HEALTHY EATING / NUTRITION POLICY

Rationale

A nutritionally balanced diet is important in childhood to ensure the best possible development, at a time of rapid growth.

Infants and young children need an adequate supply of nutrients such as iron to prevent anaemia and calcium to ensure healthy development of teeth and bones.

A balanced diet in childhood is not only important for growth but for learning, promoting positive habits and attitudes towards healthy eating.

An inadequate or unbalanced nutritional intake may not only affect growth and development in childhood but may also impact on health problems, such as heart disease, later in life.

Infants / Babies (0-1)

The time between birth and the age of one year is a time of very rapid growth for children and a time when their nutritional needs are at their highest, as a child triples their weight and increases their length by 50% in their first year of life. Therefore an infant’s energy and nutrient needs are high in relationship to their size.

It is also important that infants receive food in a form they can digest, as many of a newborn infant’s body systems are immature. Therefore the timing of weaning and introduction of the correct weaning foods at the right time is very important.

Pre-school Children (1-5)

Children aged between one and five years need a diet with adequate intakes of energy and nutrients e.g. iron, calcium and vitamin C for growth and development. However, children this age have small stomachs which prevent them from eating large amounts of food and a changeable appetite that is affected by changes in their growth and activity levels. Therefore, a meal pattern of three small meals and two-three small snacks is best for children of this age.

It is also essential to remember that children are mainly reliant on others e.g. parents or carers, for their food and that our own adult eating habits, likes and dislikes will be the ones that children copy. These early food experiences have a considerable effect on adult eating habits and may influence attitudes to eating, the types of foods considered ‘normal’ and whether eating is regarded as a social occasion or something to be undertaken while carrying out another activity e.g. watching television. For young children mealtimes are an important opportunity to communicate with others and good eating habits encourage good communication skills and language development.

Food and eating also provides sources of learning for children through shopping, cooking, helping to lay the table and so on.

Promoting Healthy Eating/Nutrition in Nursery

· The weekly menus will be on display in advance. Recipes will be available for parents.

· The weekly menu will give children a varied diet.

· All children will have suitable food made available for them.

· Cultural differences in eating habits will be respected.

· Children who do not receive a breakfast at home will be offered this when they arrive at nursery. (As long as they are here before 8:30am)

· Milk will be served with the morning and afternoon snacks and this will be full fat milk.

· All dairy products will be full fat.

· Soya drinks will only be given as a substitute for cow’s milk with the parent’s agreement and then only those fortified with calcium will be given. (This must be provided by the parents)

· Water will be available at all times.

· Diluted fruit juice (not squash) will be served with the main meal.

· Children will still receive dessert if they refuse their main course.

· Parents/carers/guardians will be informed if their child is not eating well.

· Parents of children who are on special diets will be asked to provide as much information as possible about suitable foods and in some cases may be asked to provide the food themselves.

· Staff will sit with the children while they eat and will act as good role models for healthy eating.

· Withholding food will not be used as a form of punishment.

· Children who are slow eaters will be given time and not rushed.

· Quantities will take account of the ages of the children.

· Food will be presented to children in an attractive manner.

· Staff will set a good example of good table manners and children will be given plenty of time to eat

· Parents will be given advice on appropriate foods to bring from home.

· Outdoor play will be encouraged every day with suitable clothing. This will ensure that children have an opportunity to be exposed to sunlight, which helps their bodies to make vitamin D. Parents will be advised to provide sun cream for their child when necessary.

· We will notify Ofsted within 14 days of two or more cases of food poisoning, being reported of children looked after on our premises.

© 2010