All the Nursery meals are freshly prepared on the premises and we aim to provide nutritionally balanced meals, which are appetising and healthy. We have developed a mealtime policy at the nursery, as we strongly believe that early food experiences can set patterns for life.Our older children will help to lay the table prior to mealtime.
All children are encouraged to wash their hands before sitting at the table. Members of staff will sit with the children so that mealtimes can be a relaxed and a sociable occasion – learning to talk and listening to each other. Children will also learn how to use child sized cutlery, good table manners and about sharing food.
We use our meal time as an opportunity to discuss mathematical terms such as ‘large’, ‘small’, empty, full, counting, 1 more, take away – you’ve eaten another one, now there are only a few left….and so on.We serve high quality home cooked meals made from fresh ingredients, which fits into current ‘healthy eating guidelines’.Westrive to always cater for individual likes and dislikes without encouraging fussy eaters.
Meals are adapted for babies, i.e. pureed fresh foods or ready prepared baby food can be provided- individual weaning plans will be discussed with parents.We will be happy to cater for individual dietary requirements or food allergies.Children are encouraged to eat at their own pace.
Menus for each week are displayed on the parents noticed board in the entrance hall.
In the morning, a breakfast of toast and milk or cereal will be provided between 7.30am and 8.30am for both our nursery and breakfast clubs. A cooked lunch will be served at 11.30am, babies at 11.15am. Snacks of fresh fruit and water/milk are available to the children all day; tea is served at 3.30pm. For our preschools snacks are available to the children throughout the day and lunch at 12noon
The Children are offered some light snacks at 10.00am, 2.00pm and 5.00pm before Parents starts coming in to pick their children. Children are encouraged to drink water frequently throughout the day.
Nursery staff will be happy to discuss your child’s eating habits at the end of each session. All children will have written notes in their online diary’ on what and how much they’ve eaten which comes as a notification on your mobile device instantly. Giving Parents peace of mind, knowing on real time how much their children have eaten during the day.
Dietary / Cultural / Religious Needs – As our food is cooked fresh on the premises we can cater for all children’s dietary needs – dairy, egg, fish, tomato free diets, beef / pork, vegetarian, Halal meat.
At SpectacularKidz we know how important good nutrition is for growing children. so we provide a healthy nutritious daily menu for the children which has been thoroughly researched taking into account the daily requirements needed.
we will provide for your child:
- Fresh fruit and vegetables every day.
- A menu which is varied to ensure that your children are getting the variety of foods that they need for a healthy balanced diet.
- All our menus for babies are salt and sugar free and are pureed down to the right consistency.
- A Vegetarian menu if required.
- We will cater for special dietary requirements.
- All our staff are trained regularly in food safety to ensure they understand the importance of hygienic preparation of food.
- Through songs, stories and age appropriate activities the children are taught from an early age the importance of healthy eating
- We have a nut free environment policy and strictly do not allow nuts in and around the nursery
- Our menus are rotated every 4 weeks.
Please see below examples of the various nutritious meals & snacks that we provide at our different centres (as appropriate):
Breakfast:
– Variety of cereals for all ages.
-toast
Morning snacks:
– Breadsticks
– Rice cakes
– Raisins
– Cheese cubes
-Cucumber sticks
– Carrot sticks
– various fruits
-Flapjacks
-Boiled eggs
-Crackers & butter
Main dinners:
– spaghetti Bolognese
-Turkey with potato and vegetables
– Chicken & tomato pasta
– Mince beef & onion pie with mashed potato & peas
– fish with rice
-Lasagne
-rice and creamy vegetable sauce
– Cheesy pasta and sausages
– Rice and peas (Jamaica style)
-Fish or Chicken Biryani
-Chicken curry and rice
-Rice with Lentil and minced beef sauce and vegetable
-Mashed potatoes and sausages and peas with gravy
-Tuna bake
Afternoon tea:
– Cheese & ham toasted sandwiches
– Carrot/parsnip soup and warm brown rolls
– Toasted cinnamon bagels
– Carrot hummus & pitta bread
-Scrambled eggs and bread
-Fish fingers and nuggets with baked beans
-Pancakes and Jam with milk
-Quiche
-Beans on toast
Desserts:
-Strawberry whips
-Jellies
-Custards
-Bread and butter puddings
-Homemade vanilla cake with custards
-Fruit salads
We also offer a selection of fruit daily. However, these lists are not exhaustive as we continually introduce diverse food to the children
