Kick Sugar this Valentine’s Day

Are you or your partner currently kicking sugar from your diet? With a little help from the Rewards Project, you can enjoy a low sugar Valentine’s Day that’s just as special!

 

Dining out

Did you know, most restaurants are happy to cook you a low-sugar option if you request it? It can be hard to give in to temptation whilst looking at meals full of sugary sauces or desserts, but you’ll feel great for saying no to those sugar-laden foods. Instead, why not share a cheese board, or opt for a fruit salad?

If you know where you’re heading for dinner, make sure to plan ahead and check the menu before you get there. This will save you lots of time and prevent you from feeling rushed at the dinner table!

More tips for dining out whilst kicking sugar:

  • Drink plenty of water
  • Avoid alcohol
  • Try to avoid white bread/white rice/white potato/white pasta
  • Keep an eye on dressings and sauces

 

Chocolates

If your partner simply can’t resist Chocolates, opt for dark chocolate. Dark chocolate has a lot less sugar and added health benefits. We suggest choosing an 85% cocoa bar or higher. The higher the percentage of cocoa, the lower the sugar content.

Dark chocolate is also full of anti-oxidants and will also boost your partners mood by producing endorphins, a chemical responsible for creating feelings of pleasure.

 

Non-food gift ideas

How about being more thoughtful. Here is a list of non-food gifts that will last longer than the box of chocolates:

  • A personalised photo frames
  • Bouquet of roses
  • A meaningful Valentine’s Day card
  • A hand written love letter
  • Tickets to their favourite show
  • A couples massage
  • A fitness class
  • Do the chores around the house
  • A lie in (if you have kids)
  • A book from their favourite author

 

Staying in this year?

If you and your partner are having a cosy night in this year, why not make it even more romantic and cook a delicious, low-sugar recipe together from our Kick Sugar cookbook. There’s nothing better than a candle lit feast with your loved one.

The Kick Sugar cookbook is filled with easy, fuss-free recipes that will improve your health and re-calibrate your taste-buds. You and your partner will be spoilt for choice once you’ve seen the options.

Kick Sugar Cookbook

Get your copy of Kick Sugar here.

 

Cooking course success!

We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who attended our very first charity cooking course ‘Kick Sugar, Feel Great!’ which took place at La Cucina Caldesi on Monday 20th January.

Kick Sugar author James Goolnik set up the evening alongside TV chef Giancarlo Caldesi and nutritionist Jenny Phillips for an evening of delicious, low sugar recipes from the Kick Sugar cookbook, along with a Q&A session.

Italian chef Giancarlo Caldesi showed us seven ways to cook vegetables, along with healthy dishes such as Minestrone soup, aubergine parmigiana, tuna poke bowls, stir-fry vegetables, rice pudding and more.

Just a few of the recipes created on the night:

 

It was great to see so many of you asking questions about sugar and its effects on the body, healthier alternatives and cooking methods that will prevent your blood sugar from spiking.

 

Feedback from our first cooking course:

“I absolutely loved the practical and social element of this course. It was pitched at the right level for a mixed group.” – Sahil Patel

“We felt very lucky to have met the people behind the Kick Sugar cookbook. We also found it very interesting to see the different ways of cooking vegetables, especially the mushrooms and aubergines.” – Marian & Eileen

“A great venue, a fun evening and well hosted. It was very inspiring and I learnt a lot of useful tips.” – Dan Hegarty

 

Would you like to attend our Kick Sugar cooking demonstration in February and have dinner with James and Giancarlo?

TUTORS: Giancarlo Caldesi & James Goolnik

DATE: Monday 24th February 2020

TIME: 6.30pm – 9.30pm

LOCATION: La Cucina Caldesi – Marylebone, London

PRICE: £50

 

This intimate cooking demonstration guides you through how to cook a 3-course feast with recipes from the new Kick Sugar cookbook. Designed for the busy cook it will help and inspire you on the road to cooking with less sugar and give you confidence ahead of the 14-day Kick Sugar challenge!

Together with Giancarlo and James you will watch the meal being prepared, cooked and get tips from a professional chef. Then you sit down to eat!

 

What’s included?

.               Cooking demonstrations

.               A three-course meal (dishes prepared during the class)

.               Drinks with the meal (hot drinks, water and soft drinks in keeping with our low sugar focus)

.               A signed copy of the new Kick Sugar cookbook (RRP £20)

.               Answer your food and cooking questions with Giancarlo Caldesi and James Goolnik

5 Ways to Reduce Sugar Cravings with Jenny Phillips

5 ways to reduce sugar cravings with Jenny Phillips

 

We’ve teamed up with registered Nutritional Therapist Jenny Phillips to bring you some helpful tips on how to reduce your sugar cravings. Jenny offers retreats and workshops to help you kick the sugar habit whilst filling up on delicious foods and exercising. Bliss! Read more at https://www.inspirednutrition.co.uk/

 

So, you’ve decided to cut down your sugar intake – well done you! Remember that your taste buds change really quickly, studies show if you keep off the sweet stuff for just 6 days then sugar cravings dramatically recede or stop.

Before even thinking about strategies though, reflect on your current diet and make sure that you are eating good food regularly. For most people 3 meals a day is a good start point, no snacks! If those compulsive feelings for food come between meals then here are tips to make your transition easier.

 

Drink more water

Often our perception of hunger is actually thirst and can resolve by simply drinking a glass of water.  In a study of overweight ladies who increased their water intake by 1.5l per day, improvements were seen in weight loss, body fat reduction and also reduced hunger.

Though the mechanism for this is not fully understood, there is evidence that increased water intake activates the sympathetic nervous system (you feel calmer) and increases resting metabolism by up to 30%. Have a jug or a sports bottle to hand, and also consider a cup of hot water as an alternative to tea or coffee to improve your hydration.

 

Avoid artificial sweeteners

One reason that you might be cutting sugar is to lose weight, and it may be tempting to think that cutting calories with ‘diet’ products and artificial sweeteners will be helpful. However, sweeteners do not reduce your appetite. Any small upside in calories saved can be quickly wiped out if accompanied, or followed, by a binge. This is probably why a meta-analysis of studies into sweetener consumption shows a nil to modest reduction in weight.

Sweeteners also prolong your craving for sweet tastes rather than allowing you to break free. So instead choose low sugar but tasty and nutritious desserts or cakes and enjoy them in moderation. We challenge you not to be impressed with the chocolate cake recipe in our Rewards cookbook!

 

Get more sleep

Here’s the dilemma. When you’re tired you crave a quick sugar fix, yet sugary treats end up making you feel even more tired. If you’re not sleeping well then this may be familiar ground for you.  Lack of sleep is known to upregulate the part of the brain involved in food cravings and reward.

When you bite into a sugary chocolate bar, cake or biscuit, you get a pretty instant rush of sugar into your blood stream which makes you feel a little better, for a moment. But then your insulin levels quickly rise and send sugar levels crashing back down, leaving you tired, listless and fed up. This is a protection mechanism, as high sugar levels wreck damage on your body. Your cravings get worse and before you know it you’ve eaten the whole packet of biscuits.

So, a good night’s sleep can help you to be more in control and make better choices. Simple tips are to consciously plan your bedtime and avoid stimulating activity just before – avoid using technology for an hour before bed. Make your bed comfortable and adjust the covers to be the right temperature. Take a leisurely bath in the evening with lavender and some bath salts containing magnesium. If possible, aim for at least 8 hours every night.

 

Reduce stress levels

Many of us reach for sugary treats when we feel stressed and there is a good reason for this. Sugar boosts our dopamine levels, a hormone involved in our feelings of reward and motivation. In fact, brain scans show that sugar ‘lights up’ or activates the same parts of the brain as recreational drugs.

The trouble is that the feeling is not sustained, and we crave more and more sugar with negative effects on our health and energy levels.

The good news is that there are alternative ways to handle your stress. One is to take a few moments out and focus on your breathing. When we’re stressed, we shallow breathe – instead taking long, slower breaths help your body to calm down. Yoga is particularly helpful in rebalancing stress levels, reducing cortisol levels (a stress hormone). It helps by improving blood pressure and reducing resting heart rate. Also consider meditation; there are lots of resources online (such as Headspace) or you may find groups or classes locally.

 

Get more exercise

After exercise, we tend to feel more victorious and positive about working towards our goals, meaning we won’t want to get home and undo our hard work. Exercise inspires us to be healthier and changes our behavior towards sugar-laden food. The more you exercise, the more you’ll feel like this, meaning you’ll be reducing your sugar consumption with ease.

If you like the community spirit then Park runs might be worth checking out locally. Taking place across the UK every Saturday morning, you can walk, jog or run a 5km circuit with hundreds of others. And if 5k seems impossible now, try downloading the ‘couch to 5k app’ – with small progress over a period of time, what once felt impossible can become a reality.

 

Take the quiz

Sugar Quiz Image

So, how sweet are you? Take our free Sugar Quiz to see how well you’re doing with your sugar cravings by clicking on the link below…

www.rewardsproject.org

Learn to cook a healthy feast with a celebrity chef

Want to learn to cook a healthy, delicious feast with a celebrity chef?

To celebrate the launch of our charity cookbook Kick Sugar, we’ve arranged a private cooking course where you’ll learn to cook with TV chef Giancarlo Caldesi and Kick Sugar author James Goolnik.

 

TUTORS: Giancarlo Caldesi & James Goolnik
DATE: Monday 20th January 2020
TIME: 6.00pm – 10.00pm
LOCATION: La Cucina Caldesi – 4 Cross Keys Cl, Marylebone, London W1U 2DG
PRICE: £80 per person

This intimate, hands-on course guides you through how to cook a three-course feast with recipes from the new Kick Sugar cookbook. Designed for the busy cook, it will help and inspire you on the road to cooking with less sugar. Not only this, it will give you confidence ahead of the 14-day Kick Sugar challenge! The Kick Sugar recipes are great fun for all the family too!

 

Together with Giancarlo and James you will cook starters, followed by a seasonal main course and a side vegetable dish, and a fabulous dessert. Think delicious minestrone soup, tuna poke bowl, Asian salad, lemon chicken and coconut rice pudding. You’ll also learn the seven ways to cook vegetables.

You’ll find with our full menus there is something for everyone. Be prepared to be surprised at the dishes you can create in no time at all thanks to the Kick Sugar cookbook!

 

What’s included?

  • A combination of hands-on cooking & demonstrations
  • A three-course meal (dishes prepared during the class)
  • 2 drinks per person with the meal (water and soft drinks in keeping with our low sugar focus)
  • A signed copy of the new Kick Sugar cookbook (RRP £20)
  • Answer your food and cooking questions with Giancarlo Caldesi and James Goolnik

 

Don’t forget, spaces are limited and going fast! Book in your space before it’s too late by emailing James at james@rewardsproject.org along with any allergies and intolerances.

Low Sugar Christmas Swaps

With the festive season so near, it’s a time where a lot of us are already starting to get ideas on what we want around the Christmas table, including after dinner snacks and what we can stock the cupboards with.

Take a look at some of your favourite high street Christmas snacks and see what healthy alternatives you can make that are still fun and festive for all the family.

 

Black Forest Gateau vs. Mixed Berries and Yoghurt

Black forest gateau is a popular desert choice at Christmas time, but it can be full of added sugars (not to mention the cream or ice cream that can be added to the serving). The popular black forest gateau cake from M&S contains 27.5g of sugar per 100g.

If you fancy a sweet, berry-inspired treat, why not prepare fresh mixed berries such as cherries, raspberries and strawberries and top with yummy Greek Yoghurt which contains just 5g sugar. That’s over 22g of LESS added sugar than the sugar-laden cake slice.

 

Yule Log vs. Chocolate Satsumas

This year’s Classic Yule Log from Tesco serves 10, but it is crammed with 35.2g of sugar per 100g. If you’re looking for something chocolatey, why not try Dark Chocolate covered satsuma slices.

Melt 25g of Lindt 70% Dark Chocolate and dip your satsuma slices in for a much healthier snack. This Christmas alternative will contain a much lower 15.7g sugar and still satisfy your sweet tooth.

 

Supermarket Cranberry Sauce vs. Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Shop bought Cranberry Sauce is loaded with added sugar and even artificial sweeteners.  For example, 1 teaspoon (15g) of the popular cranberry sauce from Ocean Spray packs a whopping 5g of sugar.

Cranberry Sauce

You can make a healthy, low-sugar cranberry sauce with just a couple of ingredients:

You’ll need:
  • 100ml orange juice, fresh or from a carton
  • 250g pack cranberries (frozen or fresh)
Method:

Firstly, pour orange juice into a pan, then bring to the boil. Stir in the cranberries, then simmer until they are tender but still holding their shape. This will take about 5 minutes if using frozen cranberries or 8-10 mins if using fresh ones. The sauce will thicken as it cools.

Note: The sauce will keep in the fridge for 1 week. On the day, bring to room temperature before serving

 

Cheese & Onion Crackers vs. Brie & Grapes

Now, these two might sound very similar, and in some ways, they are. But, it’s all about what you team with your Christmas cheese. With cheese crackers, many people forget that the crackers themselves contain added sugars as well as the sweet chutney you may slather on the top too.

We recommended opting for a healthier alternative which means choosing a piece of your favourite cheese from the cheese board and teaming it with delicious, healthy grapes. A few bites will leave you feeling satisfied and you’ll feel better in yourself too!

Let’s calculate the sugar intake using some high-street favourites to give you a better idea…

Cheese & Onion cracker (1 Serving)
  • 1 Jacobs Cracker
  • 1 tbsp classic onion chutney
  • 1 tbsp Boursin cheese (garlic and herb flavour)

Total sugars: 17g

 

Cheese & Grapes (1 Serving)
  • 1 large slice Brie (50g)
  • 4 green grapes (20g)

Total sugars: 17g

 

 

Spiced Latte vs. Herbal Tea

Love a spiced latte from your favourite high-street coffee chain? It can be shocking when you see how much sugar is in some of your festive favourites, with some weighing in at around 50g of sugar per cup!

Did you know the Christmas Mint Hot Chocolate from Pret et Manger contains a staggering 50.1g of sugar – the equivalent of TWENTY biscuits! Swap your hot chocolate for a flavoured Mint Choc herbal tea from Teapigs. The herbal tea only contains just sugar traces. The perfect alternative with the same flavour!

What low-sugar alternatives do you choose during the festive season? We would love to share your ideas with our supporters. Email us on info@rewardsproject.org 

 

Ready to KICK SUGAR?

Our charity cookbook Kick Sugar will be launching in January 2020 and you can find out more about what’s in the cookbook and the launch date by visiting www.kicksugar.co.uk.

 

Enjoy a low sugar Christmas

With so many sweet, addictive treats hitting the shelves in the run up to Christmas, it can be hard to stay focused and keep motivated towards the end of the year.  So, we thought we’d put together a few helpful tips on how you can enjoy a low-sugar Christmas.

 

Avoid festive hot drinks

Whether you’re Christmas shopping with friends or on your lunch break at work, avoid ordering that Eggnog Latte or Black Forest Hot Chocolate. Nearly all festive hot drinks on our high street menus are packed with more than the average recommended daily intake for adults. Our friends Action on Sugar carried out a survey that may be useful for you. You can read it here.

The guidance for an adult is not to exceed 30g of added sugar per day, and some of these festive-flavoured drinks contain a staggering 50g! That’s nearly DOUBLE your sugar intake in a few sips.

Stick to your regular tea and coffee choices to keep the sugar at bay.

 

Make others aware

Make sure friends, family and work colleagues are aware that you are reducing your sugar intake. If you don’t make them aware, sugar will still be pushed towards you regularly, making you more likely to give in to sugar-laden foods. Having people around to supporting you can be key to sticking to your low-sugar diet.

If friends or family members are passing round the Quality Street tin, make sure you have something healthy to had that you can snack on. Being prepared will reduce the risk of you giving in and undoing your hard work. You could try a zesty satsuma or a handful of almonds.

 

Ask others not to buy you food-based gifts

We all know Christmas is a time for giving, but if you’re sticking to low-sugar alternatives and watching your sugar intake, then be sure to let people around you know that you would prefer not to be gifted with tins of biscuits, Christmas cakes or sweet jars. Other presents give lasting memories rather than a sweet treat, all to be forgotten in a few minutes. Giving people the heads up with automatically save you from the sugar without any stress or hassle.

 

Swap the chocolate

If you’re a real chocolate lover and still want a little something this Christmas, make sure you switch to dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate. Dark chocolate has less sugar content and even 70% Cocoa will satisfy your sweet tooth. A 40g bar of milk chocolate contains over 7 teaspoons of sugar, whereas a 40g bar of dark chocolate can contain just 3 teaspoons.

Read more about the sugar content of chocolate by clicking here.

 

Shop around for the sugar content

Don’t forget to look at the sugar content before purchasing. Some brands of mince pies have double the sugar content of others. Why do the manufactures do that? It is to mask poor flavours and increase shelf life. If you want better tasting mince pies go for the ones with lower added sugar.

Click here to find out what high-street mince pies are better to buy if you’re reducing your sugar intake over Christmas.

As well as this, you can also take a look below at how sugar content compares in your favourite high street mince pies this year…

 

Name Calories (kcal) Sugar (per pie)
Sainsburys (Deep filled) 230kcal 13.4g
Tesco 209kcal 13.7g
Morrisons 204kcal 14.2g
Asda 224kcal 15g
Lidl 223kcal 17.9g
Sainsburys (All Butter) 212kcal 21.5g
Tesco Finest 260kcal 22.6g

 

Still not convinced?

Take a look at our sugar content chart for this year’s Christmas pudding. Even the Christmas pudding with the lowest sugar content is only 2.3g away from your recommended daily intake as an adult!

 

Name Calories (kcal) Sugar (per 100g)
M&S 286kcal 27.7g
Sainsburys Taste the Difference 312kcal 41.3g
Tesco’s Finest 300kcal 42.8g
Iceland 328kcal 42.7g
Morrisons 318kcal 43.3g
Asda 333kcal 51g

 

Stock up on alternatives

Whilst we are on the subject of alternatives, why not stock up on healthier snacks to keep in the kitchen. Swap cheese biscuits and minces pies for roasted chestnuts, dates and satsumas. It might also be worth putting sugary snacks back in the cupboard whilst family and friends are relaxing. Keeping cakes and other Christmas foods on the table can encourage you to graze throughout the day, which leads to overeating.

Another great alternative is to make your own cranberry sauce. Shop bought cranberry sauce is jam-packed full of sugar (around 4.1g per teaspoon), so here’s a simple recipe that’s quick, easy and full of flavour:

You’ll need:

  • 100ml orange juice, fresh or from a carton
  • 250g pack cranberries (frozen or fresh)

 

Method:

Firstly, pour orange juice into a pan, then bring to the boil. Stir in the cranberries, then simmer until they are tender but still holding their shape. This will take about 5 minutes if using frozen cranberries or 8-10 mins if using fresh ones. The sauce will thicken as it cools.

Note: The sauce will keep in the fridge for 1 week. On the day, bring to room temperature before serving.

 

How sweet are you?

Take the sugar quiz by clicking on the image below…

Sugar Quiz Image

www.rewardsproject.org

 

Exciting New Book Reveals How to Kick Your Sugar Habit

In Just 14 Days

Kick Sugar Book

Ready to take the challenge?
Signed copy just £10 including p&p.

ORDER NOW

Already have the book?

Join the private group on Facebook

Our Mission is to Reawaken Your Taste Buds and Boost Your Health

We work to shift the current rewards culture away from sweets and chocolates towards a fun, quick, healthy and affordable reduced sugar diet. Our team of professionals include Dentists, Doctors, a Nutritionist, Psychologists and a chef. Through our work, we aim to help you positively benefit from life-long healthy eating habits.

Speedy Breakfasts

Satisfying Lunches

Delicious Dinners

What you can expect from the
Kick Sugar Cook Book

  • You’ll Learn – The history of our addiction to sugar
  • What – Sugar does to your body
  • Where – Sugar hides in food
  • Simple Recipes – You can easily prepare with every day equipment
  • Affordable – Ingredients that are easy to source
  • Family Friendly – Meals you can make and eat together

What you can expect from the
14 Day Sugar Challenge

  • Preparation – How to prepare your home and kitchen for the 14 day sugar challenge
  • Vibrant Private Facebook Community to help keep you motivated and moving forward
  • Daily messages of support from the Rewards Project Team
  • Access – Experts to get all your sugar questions answered
  • You’ll Start – Feeling healthier, have more energy
  • Reawaken – Your taste buds and start enjoying food with new enhanced flavours and experiences

Free downloads to help you get started

FAQ

Meditation and Affirmations

These guided meditations and affirmations have been developed to help you reduce and over time, eliminate your dependence on sugar. Over a period of 14 days and through the focussed practice of reciting powerful statements of intent (affirmations), new attitudes of support and positive self-motivation will be developed on deep subconscious levels. Recorded by James Goolnik. These are best listened to in a quiet place, ideally in the morning, and please do not listen to them whilst driving, walking in busy areas or operating any kind of machine.

School breakfasts, lunches, snacks and drinks

Breakfast, lunch and drinks – The results are in…

With so many different choices nowadays, it can be hard to keep up with what your children are eating for their breakfasts and lunches in school or nursery. Not only this, but the variety of drinks and snacks offered too can prove to have more added sugar in than you think.

We’ve had a great response to our Rewards Review survey, with 487 UK schools and nurseries taking part already, and we’ve found some very interesting results that you may want to take a look at…

 

Breakfast

Breakfast. The most important meal of the day, of course. We found that 66% of schools ran a breakfast club, and 66% of all breakfast club drinks contained added sugar.

Typically, we would advise schools and nurseries to stick to water for breakfast. Juices and soft drinks give children a sugar spike, quickly followed by a sugar crash, meaning your children’s energy levels will actually decrease before they’ve even started their school day. 9% even provided soft drinks at breakfast time, which we would suggest to cut out completely!

20% of schools provided cereals with HIGH sugar content. The main cereals on offer where Corn Flakes or Rice Crispies, which were provided by 90% of schools that took part.

Other high sugar cereals include Crunchy Nut, Coco Pops and Frosties, so keep an eye out for nutrition labels when you’re next in your local supermarket to see the sugar content for yourself!

Experts say foods that are considered high in sugar have more than 22.5g of total sugars per 100g. You can read in more detail about how healthy breakfast cereals are by clicking here.

Bar Chart for Breakfast Cereals

Lunch

After analyzing the survey results, we found that 98% of schools and nurseries provided lunch for their pupils. A whopping 94% of these offered desserts with added sugar. Take a look at the bar chart below, and you will see desserts are almost as popular as fruit. Not only this, but ice cream was next in line, another culprit full of added sugar.

Bar Chart Results 2019

In our survey, we asked how many days per week schools offered cakes/puddings and sweets for dessert. The results came back at an average of FOUR days per week. Due to these results, we suggest lowering this to ONCE per week. The more desserts are provided, the more of a problem we will have with children expecting them more on a regular basis as part of their everyday eating habits.

 

Don’t forget about snacks!

For schools with a tuck shop, 94% sell snacks with added sugar. This includes chocolate, bread sticks, sweets, biscuits, popcorn and crisps. So, we suggest promoting fruit and veg snacks. This could include celery sticks, whole fruit and more. For more quick snack ideas click here.

 

Drinks

What drinks do you provide at breakfast club?

Bar Chart Results 2019

Did you know drinks are actually just as important to keep an eye on as food? Many soft drinks are full of added sugar and artificial sweeteners, which will increase the number of children developing tooth decay at such a young age.

Did you know the main reason children between ages 5-9 are admitted to hospital is due to tooth decay? The quicker we can kick added sugar from schools, the quicker we will see an improvement in our children’s dental health.

Water is the best drink to offer children at meal times, as it provides hundreds of health benefits. As well as this, we advise soft drinks to be cut out completely, which will also help prevent any after-lunch slumps.

 

Wait, there’s more…

Take a look below at our info graphic to find out some more surprising results from our Rewards Review survey, based on the answers from 487 UK schools and nurseries. What stands out the most to you?

Infographic 2019

Read our Press Release by clicking here.

Have you taken our Rewards Review yet?

We want to help as many children as possible lead a healthy lifestyle in schools and nurseries. We want to make sure schools are continually improving ways to reduce sugar from their diets.

Do you know someone who works in a school or nursery? Are you a headteacher or assistant headteacher? We would love to hear from you.

Take the Rewards Review here and we will send you a bespoke report free of charge, packed full of low-sugar advice.

Snacks, Sports Days and Fundraising

Snacks, sports and fundraising days

When it comes to snacks in schools, it can prove tricky to monitor what children are bringing in, especially if these are secondary school students who may visit local supermarkets on the way to school. In some schools, there are no guidelines to what pupils can have as snacks.

As well as this, sports days can be associated with rewarding children with food and drinks, thinking this will bring them an energy boost, but this is not the case. Some schools even used sugary, food-based prizes after children had taken part in a day full of healthy exercise.

Lastly, fundraising events tend to be focused around cake and sweet treats to boost funds for schools. There are plenty of alternatives to sugar-laden cake sales, and that’s where Rewards Project can help you.

Throughout June/July 2019, we’ve had 587 schools respond to our Rewards Review survey. We thought we’d share some of the results with you to help improve the way you reward children with sugar when it comes to snacks, sports days and fundraising events.

Snacks

We asked schools about the snacks they provide and were surprised to find that some schools did not have snack guidelines. Some answers also included a list of foods with high sugar content such as chocolate, biscuits and bacon rolls. However, most schools did offer fresh fruit and vegetables and have also cut-out fizzy drinks. Take a look at some of our schools’ responses below…

  • Healthy snacks of fruit, but no nuts because of allergies. – Wessex Primary School
  • All pupils and parents are advised to bring a healthy snack – Ashcroft School
  • Fruit or vegetables only and milk. – Stoney Middleton primary school
  • No chocolate or fizzy drinks – Westcroft School

 

Did you know?

Most cereal bars are full of sugar and they try and hide it as “natural”. Some such as Nakd bars have no added sugar, but packed full of sugar from the added fruits. In our opinion these bars are not suitable for children and definitely not in a school environment.

Sports, Snacks and Fundraising

A Naked bar has over 38g of sugar per 100g. As they are 35g size the 13.6g sugar a child has is almost their daily maximum (as recommended by WHO) 7-10 years olds under 6 teaspoons (24g) and 11 years and up seven teaspoons (30g).

Instead, have fresh fruit, yogurt or vegetables. Perhaps feed them a bigger lunch so they don’t need to snack at some point in the day.

Looking for more ideas?

You can find alternative low sugar snacks on our recipe page.

 

Sports Day

Sports days are energetic and fast-paced, and it can often leave school children feeling tired at the end of the day. Many schools feel that because of this, they need to top up their energy with sugary drinks and snacks afterwards, but this is not the case.

Simply offering children with fresh water and an optional piece of whole fruit is the only thing needed to fuel their sports day.  Our rewards survey showed that some schools actually rewarded children after sports day with biscuits, ice creams, cake, cream teas, chocolate and flapjacks.

Here’s a few examples of healthy results from our recent survey…

 

Fundraising Days

Fundraising days are a great way for staff and children to have fun whilst raising important funds for their school – especially cake sales.

Cake sales have always been an obvious and popular way of raising money for schools. However, after looking at our current survey results, we found some schools were holding cake sales up to eight times per term. Our guidance is no more than once per term and try to think beyond cake!

 

So, what can you do?

Overall, it’s really worth rethinking other fun fundraising events that avoid food or in particular sugar laden foods. This could include quizzes or wire loop circus type games. Take a look below at some of our innovative fundraising ideas that don’t involve sugar…

  • Hold a fundraising walk
  • Create a fundraising quiz afternoon
  • Swap cake sales for book sales
  • Dance competitions
  • School tug of war challenges
  • Obstacle courses
  • Plan a games day
  • Hold a jumble sale
  • More non-uniform days
  • Create Christmas cards to sell in the festive season

 

Snacks, Sports and Fundraising

Read our Press Release by clicking here.

Have you taken our Rewards Review yet?

So, do you know someone who works in a school or nursery? Are you a headteacher or assistant headteacher? We would love to hear from you.

Take the Rewards Review here and we will send you a bespoke report free of charge, packed full of low-sugar advice.

Birthdays at School

Birthdays at School

When it comes to birthdays at schools, children can be surrounded by sweet treats and of course, birthday cake. In this day and age, it is almost instinct for children to associate birthdays with sugar.

However, we want children to think beyond sugar and know that there are plenty of alternatives when it comes to celebrating birthdays in the classroom.

After reviewing our latest results taken from the Rewards Review survey throughout June and July 2019, we found that many schools had come up with some innovative ways on how to reward children with sugar-free alternatives.

 

Responses from our Rewards Review Survey

‘We have a fake birthday cake with candles that the child blows out’ – The Cheshire Day Nursery Group

‘We all sing ‘Happy Birthday’ – Drumlemble Primary School

‘A special mention is announced in assembly’ – Wessex Primary School

‘They get to be the Line Leader for the day’ – Woodthorpe Junior and Infant School

‘Students are given a birthday card and birthday badge – Acle St Edmund C of E Primary School

‘Nursery students get a book’ – Model Primary School Derry

 

Need more inspiration?

We’ve put together a helpful list of non-food related rewards that can help celebrate children’s birthdays in the classroom. Do you have any ideas? Get in touch and share your thoughts with us…

Recognition:

  • Sing happy birthday in class or assembly.
  • Invite the headteacher into the classroom to personally wish them Happy Birthday.
  • Let them bring in something for a birthday ‘Show & Tell’.
  • Let them be the Line Leader for the day.

 

Get creative:

  • Plan an art class where children can make cards and banners for the pupils birthday.
  • Get the class to group together to create birthday bunting for the classroom.
  • If the weather is nice, take the class outside for one lesson.
  • Bring in a plain white t-shirt and have the class sign it with birthday messages.

 

Let them choose:

  • See which game they would like to play in P.E.
  • Ask them to choose a friend to sit next to for the day.
  • Let them borrow a book to take home to read overnight.

 

Non-food items:

  • Reward them with a birthday badge or let them wear a special sticker for the day.
  • Gift them with a ‘Birthday’ pen or pencil to keep.
  • As well as this, choose a cuddly toy that is only allowed out on birthdays, and let the pupil look after it for the way.
  • Gift them with a birthday balloon to take home at the end of the day.

 

Donations:

Perhaps donate a book to their class on their birthday, rather than bringing in cakes, as this is a lovely way for the children to enjoy something that will last, and will benefit the class for the rest of the year.

You could even add a book plate at the front with their name and birthday and put on a protective cover before the book goes into their class reading corner. If you’re still looking for ideas, you may find some ideas over on our Alternative Rewards blog.

 

What are the guidelines for parents for Children’s Birthdays?

Can they bring in Cakes/Biscuits/Sweets/Chocolates?

After taking a look at some of the answers to this question, we found that the majority of schools who took part in our survey said there were no guidelines to what parents could bring in on their children’s birthdays. Many schools mentioned that they often bring in cakes and sweets to share with the class and some even bring in cake for their mentor.

 

So, what can you do?

Ideally, your school policy would not allow parents to bring in cake to school, even if they do not eat it at school. Depending on their age, stickers, small items of stationery or balloons can be just as fun. Some of our partnership schools have used “nut allergies” as an excuse to ban cakes being brought into school. Above all, children will have cakes outside school, so there will be no need to bring it into school as well.

 

Have you taken our Rewards Review yet?

Do you know someone who works in a school or nursery? Are you a headteacher or assistant headteacher? We would love to hear from you.

Take the Rewards Review here and we will send you a bespoke report free of charge, packed full of low-sugar advice.

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