OUR FOOD AND MENUS
We may amend or swap our menus at any time during the day. Please check back for updates.
Menus are updated, and a note is added on the Parent's App if there are changes to children's dietary requirements or preferences.
Our cereals include Crunchy Nut, Cookie Crisp, Cheerios, Shreddies, Weetabix, Golden Nuggets, Corn Flakes, and Frosties.
Snacks are available in the rooms throughout the day and consist of fruits, vegetables, biscuits, crackers, cheese, dips, and juice. Please note that snacks are not recorded on the Parent's App.
Dessert is offered after every meal and includes fruits, cakes, yoghurts, jelly, puddings, cookies, biscuits, pastries, ice cream, and brownies.
Children are offered fresh drinking water throughout the day, and milk is provided during each session to all children.
Meal Times
Breakfast: Served until 8:45am
Lunch: Between 11:30am and 12:30pm
Snack: Between 2pm and 2:30pm
Light Tea: between 4:30pm and 5:30pm
Our menus are accessible on our website, with any changes notified via the parent's app. Starting January 2024, to help reduce food waste, promote world cuisines, and ensure children’s preferences and dietary requirements are fully met, we are implementing monthly rolling menus. This means that the same dishes will be rotated weekly, allowing all children the opportunity to try our multicultural dishes.
FOOD AND DRINKS
We provide freshly home-cooked meals to all children over six months old. Our menus are designed to prioritise healthy choices while accommodating children’s dietary and religious requirements and preferences. Daily, we offer cow's milk and fresh water, with juice provided occasionally. Every child over 12 months old receives a water bottle, and children over 18 months old are offered milk in a cup. Throughout the day, children participate in cooking, baking, and tasting activities. If a child has only had their main meal, they may have already had something to eat as part of these engaging activities.
Dietary Restrictions
In cases where children require specialised food or beverages due to health needs, we will accommodate them upon receipt of a medical plan from the child's physician. Parents are requested to provide these plans when children require specialised food or beverages due to parental preferences. Non-prescribed supplement drinks will not be accepted. Any food provided by parents must adhere to health and balance standards. We adhere to Food Safety Standards Agency guidelines for food safety management procedures and comply with food hygiene regulations. We ensure that every meal includes alternatives such as vegetarian and halal options to accommodate children's religious needs and preferences.
During Outings
Parents are required to pack a nutritious and balanced lunch for children during outings. Unhealthy foods such as chips, biscuits, candies, or chocolate bars will not be accepted. Any unhealthy food provided by parents will be returned home. If a parent fails to provide a packed lunch for their child, the child may not be able to participate in the outing and may remain at the nursery. Nuts should only be included in packed lunches after prior notification to us. We accept sandwiches (cheese, tuna, chicken, or beef), fresh fruits, and fresh juice only.
Pack Lunch for Nursery
Unfortunately we do not accept pack lunch due to health and safety reasons.
Recording
Milk feeds are documented for infants under one year old. Food intake is recorded for all children under three years old. We do not accept packed lunches from home.
Current Food Safety Ratings
Armley: 5-Very Good - Last inspected in September 2023
Limewood: 4-Good - Last inspected in October 2023
During Celebrations
For special occasions such as Diwali, Christmas, or Eid, parents are welcome to bring traditional foods, such as homemade dishes or cakes, to share with the children and staff. We also accept traditional treats like biscuits following a trip abroad. This helps us promote and celebrate various cultures and religions from around the world. When bringing food into the nursery, we ask for a complete list of ingredients to ensure we meet the children's dietary and religious requirements. For unique celebrations such as birthdays and Halloween, children may be offered sweets, which we will encourage them to take home rather than eat at the nursery. When sweets are offered at nursery, the day's activities will focus on dental hygiene and healthy eating. Parents are also welcome to bring birthday cakes and party food for birthday celebrations.
Babies
Parents are responsible for providing formula milk for babies under 18 months old. We follow each baby's individual milk feeding requirements. Formula milk must be provided every four weeks in its original container and kept at the nursery; portioned milk is not accepted. Parents can bring milk bottles to be kept at the nursery. We do not accept pre-made milk. Milk bottles are washed and sanitized after every use. We do not give children, including babies, dummies at the nursery. At around six months old, we introduce complementary feeding alongside the babies' daily milk intake unless they were born prematurely, in which case we ask parents to seek medical advice before starting weaning. Parents can opt to bring baby jar food for children under one year old or delay weaning. All children over one year old will follow the setting's feeding routine unless a professional report indicates otherwise.
Concerns About Eating/Feeding
We ask parents to seek medical advice if they have concerns about their child's eating habits. If we identify a concern, we will discuss it with the parent, agree on a plan, and make appropriate referrals to meet the child's health needs.