Our Food at Nutfield Day Nursery

We are big foodies, the kitchen is at the heart of our nursery, open-plan for all to see what is being created there. Parents stop in delight to take in the aromas, and find out what has been cooking, just like their children earlier in the day. Each day we have five to six food stops, our breakfast, a morning snack, lunch of a main course and starter or desert. Then we have afternoon snack and afternoon tea, plus if children are here after 6pm, another little snack. Sometimes we successfully harvest our own produce for inclusion within the menu, and the children get stuck in with helping prepare the food especially if they are assisting the carers in cooking outside on their fire. The children input meal ideas and create their own shopping lists and involve themselves in unloading the fresh deliveries. Food hygiene and safety standards are embedded.

Meals are made each day and we offer huge variety with regularly changing, exciting, nutritious new ingredients which are adaptable to the seasons’ and situations - we don’t know if we want homemade vegetable soup next week as it might be hot and we want to make lollies and smoothies; a rolling menu would be too predictable for us. Our vegetarian option is offered daily. The children serve themselves where possible, giving them full ownership of their personal choice. It is much more likely for children to eat well when they can confidently decide if they want custard on the side or on top or not at all. Great nutrition is important especially when we spend so much time eating and socialising together. We use glasses, china and real cutlery that actually works and we have team colour coded sports bottles for our water throughout the day. Our large blackboard shows our menu each day and you will see the children’s assessments recorded there as we recap on the food we have eaten.