special diets
Before your child starts at nursery, full details of their dietary needs and preferences are recorded as part of the registration process. In addition to food allergies and intolerances, we also cater for dietary preferences such as Halal, Kosher* and vegetarian.
Our nurseries have stringent procedures in place to make sure that your child is served food that meets their special dietary requirements. All meals for children with special diets are served on red plates and labelled with the child's name.
All our cooks are trained in the procedure, preparation and cooking of meals for allergy or food intolerance sufferers.
food allergies and food intolerance
A food allergy causes the immune system to react to a particular food as if it isn't safe. If the allergy is severe, this can cause a life-threatening reaction. Food intolerance does not involve the immune system, and is generally not life-threatening. If someone eats a food to which they are intolerant, this can make them feel ill or affect their long-term health.
It may be necessary to seek medical advice from your child's GP to provide a Treatment Plan for the nursery to follow in the event of an emergency.
Following a formal Risk Assessment, a Care Plan is then developed and agreed with the parents. All staff then receive accurate information on the child's allergy, and this is displayed in each relevant room and a copy sent to the kitchen.
dietary preferences
If you have a preference for the types of food your child should eat - for religious or cultural reasons, for example - this information is recorded when you register your child at nursery, and all staff are made aware of the requirement.
All our daily menus include a vegetarian option for each meal.
Halal
We include a range of Halal meat on our product lists so that nurseries can switch to using this product where there is a requirement.
Kosher food
We have introduced a range of Kosher dishes to three of our North London nurseries*.
These dishes are made to our healthy recipes by a local Kosher food supplier in a Kosher kitchen. The supplier is governed by the London Beth-Din authority. The meals are then delivered to us frozen in individual portions. We then prepare the Kosher food at nursery under strict guidelines followed by all staff to ensure the food is kept Kosher until the child has eaten it. This includes using only designated Kosher kitchen equipment, and serving the food on disposable plates.
* Kosher food is available at Hill Park, Hendon and Golders Green Day Nurseries
