Food Policy and Procedures for Fussy Eaters

We will provide for your child a well balanced diet which encourages healthy eating and living where together all children will be encouraged to learn self-help skills. All meals are planned in line with the Eat Better, Start Better guidelines. Meals will include morning breakfast between 8-8.30, of; fresh fruit, non sugar coated cereal, toast, and milk or water, a well balanced and nutritional two course lunch is served at 11.30 to each child’s room, afternoon tea is at 3.30, this can vary from sandwiches, crumpets, cream crackers, homemade soup, fresh vegetables and dips, in addition freshly home baked cakes, yoghurts and oat crunchies which are all prepared on the premises. Water or milk are offered throughout the day.

Special diets can be provided for and can include; allergies, vegetarian, halal, diabetics, and various multi- cultural diets. Birthday party teas will be celebrated.
We are a nut free nursery and great care is taken to ensure all products are safe for your children. Each room has a special diets list and the children in Jungle Room are further encouraged to understand their dietary requirements with their own personal placemats that clearly identify what they can or cannot have. Meals are prepared sensitively in order to meet the dietary requirements but to also look similar whenever possible.

All staff that come into contact with food are trained to achieve Food Hygiene Level 2 and Food Allergens training. They are actively encouraged to eat the same meal as the children, with the children, so as to be good role models.

We are able to help individual families and offer advice and support, so that everyone is best prepared to make healthy choices for the family as a whole.
Cooking activities are planned for weekly and encourage the children to be part of the food experience. Helping them to gain knowledge and understanding to what a healthy and balance diet is, so that they can then begin to make the right choices for them.

Procedure for fussy eaters;

It is the Room leader’s responsibility to ensure that the parent/guardian is informed that we would like to use this procedure and has given consent for us to go ahead.
To encourage the child/children to eat a greater variety or amount of food during meal times by following the procedure laid out in this policy.
To be good role models to the children, using pole bridging and praising of every achievement.
To offer smaller portions so that the child does not feel over whelmed and will gain a sense of achievement in being able to eat all of their dinner. Slowly increase the amount on their plate if this is successful, or continue with policy.
To separate the food on their plate so that they can clearly see what they are eating.
To encourage the children to try a small amount of everything on their plate.
To encourage the child/children to choose what they want on their plate, ensuring that they understand that they need to choose at least one vegetable to try. Increase the amount of vegetables one at a time once they have found a vegetable they are happy to eat.

If none of the above are successful and the parent/guardian is happy for us to go ahead, then pudding may be withheld until the child/children tries one piece of the required food