Our approach to food

​Mealtimes at DCN
Mealtimes are happy, relaxed and sociable occasions, and an important part of each child’s day. Our team sit with the children and lead by example - encouraging conversation, helping to serve food and gently supporting children to try new things.

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With encouragement and support, mealtimes become a wonderful opportunity for children to:
•    Explore new tastes and textures
•    Develop social skills
•    Build confidence and independence
•    Learn good table manners

 

Homemade, nutritious meals
Our meals are freshly prepared on site, using guidance such as ‘Setting the Table’ to ensure children receive a healthy, balanced diet.

•    Menus are planned weekly and change regularly
•    Special dates and celebrations are reflected (such as St Andrew’s Day and Christmas)
•    No salt is added, making meals suitable for even our youngest children
•    Food can be blended or mashed to suit each child’s stage of development

 

Our baby room staff are always happy to offer advice and support around weaning.

Babies and weaning

In the Treehouse room, we aim to follow your baby’s usual feeding routine as closely as possible.
•    Breastfeeding mums are always welcome to visit and feed their baby
•    Children under 12 months are offered food appropriate to their stage of weaning
•    All weaning stages are discussed and agreed with parents in advance

 

Our menus
Our menus are healthy, well-balanced and rotated seasonally. We plan varied menus that reflect different cultures, helping children develop an appreciation of the wider world.

A typical day includes:
•    Breakfast (7:30–8:00am): Cereal, toast and fresh fruit
•    Morning snack: A carbohydrate-based snack with fresh fruit or vegetables
•    Lunch: A hearty, home-cooked hot meal with fruit for pudding
•    Afternoon snack: Fruit and vegetable platter with crackers

 

We cater for all dietary requirements - medical, cultural, ethical or religious and will always do our best to meet individual needs.

 

Allergies & Intolerances
Your child’s safety and wellbeing are our highest priority. We carefully consider all 14 key allergens when creating our menus, which are clearly labelled each week.

If your child has an allergy or intolerance, we will:
•    Ask for detailed information to help keep them safe
•    Provide suitable alternative meals where required
•    Ensure staff are alert to the signs of allergic reactions

 

Our team are highly trained to support children with allergies and medical needs:
•    All staff are ‘Anaphylaxis UK’ trained
•    All staff hold ‘First Stop’ Paediatric First Aid certification
•    Four team members are trained in Emergency First Aid at Work
•    Four team members are trained Fire Marshals

 

DCN is a nut-free setting and we kindly ask that any food brought from home does not contain nuts or nut-containing products.

 

We will always aim to cater for your child’s individual dietary requirements. However, in the case of complex food needs, we may ask parents to provide food from home.

 

The 14 Key Allergens:

1.    Cereals containing gluten: Includes wheat, rye, barley, oats and their derivatives.
2.    Crustaceans: Such as shrimp, crab, lobster and other shellfish.
3.    Eggs: All types of eggs, including chicken, duck and quail eggs.
4.    Fish: Includes all fish species, such as salmon, tuna and cod.
5.    Peanuts: Groundnuts and products made from peanuts.
6.    Soybeans: Includes soy and soy products.
7.    Milk: Dairy products and derivatives, including lactose.
8.    Nuts: Such as almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans and Brazil nuts.
9.    Celery: Includes celery stalks, leaves, seeds and celeriac.
10.    Mustard: Mustard seeds and products containing mustard.
11.    Sesame seeds: Includes sesame oil and sesame seed products.
12.    Sulfites: Preservatives used in various foods and beverages.
13.    Lupin: A legume that can be found in some flour and baked goods.
14.    Molluscs: Such as clams, oysters and squid.