Healthy Eating
Healthy Eating
Preparation
Burstead Bears Day Nursery is one of only a very select number of nurseries in Essex that has been presented with the Gold Award for Healthy Eating and the 5 Star Award of Excellence for Hygiene, both being the highest awards of their type.
Our kitchen provides a healthy, nutritional and well balanced diet for your child. All the food is freshly prepared on the premises daily by our resident cook. The children enjoy a varied menu that rotates every three weeks, so your child will not sample the same meal more than once in any three-week period. The kitchen will blend meals and snacks for those babies who are still weaning. In the event that certain foods are unable to be blended, we will provide a healthy alternative.
What if my baby is on breast or formula milk?
Burstead Bears Day Nursery welcomes you to bring expressed or formula milk in bottles labelled with your child’s name. This will be given to your child at the times you state and we will record how much your child has had.
What if my child has a special dietary requirement?
Our kitchen can cater for any special dietary requirements, whether it is for religious grounds, or for children who are lactose intolerant or vegan.
Safe Feeding
We Introduce food from around 6 months- following the parents lead.
We always sit with the children when they are eating.
We use a highchair or ensure the children are sat upright & alert at the table.
We encourage the children to chew properly & not to rush when eating.
Preparation
- All food is prepared on site by our experienced Nursery Cook.
- Small fruits such as berries, strawberries & cherry tomatoes are always cut into quarters (4 small pieces).
- Large or firm fruits such as melons & apples are cut into slices.
- For our toddlers & babies we will grate, mash or puree fruit before serving- depending on each child and their individual needs.
- Vegetables such as carrots and cucumber are always cut into batons.
- For our babies & toddlers skin will be removed from all fruit and veg, making it easier to swallow.
- All staff in the Honey Bears room attend yearly courses around the development of babies & weaning.
- Cheese will always be grated.
- We have a strict no nuts policy and do not cook with any ingredients that contain traces of nuts.
- We never serve the children: nuts, popcorn, raw jelly cubes, sausages, grapes, blueberries, boiled sweets, or marshmallows as they are all high choking hazards.
- Honey is never offered to children under 1 years of age.
- Raisins are not given to children under 1 years of age.
Gagging vs Choking
Gagging
Gagging is a perfectly normal reflex and can be common when weaning. Gagging is loud and may cause your child to go red in the face, or even be sick.
Choking
Choking is silent. Your child may turn blue if they are choking. If your child has black or brown skin you may notice that their gums, inside their lips & fingernails turn blue.
staff
All staff at Burstead Bears attend a paediatric first aid course every 3 years. We also refresh our knowledge yearly through online training.