Home-style, healthy cooking

At all times, we use fresh, quality ingredients, avoiding foods which are highly-processed and those which are high in fat, sugar and salt.

Lunch is always a hot, two-course meal which is freshly prepared on our premises by our dedicated cook.  The children in Saplings and Oaks can see her prepare each meal through the serving hatch between their room and the kitchen. Children also often help harvest vegetables from the garden for use in the kitchen.

Babies and toddlers

From four to six months old, or otherwise as agreed with parents, children are introduced to simple, smooth purées made from fresh or steamed fruits and vegetables. These may be mixed with baby rice and the child's own (mother's or formula) milk. The purées are made coarser as the children become more used to eating solids and a greater mix of ingredients is introduced as the children grow older.

Very young babies are unable to digest protein foods like eggs, cheese, pulses, chicken and fish. These foods are introduced gradually to babies from the age of six months, or otherwise as parents request. Similarly, in keeping with government health advice, foods containing gluten (from wheat) are not introduced until babies are at least six months old. Parents may wish their child to avoid gluten or another type of food for up to a year or longer, particularly if the family has a history of allergies. If so, we are happy to accommodate this.

By the time they are toddlers, the children move on to eating finger foods and are helped to develop more independence in their eating so that they can enjoy the main nursery menu.

Older children

Whenever they are ready, children may move on to the main nursery menu of:

• Breakfast - a choice of low sugar, low salt cereals, including Rice Krispies, Weetabix and Cornflakes, with either crumpets, croissants or toast. Children are offered a choice of jams, marmalade, Marmite or honey.
• Morning snack - a selection of fresh fruit.
• Lunch - a home-made, two-course hot meal made with fresh and natural ingredients.
• Tea - a lighter meal of, for example, tortilla wraps with salad vegetables.
• Drinks - It is our policy to offer children drinks that encourage good dental health; we therefore offer children a choice of milk or water.

Children clean their teeth after lunch as part of our health focus.

Special dietary requirements

We are happy to accommodate children who have special dietary requirements on religious, health or ethical grounds. In each case, we work with parents to ensure we provide a choice of food to meet each child's needs.