Waterloo Road Community Pre-School recognises the importance of good nutrition in the Early Years for long term health and that food can provide a healthy, balanced diet for growth and development. We understand that children’s early experiences with food can shape their future eating habits.

 

We follow the following procedures to support our approach to healthy and safer eating.

 

Mealtimes

• We believe that mealtimes should be happy, social occasions for both children and staff and promote shared, enjoyable positive interactions at these times.

• Mealtimes are an opportunity to sit to a table to eat together, to socialise and to develop language and discussion around foods and the ways they help our bodies.

• Staff set a good example and support good table manners. During meals and snack times children are encouraged to use their manners and say 'please' and 'thank you'.

• To ensure a positive experience of eating we encourage children to eat what is in their lunchbox but will never force this, children are given time to eat at their own pace and are not rushed.

• Children who won’t eat at lunchtime will be offered their food later in the day. This is implemented on a case-by-case basis.

• We will share information with parents about children’s appetite and enjoyment at lunchtimes,

• Parents are encouraged to provide their children with healthy eating lunch boxes. We communicate this through our newsletters to parents and offer suggestions on our setting noticeboard. This includes lunchbox ideas and a poster on balancing food groups.

• We also promote an enjoyment of healthy eating and trying new foods through occasional special events such as making our own lunch.

• Cultural differences in eating habits are respected.

 

 

Snacks and Drinks

 

• We offer a free snack to all children at our rolling café table in both morning and afternoon sessions. We endeavour to provide snacks that are healthy, balanced and nutritious, consisting of a range of fruit, vegetables along with crackers, honey or marmite.

 

• Snack times are used to help children to develop independence through making choices, preparing and serving their snack and drink. Children access the café at a time of their choosing throughout the session.

 

• Children who drink milk are offered 1/3 pint each day. This is provided by Milk and More through the funded Cool Milk scheme. Dates are checked and milk is refrigerated upon arrival. An alternative is provided for children who cannot drink dairy milk which will be unsweetened and calcium-fortified.

 

• Fresh drinking water is always available and accessible.

​

 

Individual Dietary Requirements (including allergies)

 

• Individual dietary requirements are respected.

• We gather information from parents regarding their children’s dietary needs, including any special dietary requirements, preferences and food allergies that a child has and any special health requirements, before a child starts at pre-school and discuss on an on-going basis with their key person. This information is shared with all staff who are involved in the care of the child.

• Where required, we will carry out a risk assessment in the case of allergies and work alongside parents to put into place an individual dietary plan for their child

• We give consideration to seating in order to avoid cross contamination of food from child to child. Adults will sit with children during meals to ensure safety and minimise risks. Children are taught not to share food between lunchboxes and we have age/stage appropriate discussions about allergies and potential risks.

• A list of children with allergies is kept visible to staff in the café and lunch area.

• Staff show sensitivity in providing for children’s diets and allergies. They 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.

• Foods provided by the setting for children have any allergenic ingredients identified.

• Care is taken to ensure that children with food allergies do not have contact with food products that they are allergic to within their play.

 

Supporting balanced choices

• We promote positive attitudes to healthy eating through play opportunities and discussions

• We offer a variety of cooking experiences to children as part of the activities on offer, such as blending fruit drinks or baking. We believe this helps to promote a positive relationship with food and an enjoyment of making dishes from scratch. We take into consideration government guidelines around what foods and ingredients to provide, limit and avoid.

• Occasionally special occasions such as birthdays may be celebrated with a treat, such as a cake, if this has been requested by parents or carers. We will ensure that all food brought in from parents meets health, safety and allergy requirements and ingredients are listed within the Food Information for Consumers (2014) regulations. Where possible, these will be given at mealtimes in consideration of oral health and maintaining appetite. Whilst as a small setting we tend not to have frequent birthdays and celebrations, we monitor this and will consider other treats such as choosing a favourite story, playing a party game, dancing, singing their favourite song or suggesting an alternative food for parents to bring in if deemed more appropriate.

• We do not allow chocolate of any kind or any type of biscuits in children’s lunchboxes. We also advise against fruit Winders/Yo Yo Bears and crisps.

• Families are signposted to support such as NHS Healthy Start and local foodbank services where required. Information about these services is displayed on our noticeboard.

 

Additional Safer Eating Procedures

• We are a nut-free setting.

• Lunchboxes are kept on a higher peg so children cannot access them without an adult.

• All staff who prepare and handle food are competent to do so and receive training in Allergy Awareness. As we do not cook any meals at Waterloo Road we keep under review the level of expertise across the team to ensure it is appropriate for the nature of the food we handle. At least two staff members currently hold a recent Food Hygiene certificate and good practice is shared across the team. Most staff members have completed a food hygiene training course during their time working at Waterloo Road.

• Children are taught about the importance of washing their hands before eating of preparing food.

• If children are trying a new food for the first time staff are alert to any signs of a potential allergy. If a food intolerance is suspected, we work with parents and carers to keep a record of foods eaten and any symptoms experienced.

• Parents are advised in the parent welcome booklet to take measures to keep lunchboxes cool, for example with an ice pack, as we do not have refrigeration for them. Perishable foods within lunchboxes are eaten within 4 hours of arriving at pre-school.

• In the very unlikely event of any food poisoning affecting two or more children on the premises, whether or not this may arise from food offered at the setting, we will inform Ofsted as soon as reasonably practical and in all cases within 14 days. We will also inform the relevant health agencies and follow any advice given.

• No child is ever left alone when eating/drinking to minimise the risk of choking. We ensure that children are supervised at snack times and are also within sight and hearing of at least one member of staff with a Paediatric First Aid qualification. At lunchtimes at least two trained staff members sit with the children.

• We share information with parents about the safe preparation of foods which can pose a choking hazard on our noticeboard, as provided by the Food Standards Agency. Staff check lunchboxes before children start eating and cut up any risky foods that have been missed.

 

Further guidance

Early Years Foundation Stage Nutrition Guidance – Department of Education- April 2025

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6839b752210698b3364e86fc/Early_years_foundation_stage_nutrition_guidance.pdf

 

Eat Better, Start Better - Foundation Years. (Action for Children 2017)

 

Boosting early years nutrition to support a healthy childhood- The Food Foundation – May 2025

https://foodfoundation.org.uk/sites/default/files/2025-05/TFF_Early%20years%20report_2025.pdf