I regard snack and meal times as a very important part of the day. Eating represents a social time for children and adults, and leading by example the children start to learn about healthy eating. I promote healthy eating and provide nutritious food, which meets the children's individual dietary needs. I am happy to provide for children with special dietary needs, Food allergies and/or cultural requirements using respective instruction from you. The requirements will be adhered to at all times and be recorded as part of your child’s record.
Unless it is a special occasion, I tend to avoid giving sweets or chocolates to children in my care, and will always promote healthy eating. However, following a cooking or baking activity, the children would be allowed to try the results of their hard labour that day or the day after.
Drinks
Please provide and send your child with a water bottle into my care and I will replenish the children’s bottles frequently with fresh drinking water.
Personally, I believe in providing children with as little processed/ non-natural sugar as possible, hence I am not currently offering sugary, fizzy drinks or juices to the children in my care. However, providing your child with a bottle of diluted juice from your side will be entirely acceptable.
Breakfast
As part of my services, I am offering breakfast club that will include a healthy
breakfast served around 8am. Typical choices will be:
Porridge or Cereal and fruit
Brown / White toast with a choice of spread/ marmite, honey, homemade jam & fruit
Snacks
A selection of fruit and vegetable, hoummous & dips and/or bread sticks, rice cakes will always be available and offered to the children throughout their time at my house. During the summer months, many of the vegetables and fruit will be from my garden and the children will be very much involved in foraging and preparing these as snacks. I am a keen gardener and aim to introduce children to the growing and foraging of all sorts of usual vegetables/ fruits like peas, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes as well as rather unusual ones such as Cuca melon, Kohlrabi and white currants.
Lunches / Dinners
I aim to provide lunches and dinners at the same times each day, following set routines as much as possible. The children will be wholly involved in the preparation, starting from setting the table; folding napkins, helping to prepare the food as well as clearing up. Typical choices will be:
Jacket potatoes with various fillings
Sandwiches/ bagels/ wraps with various fillings
Scrambled eggs or beans on toast
Different pasta dishes
Pitta pizza
Homemade potato cakes (savoury)
