Our Food Policy

We currently hold:

The Soil Association, Food for Life SILVER AWARD

The Cardiff & Vale GOLD Snack Award

A Cardiff Council Environmental Food Hygiene Level 5

As with all practices within our nursery, we endeavour to work in partnership with the families/carers of our children, without having to abandon our ethos of healthy eating and ensuring that all children get as many opportunities as possible to eat a varied nutritious diet. In addition we do our utmost to make sure that the majority of the time, children are made to feel included by ensuring,where and as far as possible, that each child’s meal appears similar, by having visually similar components. We take into account allergies, religion, and lifestyle choices etc and incorporate these into our menus when necessary.

"Just wanted to thank you for all your help with swapping meals around to accommodate 'E's' fussy eating habit" - E. Chichester June 2015

All food served to the children is freshly prepared on site. (except as a very rare treat, maybe at Christmas time, we may treat the children to chips from the ‘chippy’).

We have a dedicated cooked who is fully trained in food hygiene, and has done an extensive nutrition course, it is part of her role in conjunction with members of the management team who have also received Nutrition training, to compile our five week menus which are designed to be balanced and nutritious and teach the children healthy eating habits as the best start in life.

We strive to ensure that all staff hold an up to day Food Hygiene Certificate, but due to course availability there are times when a very small number of staff may not hold a current certificate. As necessary these staff will be provided with on-the-job training of the basics of Food Hygiene and will only be asked to prepare very low risk foods, such as toast or jacket potatoes when absolutely necessary

We buy all of our ingredients from Tesco, and it gets delivered twice weekly in refrigerated vans. The condition of the food is monitored as it is being delivered to ensure it is at its best quality, and meets our high standardsalways ensuring that the food can be traced appropriately within the guidelines of the soil association.

We always offer a vegetarian option and ensure a number of meals in the week are completely vegetarian. To these meals we add extras such as pulses, nuts (allergies allowing) etc, along with a large variety of vegetables to maximise the nutritional content of every meal.

It is not our practice to add sugar to breakfast cereals and since 2006, we have never experienced a child who has had a problem with this, however if a child were to show a strong leaning to sweetened cereal then we would endeavour to offer them dried or fresh fruit with it. In the event that all attempts at this fails we would discuss with their parent/carer the option of sweetening their dish with an extremely small amount of sugar.

The vast majority of our meals such as burgers, pizzas and fish goujons are home made on the premises, the things we buy in are items such as bread, baked beans, yoghurts and butcher’s sausages. Wemainly use fresh seasonal vegetables and fruit, especially when they stand alone. However for including in dishes such as bolognese, pie fillings, casseroles etc, tinned tomatoes or pre bought passata will be used, along with frozen vegetables where necessary. We also use frozen peas and sweetcorn and on occasion we will use other frozen fruit and vegetables to widen the options we can offer throughout the year.

All meat served to the children has the Farm Assured Red Tractor logo on the packaging, which ensures that the food is traceable, safe to eat and has been produced responsibly – from farms to fork.

We use responsibly sourced fish, and never serve fish from the Marine Conservation Society ‘fish avoid’ list. All eggs served are from free-range hens.

We do not add salt to any of our dishes to any of the dishes; the only salt may be contained in products, such as reduced salt stock cubes, bread, tinned baked beans etc.

We do not use butter, only spreads for bread, toast and baking. These are spreads that are free fromtrans fats and low in saturated fats. For cooking with heat, such as frying and roasting Rapeseed oil is used.

We do not use any undesirable additives or artificial trans fats following the guided list from the soil association. We also ensure that none of the products we use are genetically modified or contain genetically modified ingredients.

When economically viable and available we endeavour to source organic products.

Desserts are interchanged so we try to ensure that every day that one pudding is fruit and one is yoghurt so the children get a healthy balance. On rare, special occasions, cake, ice cream or other alternatives may be used.

Birthday cake is always sent home whether it is home-made or shop bought so that the parents have the choice whether to give it to their children or not.

Children are encouraged to drink water at all meal and snack times, and drinking water is always readily available throughout the day.

Weaning Babies

Again working with families/carers is paramount at this time and we will only start weaning when requested by the parents (although we would never go against medical and health guidelines, without express permission from a health professional) to do so, we might suggest to a parent a child is ready, but ultimately the decision will be down to the parent. We are happy to support all stages of weaning and are happy to assist 'Baby Led Weaning', when this has been chosen by the parent. For the most part, we would encourage parents to combine 'Baby Led' with purees to give a baby the best of all worlds, but as stated already the final decision will be up to the parent.

Babies will be given porridge as a breakfast cereal with an option of pureed or dried fruit.

Where possible and diet dependent, we are able to provide a mashed or pureed, as appropriate, version of the daily meal. Before this stage we can provide steamed vegetable and fruits which will be batched cooked and frozen.

Vegetables

We serve a variety of seasonal vegetables. When served as an accompaniment, these will nearly always be steamed, except on some occasions where they may be roasted/baked.

In addition to serving vegetable accompaniments where appropriate, all dishes will contain as many hidden vegetables as possible, eg Bolognese will contain, mushrooms, onions and tomatoes, pies may contain onion, celery and carrot, etc.

Vegetable Dishes
Examples of Vegetable Dishes that may be used:
Cherry Tomato and Broccoli Cheese
Cauliflower Cheese
Leeks in Cheese
Ratatouille
Caribbean Rice and Peas (beans/pulses)
Vegetable Rice
Colcannon
Vegetable Mash (variety of vegetables used) / Salads
Examples of salads, which in most cases children will be offered a dressing, eg vinaigrette, etc
Carrot and Cucumber Salad
Tomato and Spring Onion Salad
Lettuce, Cucumber and Tomato
Carrot and Green Bean
Mixed Salad

Where bread used, eg with soup or for garlic breads a variety will be used based on availability and our belief that children should be given as many different opportunities with food as possible. For example, Fresh white, granary, wholemeal, pizza base, pitta, ciabatta, etc.

Snacks

  • Two snacks a day will be served, one mid-morning (between breakfast and lunch) and one in the afternoon (After tea).
  • Either milk or water will be offered as a drink
  • Dried fruit will never be given.

Examples of Snack Foods

Vegetable sticks – eg, carrot, cucumber, peppers, celery, etc.

Fruit – eg, apple slice, segments of orange, cut grapes, banana, pineapple chunks etc

Rice Cakes (low salt)

Bread Sticks (low salt)

Crackers with spread

If a child is known not to like one of the snack options an alternative will be offered.

Meal Times

  1. The children’s tables in the Kitchen will be cleaned with the appropriate coloured cloth (as per the chart on the wall). All highchairs will be wiped with the appropriate colour cloth.
  2. Older children will be taken to wash their hands before sitting down to eat, babies should have their hands wiped with a clean flannel.
  3. Bibs will be placed on babies and children as required.

Older children will be encouraged to be independent and feed themselves, but help will be given when required.

Babies will be fed and attended to at all times.

Staff will sit with the children and where appropriate sample the food, for the children to see.

Children will be encouraged to remain seated at the table throughout meals and will be taught to use their cutlery appropriately.

Mealtimes will provide an opportunity to encourage good table manners and to promote social interaction.

As far as possible staff will encourage children to eat a good balance of each meal put in front of them. Children do not have to eat if they are genuinely not hungry or do not like something.

Dessert must not be withheld in the event that they do not eat their main course – as deserts will have nutritious benefits of their own, and it is better that the child has eaten something.

In the event that a child consistently refuses to eat their main course, or does not seem to be getting a balanced diet then ensure the child’s key worker is aware, so that they can speak to the parent.

  1. All children will be supervised to wash their faces with clean flannels, if necessary.
  2. Again children to wash their hands and babies to have hands wiped.
  3. Brush the teeth of any child provided with toothbrush and toothpaste.
  4. Any food soils on children’s clothes will be sponged off – in the event that the soiling is excessive then the child should be changed.
  5. The tables will be wiped, with appropriate colour cloth.

Older children will assist with the laying and clearing of tables as part of the encouraging positive behaviour procedure.

Charlotte Jones11/03/2016