Food

At North Leeds Community Nursery we think great quality food is vital so we employ an enthusiastic professional chef who loves working with children.

Fresh & Healthy

• Fresh fruit and vegetables, good quality ingredients
• Nutritious, filling and well-balanced meals and snacks
• Lunches with at least 3 of the children’s 5-a-day fruit and vegetable portions
• Using local suppliers and local growers wherever possible

Tasty & Varied

• A variety of tasty and imaginative dishes
• A dynamic menu – never the same lunch in 6 weeks
• A range of flavours, both new and familiar – we encourage the children to try them all
• Equally well-planned vegetarian options, and other special dietary requirements provided for on request

Eating Together

• Mealtimes that are lively, sociable and relaxed
• Children and staff eating together – sometimes the chef too
• Giving children all the help they need, but encouraging them to do all they can for themselves
• Our children are given a light snack at 16:00 to fill their tummies until they arrive home for the family evening meal

Meal Times

• 09:15 – 09:30 breakfast
• 11:30 – 11:45 lunch
• 14:00 sunshine snack (babies and toddlers only)
• 16:00 afternoon snack

Drinks Desserts and Snacks

• Water is available all day in named bottles or feeder cups, for the children to help themselves
• Other drinks are offered as well to choose from, at breakfast (water or milk) and afternoon snack (water or juice)
• Fresh fruit is eaten for after lunchtime and at afternoon snack – brought in by the children to share
• We discourage having puddings at nursery we do however have the occasional celebratory cake after lunch
• Afternoon snacks vary and can range from chicken goujons, wraps to toasted bagles and fruit

Involving the Children

• Asking their verdicts on every new dish – a must for the chef!
• Getting suggestions for different or favourite meals
• Help the chef – washing and chopping, mixing and topping (carefully chosen and well-supervised tasks, of course!)
• Do it themselves – fill a fajita
• Test their tastebuds – irresistible apples, tempting tomatoes

Growing Our Own

We grow a few vegetables in our sensory garden at the Nursery. Shelagh is our resident gardener (a grandparent of 1 of our children). She takes the children out to plant, grow and cultivate vegetables and fruits. We then use these in our meals. This year we have grown sweet corn, potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, strawberries, cauliflowers, cabbage and lettuce.