Healthy Eating & Food Policy

Here at Tiddlers Daycare, we take healthy eating very seriously. We provide children with homemade, fresh food that is made on site by our resident chef. Our food is prepared without added salt or sugar, and we limit the amount of processed food included in our menu. Fresh fruit and vegetables are included in every snack and mealtime. Staff are aware that children are allowed two servings, unless otherwise requested by parents.

We encourage the children to use their mealtimes to be social and interactive. We support self serving if they are able, and personal water bottles are available to children within reach throughout the day. We use mealtimes as an opportunity for them to practice being independent and gain confidence.

Dietary preferences/needs are taken seriously and are incorporated in menus and mealtimes. Peanuts and treenuts are not permitted on the premises. Vegan/vegetarian meals as well as other dietary preferences are honored and included in every meal. Children are also allocated ⅓ pint of whole cow’s milk or oat drink every day.

Meal times are integral to our daily routine. Snacks and meals are given at regular times in accordance with our daily routine.

At Tiddlers we welcome Breastfeeding on the premises and we have secluded areas of the nursery that may be used upon request. Breastmilk should be given to a member of staff to be refrigerated, the milk should be labeled with the date and your child’s name.

The following outlines the key points of our policy and our implementation of the above statement:

  • Before a child starts to attend the setting, we find out from parents their children's dietary needs, including any allergies and preferences. We record information about each child's dietary needs in her/his registration record and parents sign the record to signify that it is correct.
  • We regularly consult with parents to ensure that our records of their children's dietary needs - including any allergies - are up-to-date.
  • We display current information about individual children's dietary needs in the kitchen 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 plan menus in advance, ensuring healthy and nutritious food is included.
  • We display the menus of meals/snacks for the information of parents.
  • We include foods from a variety of 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 rules of the religious groups to which children and their parents belong, and 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. 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 her/his diet or allergy.
  • We organise meal and snack times so that they are social occasions in which children and staff participate in conversation and positive interactions.
  • 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 and which take account of the eating practices in their cultures.
  • We have fresh drinking water constantly available for the children. We inform the children about how to obtain the water and that they can access it anytime during the day.
  • We provide information about the weekly menus on the Famly parent app, for parents to access in advance and parents are updated throughout the day on what their children eat.
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