Last updated: April 2026

Review date: April 2027

Principles

We recognise that diet is crucial to children’s health and underpins their development and we acknowledge that poor eating habits and health can impact children’s long-term health including maintaining a healthy weight, and good oral health.

We believe in:

• providing healthy food and drink options throughout the extended day
• teaching children about which foods should be eaten in order to have a balanced and healthy diet
• as far as possible providing for individuals’ needs(cultural, ethical, medical)
• meal times being a happy, social occasion developing children’s awareness of where food comes from by growing food for meals
• providing opportunities to learn about and encouraging children and staff to eat a healthy and varied diet as this will have a positive effect on their wellbeing, learning and enjoyment of life.
• staff only ever eat healthy food and drink in front of the children and therefore are encouraging healthy eating habits
• staff eat with the children during snack times to promote positive role modelling
• encouraging parents to improve their knowledge of the benefits of healthy eating and how a healthy diet can be achieved
• encouraging children’s understanding of not wasting food
• supporting the promotion and practice of breastfeeding.

Food Management

Our lunch time meal is provided by an external catering supplier who specifically cater for young children. They provide nutritious meals guided by recommendations from The Carolyn Walker Trust and Children’s Food Trust and have worked closely with the Southampton Local Authority dietician so that all meals are HEYA approved. The three-week cyclic menus have been specifically created to allow children to experience a broad palette of flavours, including regional specialties and established favourites.

At our Swaythling nursery the lunch time meal is cooked on site by our chef. Breakfasts, snacks, and teas are prepared on site and are planned following guidance from Healthy Early Years  to ensure that meals on offer are nutritious and tasty and provide a balanced diet appropriate to the age of the children. No additional salt is used when preparing home cooked foods.

Healthy drinks: Semi skimmed milk will be provided for children aged over 2 years; Full fat milk will be provided for children over the age of 1; children younger than 1 will be given formula milk/breast milk; water will be freely available throughout the day.

We follow strict food hygiene practice when preparing and handling food. Only staff holding an up to date food hygiene certificate are able to prepare meals. (Please see Food Hygiene Policy).