Coleliac Disease. Meaning children can not absorb their food normally, these children avoid gluten which is found in cereals but is also hidden in some foods. Label checking would minimize this.
Allergies. This means some people cannot tolerate some foods and become very ill if taken most require hospital treatment common sighs of allergy is swelling around the mouth and face, breathing difficulties, sickness and diarrhoea and rashes, common food sources of allergic reactions are lactose found in milk and diary produce. Histamine found in Strawberry’s and ripe tomatoes. Tartazine found in yellow food colouring, sweets and some drinks.
Nuts. Children under 5 should not eat whole nuts, but traces of nuts are found in lots of foods, you would check food labels .May be more common with older children.
Children can go into anaphylactic shock if they do become allergic to food , Basic first aid training covers this , and hospital treatment is immediately required.
Religious and cultural beliefs.
In a setting you would respect and encourage all religious and cultural beliefs, prepare the dietary needs to enhance this.
Muslims. Eat Hulal meat which means it has been slaughtered and prepared in a certain way. We had a child on the hulal diet at Willingtots. They do not eat pork or dairy products that contain rennet. Fast during Ramadan.
Jews. Eat kosher lamb, beef and chicken which us slaughtered and prepared in a certain way. Dairy products are not eaten with meat. Eggs must not have blood spots.
Fish should have fins, scales and backbone. Fast during Yom Kipper.
Sikhs. Rarely eat pork, do not eat beef. Some Sikhs eat chicken, cheese, fish and shellfish.
Hindus. Are usually vegetarians, do not eat diary products that contain rennet. Some Hindus will eat eggs and fish, they eat fish with fins and scales are eaten.
Rastafarians. Some Rastafarians do eat lamb, beef and chicken but do not eat shellfish.
Vegetarians. Do not eat meat and fish.
Vegans. Do not eat ANY product that comes from animals, and includes milk, eggs and cheese.
More on Portion sizes.
A baby from birth until they reach 5 mouths old would have mother’s breast milk or formula milk. At 5 months old a baby will start its first solids this normally starts with a small teaspoon full of baby rice, food is then gradually tried and increased, starting with puréed fruit and vegetables. As the baby grows and tries new fruit and vegetables the quantity gradually increases. By the time baby is approx 9 months old they are trying there first finger foods such as bread, breadsticks and fruit and vegetables, food is now given as a chopped up substance rather than pureed.
As children grow they require more food and will show a preference sweet, savoury or salty foods, however this can changes over time. Portion sizes will increase; young children require snacks during the day, as well as 3 meals per day. Children should be encouraged to eat healthily and educated in this subject to, this maintains healthy development and helps to expand consecration time.
A selection of healthy berries.
Our healthy eating policy.
Food
We work in partnership with parents to ensure that the medical, cultural and dietary needs of children are met.
We help children to learn about a range of food, cultural approaches to mealtimes and eating and to respect the differences amongst them.
Food and Drink Policy
Statement of intent
Willingtots Pre-school regards snack and meal times as an important part of the Pre-school's sessions. Eating represents a social time for children and adults and helps children to learn about healthy eating.
Aim
At snack time, we aim to provide nutritious food, which meets the children's individual dietary needs. We aim to meet the full requirements of Ofsted's Care Standards on Food and Drink (Standard 8).
In order to achieve this we operate the following Food and Drink Policy.
Before a child starts to attend Pre-school sessions, we find out from parents their child's dietary needs, including any allergies.
We record information about each child's dietary needs in their registration record. Parents must sign this record to signify that it is correct.
We regularly consult with parents to ensure that our records of their child's dietary needs - including any allergies - are up-to-date. Parents must sign the up-dated record to signify that it is correct.
We display current information about individual children's dietary needs so that all staff and volunteers are fully informed about them.
We implement systems to ensure that children receive only food and drink which is consistent with their dietary needs and their parents' wishes.
We provide nutritious food at all snacks times avoiding large quantities of fat, sugar, salt, artificial additives, preservatives and colourings.
We include foods from the diet of each of the children's cultural backgrounds, providing children with familiar foods and introducing them to new ones.
Through discussion with parents and research reading by staff we obtain information about the dietary requirements of the religious groups to which children and their parents belong, of vegetarians and vegans and about food allergies. We take account of this information in the provision of food and drinks.
We require staff to show sensitivity in providing for children's diets and allergies. Members of staff do not use a child's diet or allergy as a label for the child or make a child feel singled out because of their diet or allergy.
We organise meal and snack times so that they are social occasions in which children and staff participate.
We use meal and snack times to help children to develop independence through making choices, serving food and drink and feeding themselves.
We provide children with utensils which are appropriate for their ages and stages of development.
We have fresh drinking water constantly available for the children. We inform the children about how to obtain the water and that they can ask for water at any time during the session.
We inform parents who provide food for their children about the storage facilities available in the Pre-school.
We give parents who provide food for their children information about suitable containers for food.
We have rules about children sharing and swapping their food with one another in order to protect children with food allergies.
For children who drink milk we provide whole and pasteurised milk.
These are in lines with Government guidelines; Government also provides fresh fruit snacks and fresh milk for all key stage one children, and has set initiatives for all child care settings to provide healthy eating.
Basic food safety and storage.
All staff preparing and handling food should have a food hygiene certificate, and all food regulations and storage should be followed , all knifes and sharp objects will be stored in cupboards out of children’s reach, and in a separate area then cleaning products.
All food hygiene practices are to be followed correctly, hands to be washed before food is touched, all fruit and vegetables are to be wash before eaten. Table tops and food services areas are to be kept clean and clutter free. Different chopping boards and knifes are to be used for different foods, e.g. fruit and vegetables, raw meat, cooked meat etc. to stop the spread of bacteria. Have good personal hygiene. And store or refrigerate all foods as recommend to there food labels.
Never use any out of date foods, food that has been badly stored or if you are not 100% sure that it is SAFE.
Be aware of any known allergies of children checking product labels and keeping all foods separated if preparing food for children with and without allergies, if possible does not use known allergy food in the food planning.
A Menu for a child with no dietary requirements.
Breakfast.
Cereal
Toast
Fresh orange Juice
Mid morning Snack.
Fruit and vegetable sticks
Cup of milk.
Lunch.
Shepard’s pie
New potatoes
A selection of fresh vegetables.
Yogurt
Cup of Water or fresh Juice.
Tea.
Sandwiches
Small Piece of cake
Fresh fruit
Cup of water of fresh Juice.
A menu for a child who has celiac
Breakfast.
Fresh Grapefruit and orange segments.
Yogurt
Water or Milk.
Mid morning Snack.
Rice cakes
Cup of milk or water
Lunch
Fish pie
New or boiled potatoes
A selection of fresh vegetables.
Ice cream
Water of fresh Juice.
Tea.
Jacket potato with cheese
Fresh fruit
Milk, water or fresh Juice.
There is now a large selection of gluten free foods found in the supermarkets.
A Menu for a Muslim child.
Breakfast.
Croissants
Fresh fruit
Water or fresh Juice.
Mid morning snack.
Bread sticks
Water or fresh Juice.
Lunch.
Bean hot pot
New or boiled potatoes.
Selection of fresh vegetables.
Fresh fruit salad
Water or fresh juice.
Tea.
Vegetable stir fry
Rice
Fresh fruit salad
Water or fresh Juice.
Were no meat and fish is eaten it is of most important that protein is found in other sources like beans and pulses.
A vegetable stir fry.
