Flintshire School Nutrition Resources Boxes are Updated and Relaunched

All primary schools in Flintshire have had access to a School Nutrition Resources Box since 2003 via the School Nursing Teams. These resources were originally produced by the Dietetics Department (Wrexham Maelor Hospital) and funded by the Flintshire Health Alliance. They contained a mix of bilingual resources that could be used in primary schools to promote healthy food choices including activity ideas, posters, food pictures, leaflets etc.

In 2007 the Food Standard Agency reviewed the UK food model ‘The Balance of Good Health’ (now referred to as The Eatwell Plate), making this an appropriate time for the Flintshire Nutrition Resource Boxes to be updated. With the help of Flintshire Public Health Team we were able to purchase 2 complete sets of food models for each school nursing team, those being Mold, Flint and Queensferry.

Each school nursing team now have: -
• 2 food model sets
• 2 Eatwell mats and carrying case,
• 1 box containing teaching resources (e.g. Healthy Eating messages and games to play) and a CD Rom, to be used in conjunction with the food models and mat. The food models consist of a variety of food from each section of the Eatwell plate, e.g. fruit, vegetables, carbohydrates (bread, rice, potatoes, pasta), protein (meat, fish, eggs, beans) milk and dairy and foods and drinks high in fat/sugar.

Some of the resources are also available to download

The updated School Nutrition Resources Boxes were delivered to each team during September 2008. It is hoped that these updated resources will be utilised effectively within primary schools and there is a loan system in place to make this easier to achieve.

A small working group consisting of a strong partnership between the Dietetics Department and school nursing team within the North Wales NHS Trust (East Division), the Flintshire Public Health Team, the Good Health, Good Care Team, and the Flintshire Healthy Schools Team has enabled these resources to be compiled and developed. These resources provide wider benefits in other important, evolving areas of work including Appetite for Life (actions to improve access to healthy food and drink options in school and to increase uptake of school meals), and delivery of the MEND program (treatment program for overweight/ obese 7-13 year olds and their families).

A review of the resources will be undertaken in six months to identify value and frequency of use, and ensure contents remain complete and up to date.