The Nursery aims to
Satisfy each child’s nutritional needs.
Encourage good food habits, table manners and considerate behaviour.
Promote awareness of foods from other cultures. To recognise the foods associated with festivals in English-speaking cultures.
Encourage active participation in food preparation and consideration of the qualities of healthy foods which provide good nourishment.
Promote each child’s awareness of hygiene requirements when handling and preparing food.
Foster positive attitudes towards food and mealtimes.
Practice environmental awareness through purchase choices, recycling and waste reduction.
Serve a majority of savoury foods. Potato chips, popcorn etc are considered treats and are reserved for birthday teas and other special occasions. Candy, ice cream and other sweets are not served in the nursery.
Promote awareness of different food types and the need for a balanced diet. (Protein, carbohydrate, and fat). Condiments and accompaniments such as ketchup, gravy, jam etc. are optional.
Provide food at regular times (morning snack, lunch, afternoon tea) and discourage in-between meal snacking.
NOTE: Children with special food requirements or allergies are provided for by supplying our caterers with full and regularly updated information. Clear information regarding foods / medication is displayed in the kitchen at all times and reviewed regularly by staff.
Routines practised at all times food is served (and the goals they work towards achieving)
Children are encouraged to serve themselves (independence and self-esteem).
Children are asked to take small portions at first and then finish the food and drink they subsequently serve themselves (responsibility for own choice, waste reduction).
Children are encouraged to try new foods (increased knowledge and experience of a variety of foods).
Choices are provided whenever possible. Ex. Need to take one of the two sorts of vegetables / salad available. (Taking responsibility for own choices).
Children are encouraged to pass the food on to their neighbour and leave enough for rest of table (consideration for others, table manners).
Children say ’thank you for my food’ before leaving the table (table manners).
Meal times
Food is served four times daily at the Nursery
Breakfast
Available upon request for children arriving 8.00-8.30
Milk, yoghurt, cereal, hard bread and cheese are available every day.
Morning snack at meeting Approx. 9.30
Fruit is provided every day. On occasions bread or other baked goods are offered as a complement to the optional snack.
Lunch – 11.30
Hot meal prepared by professional cook. Meal includes meat, fish or a vegetarian dish (protein), boiled potatoes, pasta or rice (carbohydrate). Mixed salad or choice of fresh raw vegetables, milk, water, hard bread and fruit are provided every day.
See Appendix A for a list of lunch menus.
Afternoon tea 14.30
Hot or cold meal prepared by children or nursery staff. Milk or water, fresh fruit and hard bread are available every day. See Appendix B for list of tea menus.
In accordance with recommendations from National Food Administration (March 2007) we
serve vitamin D enriched milk – preferably both skimmed and semi skimmed milk so that the children themselves can choose which they take.
We also aim to follow the recommendations:-
Serve afternoon tea which has low fat dairy products, fruit or vegetables, and bread/ grain / cornflakes.
Encourage children to consume approx 3.5 dl of milk/dairy products each school day.
Serve fruit and green vegetables with every meal.
Ensure that children have a calm and pleasant meal time.
O boy / juice no more than once a week.
Squash, buns no more than once a month.
Fish at least once a week.
Reduce salt intake.
Revised and approved by staff and Board November 2009
Example of lunch menus
Monday
Chicken with Coconut & Curry Sauce with Rice
Peppers, cucumber, carrot sticks
Milk and / or water
Fresh fruit
Tuesday
Pasta bolognaise sauce, corn, cucumber slices, carrot sticks, water
Fresh fruit
Wednesday
Pasta with salmon in dill sauce, lettuce, cucumber and tomato salad.
Milk and / or water
Thursday
Cauliflower soup, homemade bread, butter,
Carrot sticks, cucumber, tomatoes
Milk and / or water
Fruit Salad
Friday
Beef casserole, Mashed Potatoes,
Cucumber, peppers, lettuce
Milk and / or water
Fresh fruit
Appendix B
Example of afternoon tea menus
Monday
Sausages and bread, ketchup, mustard, milk or water
Tuesday
Milk, light yoghurt / filmilk, corn flakes, water
Wednesday
Scones, butter, hard cheese, milk or water
Thursday
Whole wheat bread, ham slices, hot chocolate milk, water
Friday
Toast, soft cheese, cherry tomatoes, milk or water
PLEASE NOTE: fruit, hard bread and butter available every day. Fresh fruit is also served at morning meeting.