AnonyMouse_6716 Posted September 6, 2012 Posted September 6, 2012 Hopefully am posting in the right area! Okay, a perennial favourite! This year we seem to have quite a lot of children with allergies. In short we need to avoid dairy, egg and nut . As well as this, we apparently have to be wary of salt content (someone was told on a course? by an advisor? that breadsticks were not great because of their salt content!) We have fruit provided but I am just hoping to pick your brains and save myself some soul-destroying searching around supermarkets! Has anyone got any ideas of foods and/ or brands which we could include. Today we have had raisins and banana, tomorrow we have apple-flavoured rice cakes from a baby and toddler range; we have dairy free spread so we hope to have toast on Monday. Any suggestions gratefully received! : )
AnonyMouse_4619 Posted September 6, 2012 Posted September 6, 2012 We have just revamped our snack menu and it includes oatcakes and .... pancakes and fruit toasted teacakes tuna, pitta bread and celery sticks rice cakes and banana bagels & ...
AnonyMouse_6721 Posted September 6, 2012 Posted September 6, 2012 Hi I have stopped the raisins because of the high sugar content and they stick to your teeth. And the fact that the staff are happy to pour these in a bowl rather than cut up the fresh fruit that is sitting there. With salt content I think you need to read the packets as the salt content needs to be below a certain figure (that I have forgotten but I am sure someone will know). You may need to avoid nuts for all but do you need to avoid dairy / eggs for all. These form part of a healthy diet for most and you just need to risk assess the situation for the children not allowed. 1
AnonyMouse_19762 Posted September 6, 2012 Posted September 6, 2012 Interesting point about raisins.........we have a lovely dental hygienist (Sp?) she comes to visit annually and gives the children a super 'talk' with the aid of puppets and props.........one of the food items that she suggests as being a 'good' food is .........yes you guessed it - raisins 1
AnonyMouse_4619 Posted September 6, 2012 Posted September 6, 2012 some good ideas on this page - see downloads at bottom http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/parents-carers/for-parents-carers/eat-better-start-better/two-example-seasonal-one-week-menus-and-recipes-for-early-years-settings
AnonyMouse_19762 Posted September 6, 2012 Posted September 6, 2012 Oh - that also says 'dried fruit should not be offered' :blink:
AnonyMouse_35577 Posted September 6, 2012 Posted September 6, 2012 I think we should all take a common sense approach and accept that everything is ok in moderation. We have even been known to 'gasp!' let the children eat a bun they have iced themselves that session. Oh no I can see the food police on their way to us now - help!!
AnonyMouse_19762 Posted September 6, 2012 Posted September 6, 2012 I think we should all take a common sense approach and accept that everything is ok in moderation. We have even been known to 'gasp!' let the children eat a bun they have iced themselves that session. Oh no I can see the food police on their way to us now - help!! Quick - stand behind me Rachael, I'll protect you! 1
AnonyMouse_7120 Posted September 6, 2012 Posted September 6, 2012 I just hope and prey mrs O doesn't show up on someone's birthday Ours love having cheerios and those little mini weetabix, and not sure how we'd survive if couldn't have bread sticks or raisins 1
AnonyMouse_30128 Posted September 6, 2012 Posted September 6, 2012 and dried fruit is really high in iron...a mineral that children suffer from a lack off in modern day diets! 1
AnonyMouse_12960 Posted September 7, 2012 Posted September 7, 2012 Can I dare to ask does anyone offer the contentious item....the dreaded biscuit???? (ducks down fast whispering "we do") 1
AnonyMouse_14268 Posted September 7, 2012 Posted September 7, 2012 We only do a morning snack and we offer; Apple, cheese, cucumber, raisins and a plain biscuit.
AnonyMouse_30128 Posted September 7, 2012 Posted September 7, 2012 No eyfs we don't do biscuits....generally seems to be frowned upon now although they sometimes come out on high days and holidays....but we try not to class them as a treat or raise their'status' above that of the usual snack selection! Annie pops ...firstly i have no problem with breadsticks (some of the italian ones are high in salt but the supermarket ones tend not to be too bad) and i would ask the advisor where that info came from. We tend to offer a standard snack every day (cheese cracker apple) and then add to it with other fruits or sometimes change the carb selection. The children really like to know what they are getting so adding something'extra' rather than instead of works well, it also makes life easier if you have so many allergies (we also have a lot of cultural restrictions). I would always offer the same snack for everyone and have adjusted it in the past to make it suitable for all.
AnonyMouse_3735 Posted September 7, 2012 Posted September 7, 2012 this thread was about snacks too, I added a few ,links at the end that give guidelines launched around food and snacks in settings.. may be worth looking at.
AnonyMouse_8282 Posted September 7, 2012 Posted September 7, 2012 Well, we're having 'party ring biscuits' (left over from the summer party) at some point next week! :o :o :o ::1a ::1a ::1a Always have raisins in cupboard for emergencies (not in walking distance to shops ) However we have cut down on their use do to the 'teeth' issues- but do still have them sometimes. Everything in moderation,.......... most days it's just fruit and carbs, other days we eat what we've cooked/ created - pizza, soups, cakes, cookies etc- all made from scratch I might add! ::1a That said we are in a reasonably affluent area, and most of our children are active, healthy eating, -sweets once a week types. x
Guest Posted September 7, 2012 Posted September 7, 2012 Is it not a little of everything in moderation. Its a bit like some mum's put in lunch boxes 3/4 yoghurts !!!!!! or 2/3 cheese strings. I cannot see that a handful (child's hand) of raisins is going to harm anyone's teeth given once a week or once every 2 weeks. I think when they start advising things it is more to parents who have no control over saying no to their children. I ahve had new children start this week and lunch boxes that are so full you need a forklift truck to pick them up!!! and when asdked why they say its to give the children a choice!!! or they are not sure what they will eat.!!! Come on who is the grown up in these situations. Do you allow the children to sit and eat enough food too fill up an hour ??? No we actually use our intelligence and give the children proper portiions and proper food. Use common sense and you can't go wrong.XX
Guest tinkerbell Posted September 7, 2012 Posted September 7, 2012 I teach reception children and we just have the free fruit that comes each day but on friday we have a snack table where we try all sorts of different breads,dips,we have fun trying different toppings on toast ,the children butter the toast and spread the marmite,jam,lemon curd ,lime marmalade,maple syrup,honey etc etc when we grow things we also eat them eg cooked the potatoes and had them with butter ,yum...we grew jerusalem artichokes and we found recipes for them,apple day we make apple crumble.For the harvest we are going to make blackberry and apple crumble,picking our own fruit. we celebrate festivals and countries and taste all the foods we can associated with them eg Handas surprise all the lovely fruit,Olivers vegetables..milkshakes, etc Planning parties/celebrations and making the food is also part of life,you can get the healthy living education in, everything in moderation teaching children through the senses and giving them experiences they may not otherwise have is part of my job I feel.
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