Food safety and nutrition procedures
Snack is an important part of the day. Eating represents a social time for children and adults and helps children to learn about healthy eating. We aim to provide nutritious food, which meets the children’s individual dietary needs and preferences.
· Staff discuss and record children’s dietary needs, allergies and any ethnic or cultural food preferences with their parents.
· If a child has a known food allergy, procedure Allergies and food intolerance is followed.
· Staff record information about each child’s dietary needs in the individual child’s registration form; parents sign the form to signify that it is correct.
· Up-to-date information about individual children’s dietary needs is displayed on the snack board so that all staff and volunteers are fully informed.
· Staff ensure that children receive only food and drink that is consistent with their dietary needs and cultural or ethnic preferences, as well as their parent’s wishes.
· The menus of snacks are displayed on the parent notice board for parents to view. Foods that contain any food allergens are identified.
· Staff aim to include food diets from children’s cultural backgrounds, providing children with familiar foods and introducing them to new ones.
· Through on-going discussion with parents and research reading by staff, staff obtain information about the dietary rules of the religious groups to which children and their parents belong, and of vegetarians and vegans, as well as about food allergies. Staff take account of this information when providing food and drink.
· All staff show sensitivity in providing for children’s diets, allergies and cultural or ethnic food preferences. A child’s diet or allergy is never used as a label for the child, they are not made to feel ‘singled out’ because of their diet, allergy or cultural/ethnic food preferences.
· Fresh drinking water is available throughout the day. Children bring in own water bottle which is easily accessible in key persons basket Staff inform children how to obtain the drinking water and that they can ask for water at any time during the day.
· snack times are organised as social occasions.
Fussy/faddy eating
· Children who are showing signs of ‘fussy or faddy eating’ are not forced to eat anything they do not want to.
· Staff recognise the signs that a child has had enough and remove uneaten food without comment.
· Children are not made to stay at the table after others have left if they refuse to eat certain items of food.
· Staff work in partnership with parents to support them with children who are showing signs of ‘faddy or fussy eating’ and sign post them to further advice, for example, How to Manage Simple Faddy Eating in Toddlers (Infant & Toddler Forum) https://infantandtoddlerforum.org/health-and-childcare-professionals/factsheets/