Athersley North Primary School
Schools Meals
Lunch
🍽️ Delicious & Nutritious School Meals at Athersley North!
At Athersley North Primary School, lunchtime is so much more than a break — it’s a time to relax, laugh, try new flavours and fuel your body and brain for learning and fun! 🎉
🥗 Why Our Meals Matter
We know that great food makes for great days! That’s why our school meals are:
Healthy and balanced — giving children the nutrients they need to stay focused and energetic in class.
A chance to socialise and enjoy time with friends around the table.
A delicious way to learn about good eating habits that support lifelong wellbeing.
🥛 Free Milk Every Day
Every pupil — no matter their age — gets FREE milk at lunchtime, helping them grow strong bones, build healthy muscles, and stay refreshed throughout the day. 🥛💪
🍽️ Tasty Two-Course Meals
We offer every child a nutritious two-course lunch, carefully planned to fuel their learning and play. For pupils who don’t qualify for free meals, we heavily subsidise the cost so that everyone can enjoy a great school lunch for just £3 per day. 🍝🥦
👉 Meals are paid for through our cashless ParentPay system — quick, easy, and stress-free. If you need help setting this up, just contact the school office!
Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM)
At Athersley North Primary School, we’re proud to offer Infant Free School Meals to all children in Foundation Stage 2, Year 1 and Year 2.
This means that every child in these year groups is entitled to a free, nutritious school lunch every single day — with no cost to families.
Why This Matters
A healthy lunch plays a vital role in helping children:
Stay focused and ready to learn in the afternoon
Build healthy eating habits from a young age
Develop social skills while enjoying meals with friends
Maintain steady energy levels throughout the school day
For many children, a hot, balanced meal at lunchtime makes a real difference to their wellbeing, confidence and concentration.
Why You Should Still Apply (Even If Meals Are Free)
Even though meals are automatically free for infants, it is extremely important that families who receive certain benefits still complete a Free School Meals application.
Why?
Because registering can unlock additional funding for the school through Pupil Premium.
This extra funding helps us to provide:
Additional teaching support
Small group interventions
Extra resources and learning materials
Enrichment activities and wider opportunities
Support for wellbeing and pastoral care
By applying, you’re not only supporting your own child — you’re helping us provide even more opportunities for all pupils across the school.
The application process is quick, simple and confidential, and our school office is always happy to help if you need support.
Together, we can ensure every child is well-fed, well-supported and ready to thrive. 
Creating a Healthy Packed Lunch
While we are proud of our delicious hot school meals at Athersley North Primary School, we understand that some families prefer to provide a packed lunch — and we’re happy to support that choice.
A healthy packed lunch helps children stay energised, focused and ready to learn throughout the afternoon. The right balance of foods can prevent energy dips and support concentration in lessons.
What Makes a Balanced Packed Lunch?
We recommend including:
1. A Healthy Main
Choose wholegrain or high-fibre options where possible:
Sandwiches, wraps or pitta bread with lean fillings (chicken, tuna, egg, cheese, hummus)
Pasta or rice salads
Bagels or savoury muffins
2. Fruit & Vegetables
Aim for at least one portion:
Apple slices, bananas, grapes (cut lengthways)
Carrot sticks, cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes
Small pots of mixed fruit or salad
Fresh, colourful options make lunch more appealing and nutritious!
3. A Dairy or Alternative Option
For growing bones and teeth:
Cheese cubes or Babybel
Yoghurt (low sugar where possible)
Fromage frais
4. A Healthy Drink
Water is always the best choice for hydration. A small carton of fruit juice is allowed, but we kindly ask families to avoid:
Fizzy drink
Energy drink
Large bottles of sugary juice
Staying hydrated helps children concentrate and feel their best.
Treats in Moderation
We understand that an occasional treat can feel special. However, the following items are not acceptable in for lunchtime:
Chocolate bars
Sweets
Large packets of crisps
Instead, consider healthier swaps like:
Plain popcorn
Rice cakes
Oat-based snack bars
A balanced packed lunch supports not only physical health but also learning, mood and behaviour in school.
Together, we can help every child feel fuelled, focused and ready to shine each afternoon!