To maintain healthy development and growth, children need to eat a nutritionally well-balanced diet. As an Early Years setting we are in a strong position to influence and can contribute significantly to improving the health and well-being of your child. Good nutrition in early childhood can help to prevent a variety of health problems, both in the short term and later in life. There is increasing concern that many children are consuming too much fat, sugar and salt and too little fibre, fruit and vegetables.
To ensure consistency and to ensure a packed lunch is in line with Food Agency standards, upholds our pescatarian values, ensures other children are not exposed to potential life-threatening allergens and does not pose any choking hazards to your child or any other child.
A child’s packed lunch should be based on the ‘Eatwell Plate’ model which shows items covering the 5 main food groups: (Food Standards Agency 2007).
- Bread, Rice, Potatoes, Pasta – these starchy foods are a healthy source of energy. Packed lunches should include 2 or more portions.
- Fruit and Vegetables – these foods provide vitamins, minerals and fibre. Lunches should include at least 1 portion of fruit and 1 portion of vegetables / salad, or more.
- Milk and Dairy foods – these foods provide calcium for healthy bones and teeth. Packed lunches should include 1 portion of these foods.
- Fish, Eggs, Beans, Pulses – these foods provide protein for growth. Packed lunches should include 1 portion of these foods.
Packed lunches MUST NOT contain the following:
- Meat or meat products
- Nuts or products containing nuts
- Fizzy/sugary drinks/squash in cartons, bottles or cans
- Chocolate products / sweets / confectionery / biscuits
- Chocolate spread as a filling for sandwiches
- Crisps, as these are high in salt and fats
- Chewing gum
- Take away food such as burgers, pizza, etc
- Sugared/toffee and salted popcorn
- Whole uncut round foods such as grapes, cherries, blueberries, strawberries and cherry tomatoes (due to risk of choking). If adding to lunch, please cut them into quarters.
It is the responsibility of parents/carers to provide daily information around the allergens present within any homemade foods placed in a packed lunch. Please find details of the 14 major allergens here-https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/top-allergy-types.pdf
It is the responsibility of parents/carers to supply an appropriate packed lunch using containers where food items can be stored securely. Please ensure there is an ice pack (for cold food) or container to keep food hot, as we are unable to store lunches in the fridge, or able to reheat them. Please leave the packed lunch in the allocated container in the room, so a staff member can store them safely in the kitchen. Do not leave the packed lunch in the cloak room, where other children can have access to it.
Kindergarten staff reserve the right to check the packed lunch to ensure we maintain a high level of health and safety practices and remove items that are unsuitable.
This packed lunch policy fits within a wider context of promoting a whole-nursery approach to food, nutrition and healthy eating. As part of our additional services and provisions policy, Forest Village Kindergarten can provide the meals and snacks offered during the sessions your child attends. All meals are Pescatarian (fish only, no meat). Pescatarian meals and snacks do not include meat products but do include fish and eggs. Forest Village Kindergarten provides breakfast, toast or organic porridge, homemade nutritious lunch, snacks and a light tea. A variety of fresh organic fruit and vegetables, and organic milk and water are also offered to children daily. The Kindergarten meal menu will be shared with all parents, so if you like, you can match the packed lunch to the Kindergarten menu.