It is crucial for babies to start off eating good, wholesome, fresh food, packed full of nutrients that are necessary for their health and development, so all our meals are home cooked using the best quality ingredients and organic where possible.

NutritionResearch has shown that if children are given varied and nutritious meals once weaned, they have a reduced chance of becoming fussy eaters later on and are more likely to try different foods.

We aim to maintain balanced, sensible meals, avoiding sugary and salty foods so that there is less chance that the children will crave them, or develop a sweet tooth, later on. We don’t add any salt or sugar to meals or snacks & we always eat wholegrain rice.

Attached is a sample menu plan:-

Wk 4

AM Snack

Lunch

PM Snack

Tea

Mon

Milk
Teacakes

Roast beef, roast potatoes (1) & vegetables (2)
Pineapple upside down cake (3)

Fresh fruit (4)

Tuna balls with pea & sweetcorn pasta (5)
Fromage frais / yoghurt

Tues

Milk
Cheese & bread sticks

Pork goulash (1) new potatoes (2) & vegetables (3)
Semolina

Fresh fruit (4)

Selection of sandwiches, cherry tomatoes & cucumber (5)
Fruit (6)

Wed

Milk
Sultanas (1)

Tuna pasta bake (2)

Fruit jelly (3)

Fresh fruit (4)

Jacket potatoes with baked beans & cheese (5)
Fromage frais / yoghurt

Thur

Milk
Rice cakes

Cottage pie (1) & peas (2)

Banana custard (3)

Fresh fruit (4)

Vegetable sticks (5) with cottage cheese & Houmous dip
Fruit (6)

Fri

Milk
Dried apricots (1)

Chicken casserole (2) rice & vegetables (3)
Fruit trifle (4)

Fresh fruit (4)

Cheesy haddock & pasta gratin (5)

Fromage frais / yoghurt

(The numbers in brackets show the accumulative number of fruit and vegetable portions per day)

Parents are asked to provide for all of their childs’ nutritional needs until they reach a year old. When the children are about 9-10 months old, and start to notice what the older children are eating we find that they show an interest in trying some of their food. So we offer them tastes of finger foods, gradually getting the babies used to the foods that we eat from the menu plans.

Food intolerances and allergies will be catered for and parents wishes considered.

NutritionOur meals also include a range of dishes from around the world so that the children can enjoy new tastes, flavours and textures. We encourage the children to be independent and feed themselves as soon as they can.

Breakfasts can be included, if required and will be from a selection of cereals or toast.

To encourage healthy eating habits from a very young age, we aim to meet or exceed the governments’ recommended guidelines of eating at least 5 portions of fruit & vegetables every day.

NutritionOrganic foods will be included wherever possible and a fish dish will be served at least once a week, on a Friday. On sunny days, we usually eat our fruit outdoors.

We never serve fizzy, sugary drinks, only water, milk or heavily diluted squash, if your child refuses to drink anything else!