed by the PHA using a nutritional software package, with a particular focus on fat, salt and sugar.�This recipe book provides approximately 280 recipes, giving schools more choice for menus. It also contains useful advice for dealing with food allergies and supplying alternative meals for pupils from other cultures.For more information on Stop, Look and Cook please contact the school meals catering manager at your local Education and Library Board.�

Packing a healthy punch for lunch

In Northern Ireland over 127,000 children bring their own food to school so it is important to ensure that food is both appetising and is good for health. Recent surveys looking at Childrens lunchboxes revealed that they are often too high in fat, salt and sugar, with just under half of the lunchboxes containing no fruit. To help parents and carers make lunchboxes healthier, the PHA has produced a leaflet, Are you packing a healthy lunch? in collaboration with safefood, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and the Department of Education.It will be distributed to every child in primary school and contains practical tips for parents, carers and children on how to pack an appetising, healthy lunchbox.

Weight Matters

The aims of this intervention are: - To observe a weekly weight loss of 0.5-1 kg, over the 12 weeks, in those completing the weight management intervention - To sustain behavioural changes achieved at 12 weeks for the long term, at 6, 12 and 24 month after course completion - To increase average daily consumption of fruit and vegetables by 20 percent, from baseline, after 12 weeks of intervention - To decrease consumption of foods high in fat and sugar, by 20 percent, from baseline, after 12 weeks of intervention - To increase number of minutes individuals spend doing moderate physical activity each week by at least 60 minutes from baseline, after 12 weeks of intervention - To reduce number of minutes individuals spend sedentary each week by at least 60 minutes from baseline, after 12 weeks of intervention

Workplace Weight Management course

The aims of this intervention are: To observe a weekly weight loss of 0.51 kg, over the 8 weeks, in those completing the weight management intervention To sustain behavioural changes achieved at 8 weeks for the long term, at 6, 12 and 24 month after course completion Objectives: To increase average daily consumption of fruit and vegetables by 15 percent, from baseline, after 8 weeks of intervention To decrease consumption of foods high in fat and sugar, by 15 percent, from baseline, after 8 weeks of intervention To increase number of minutes individuals spend doing moderate physical activity each week by at least 30 minutes from baseline, after 8 weeks of intervention To reduce number of minutes individuals spend sedentary each week by at least 30 minutes from baseline, after 8 weeks of intervention