1. Healthy
We believe mealtimes are a valuable opportunity for everyone at the nursery to get together as a community, so we all sit down together to create a fun, social experience. It is a great opportunity to learn as well.
All of our food prep and cooking is done in the catering kitchen and we are using organic ingredients wherever we can. Our meals are made from scratch, using fresh ingredients and we do not serve processed foods like packaged chicken nuggets or oven chips.
Our menus are designed to offer a healthy diet and a balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fibre and minerals specifically to meet the needs of young children.
The dishes aim to introduce new tastes to your child while recognising that most young children prefer food that is not overly spicy or seasoned. All dishes have no salt or sugar added and avoid large quantities of saturated fat, and artificial colourings.
We will offer a vegetarian option to accommodate specific dietary requests.
2. Daily routine: 4 meals + menus/age group
We also offer a weaning menu for our smaller babies, which is discussed with you and tailored to your child. Where possible it will be blended and served by your baby’s keyworker.
For older babies and pre-school children, we serve 4 meals:
Breakfast
If your child arrives at nursery before 9AM, we can supply cereals, toast and porridge and warm milk (during winter).
Snacks
We offer a mid-morning snack (10AM) snack for your child. This is often fruit or vegetable based – perhaps a light sandwich or rice cakes.
Lunch
Your child will have a hot meal at 11:30am or midday depending on the age. The menu rotates and changes through the year to reflect both the seasonal produce and the different needs of the children during hot and cold seasons.
Tea-time
A snack is served at 3:30PM when the children sit together. This is not a replacement for dinner but it could be savoury food or a fruit alternative like fruit salads.
Our experienced staff will attend to and accommodate to children with any allergies or special requirements, ensuring they have liaised closely and thoroughly with our cook.