Food and drinks Policy
I aim to provide children with the food and nutrition they need to grow healthily and to build healthy eating habits from a young age. I understand that a good diet will have a long term impact on a child’s health and development. I take guidance from Change4life, NHS and other healthy lifestyle websites and books. While I am caring for your child I will ensure they receive a healthy balanced diet. This will include some foods containing fats and sugar as these have an important part to pay in a child’s healthy diet in the correct quantities. Please inform me of any allergies or restrictions to their diet before your child starts, also any dislikes or preferences so that I can plan a suitable menu.
When children are eating they will be expected to follow good hygiene practise and to use good table manners and social skills as appropriate to their age. Meal times and the types of food served will depend on the day’s activities and the needs of the children. Children will be allowed to drink water at any time of the day. I will plan a week’s menu before the beginning of each week to ensure I have the right quantities and provide a balanced diet
Breakfast: This will usually be served between 7:45 and 8:15. I will provide a choice of foods such as cereals, toast, crumpets, scrambled eggs, porridge, and drinks such as pure fruit juices, milk, water.
Lunch: This will usually be served between 11:30 and 1:00. I will provide a variety of hot and cold foods such as beans on toast, jacket potato with cheese, toasted sandwiches, bread and soup, selection of sandwiches, crackers and cheese, tuna pasta, fruit and vegetable portions, yoghurt.
Dinner: This will usually be served between 5:00 and 6:00. Types of dinners will be sausage casserole, chicken curry, fish pie, spaghetti Bolognese, shepherd’s pie, pasta bake, sweet and sour chicken, beef casserole. Examples of dessert are rice pudding, apple pie, fruit strudel, fruit salad, chocolate pudding, ice cream, yoghurt, jelly.
Snacks: I will serve a snack for the children around 10:00 and around 4:00. This will usually be fruits, vegetables, cheese and crackers, yoghurt, breadsticks with dips, rice cakes. Children will have the choice of milk or water with their snack.
I will record the foods and quantities your child eats in their contact book. I am happy to give your child foods which you provide as long as there are no ingredients which other children are allergic to, and that you provide a healthy diet for your child.
Formula milk and weaning If your child drinks formula milk you may bring it pre-measured in a powder dispenser pot. I will make formula milk up as it is needed and will not store made up milk. I will use freshly boiled water. It is the parents / carers responsibility to wash and sterilise the bottles and to provide clean bottles at the beginning of each day.
As your child moves on to solids I am happy to support baby led weaning (finger foods) as well as blended, mashed or chopped foods. I will discuss your child’s weaning with you regularly to find out which foods and textures you have introduced at home.
Food Allergens: In order to comply with food allergy legislation I expect parents/ carers to inform me of any allergies their child has before they start or as soon as the new allergy has been discovered. I keep receipts of the food I buy so that ingredients and allergens are traceable. I can provide a list of ingredients of meals provided upon request.
I aim to provide children with the food and nutrition they need to grow healthily and to build healthy eating habits from a young age. I understand that a good diet will have a long term impact on a child’s health and development. I take guidance from Change4life, NHS and other healthy lifestyle websites and books. While I am caring for your child I will ensure they receive a healthy balanced diet. This will include some foods containing fats and sugar as these have an important part to pay in a child’s healthy diet in the correct quantities. Please inform me of any allergies or restrictions to their diet before your child starts, also any dislikes or preferences so that I can plan a suitable menu.
When children are eating they will be expected to follow good hygiene practise and to use good table manners and social skills as appropriate to their age. Meal times and the types of food served will depend on the day’s activities and the needs of the children. Children will be allowed to drink water at any time of the day. I will plan a week’s menu before the beginning of each week to ensure I have the right quantities and provide a balanced diet
Breakfast: This will usually be served between 7:45 and 8:15. I will provide a choice of foods such as cereals, toast, crumpets, scrambled eggs, porridge, and drinks such as pure fruit juices, milk, water.
Lunch: This will usually be served between 11:30 and 1:00. I will provide a variety of hot and cold foods such as beans on toast, jacket potato with cheese, toasted sandwiches, bread and soup, selection of sandwiches, crackers and cheese, tuna pasta, fruit and vegetable portions, yoghurt.
Dinner: This will usually be served between 5:00 and 6:00. Types of dinners will be sausage casserole, chicken curry, fish pie, spaghetti Bolognese, shepherd’s pie, pasta bake, sweet and sour chicken, beef casserole. Examples of dessert are rice pudding, apple pie, fruit strudel, fruit salad, chocolate pudding, ice cream, yoghurt, jelly.
Snacks: I will serve a snack for the children around 10:00 and around 4:00. This will usually be fruits, vegetables, cheese and crackers, yoghurt, breadsticks with dips, rice cakes. Children will have the choice of milk or water with their snack.
I will record the foods and quantities your child eats in their contact book. I am happy to give your child foods which you provide as long as there are no ingredients which other children are allergic to, and that you provide a healthy diet for your child.
Formula milk and weaning If your child drinks formula milk you may bring it pre-measured in a powder dispenser pot. I will make formula milk up as it is needed and will not store made up milk. I will use freshly boiled water. It is the parents / carers responsibility to wash and sterilise the bottles and to provide clean bottles at the beginning of each day.
As your child moves on to solids I am happy to support baby led weaning (finger foods) as well as blended, mashed or chopped foods. I will discuss your child’s weaning with you regularly to find out which foods and textures you have introduced at home.
Food Allergens: In order to comply with food allergy legislation I expect parents/ carers to inform me of any allergies their child has before they start or as soon as the new allergy has been discovered. I keep receipts of the food I buy so that ingredients and allergens are traceable. I can provide a list of ingredients of meals provided upon request.