Healthy Eating Policy
In accordance with both local and national nutritional guidelines, St. Mary’s Nursery School promotes a Healthy Eating Policy. The diet of young children must fulfil all their immediate requirements in terms of energy and nutrients, but should also set the pattern for healthy eating throughout life.
Our Chef provides a varied selection of healthy snacks and hot/cold lunches on a daily basis from which the children are encouraged to choose.
The snack and lunch menus are displayed in the corridor (see attached).
Drinks offered consist of milk and water.
Children will also have opportunities to help prepare elements of the snack to be offered for that day, and to participate in cooking activities which help to develop self-help skills – cutting, spreading, chopping etc. Staff will promote and discuss where food comes from – eg growing and caring for vegetables in our nursery garden and using them in our snack.
On special occasions the following foods may be offered:
- Parties/Celebrations (eg Burns Day, Christmas etc) – haggis, cocktail sausages, pizza, crisps, biscuits. This will vary depending on the celebration.
Parents/Carers are asked to ensure that we are notified of any allergies or intolerances to allow us to make provision for this.
We hope that involving the children in a Healthy Eating Programme may influence eating habits of wider family and community, promote a long term healthy lifestyle and reduce the incidence of tooth decay and obesity.
All of the children in our care will be offered meals, snacks and drinks low in sugar and salt and rich in starchy foods and fruit and vegetables. Food will contain appropriate levels of fat.
All food prepared is served immediately, and all personnel involved in serving food should wear disposable apron, gloves and a hair net.
National Guidelines for Nutrition – Setting the Table, Hale ‘n’ Hearty
Health & Social Care Standards: 1.33, 1.35, 1.39
HGIOELC:1.1, 2.2, 3.1
BtA: 7.2