Buladh bos for Coomhola

Students at Coomhola National School, Bantry were jumping for joy as their school was named Healthy Heroes School of the Month for May.

The award was won thanks to the students’ efforts in promoting healthy eating, sharing the honour with a Galway school.

They are among of hundreds of primary school students across the country that are participating in the Healthy Heroes Lunch Club initiative from the Irish Bread Bakers Association (IBBA) and Bord Bia, which aims to educate children on how to improve their lunchtime habits.

Designed by teachers and behaviour change experts with the support of Dr Mary McCreery, a consultant nutritionist and dietician, the initiative is now in its sixth year.

The programme contains useful tips and suggestions on ways to include fruit and vegetables in lunch boxes as well as easy to understand information on the food pyramid and the contents of the ideal lunch box while the lunch of the month encourages children to have a more balanced lunch using Irish bread.

Coomhola NS teacher Sophie O’Shea said: “Through the Healthy Heroes Lunch Club, the children have become more aware of their eating habits. They understand the nutritional benefits that stand with certain foods now. Learning about the nutritional value of various foods shocked the children and made them more mindful of what they eat. We here in Coomhola are very energetic, however the children learned how important it is to stay active.”

Ailbhe Byrne oversees the programme on behalf of the IBBA. “The feedback we have received from schools is that the peer-to-peer mentoring aspect of the Healthy Heroes initiative has been particularly successful. The knowledge gained by students will help them to make healthier choices going through life.”

For more info on how schools can get involved in the Healthy Heroes Lunch Club, visit fooddrinkireland.ie/healthyheroes or email healthyheroes@realnation.ie.