ME MONTESSORI NURSERY AND PRESCHOOL
NUTRITION AND FOOD POLICY
Date: May 2026
Review Date: May 2027
Approved by: Francesco Antonazzo, Director
EYFS 2025 (September 2025 revision) — Updated May 2026
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Statement
At ME Montessori Play School, we are committed to promoting a healthy and balanced diet for all children, staff, and families. We aim to provide nutritious meals and snacks that support children’s physical and cognitive development while educating them on making healthy food choices. We work with parents and carers to ensure that the food provided in our setting complements the children’s dietary needs and preferences.
Aims and Objectives
Healthy Choices: To encourage healthy food choices and equip children with the knowledge and skills to maintain a balanced diet.
Nutritious Food: To provide healthy, balanced, and nutritious meals and snacks throughout the day.
Inclusive Provision: To accommodate the dietary needs, preferences, and cultural or religious beliefs of all children.
Learning through Food: To integrate food-related activities into the curriculum to support learning and development.
Legal Framework
We follow all relevant legislation and guidance, including:
Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) September 2025
Food Safety Act 1990
Safer Food, Better Business (Food Standards Agency)
DfE Guidance on Nutrition and Healthy Eating in Early Years Settings (2025)
Procedures
Food Provision
All meals are prepared on-site, using fresh ingredients to create balanced meals low in fat, salt, and sugar.
Menus are reviewed regularly and are designed in consultation with a dietitian to ensure they meet nutritional guidelines.
Fresh fruit and vegetables are available daily, and children are taught about the importance of eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
Drinking water is accessible throughout the day, and children are encouraged to help themselves. Semi-skimmed milk is provided with snacks or meals.
[EYFS 2025 — DfE Nutrition Guidance]
The nursery must ‘have regard to’ the DfE’s guidance on nutrition and healthy eating in early years settings (updated 2025). Menus are reviewed against this guidance at least annually and updated accordingly. Evidence of this review is kept on file.
Mealtime Supervision
[EYFS 2025 — Sight AND Hearing Supervision]
In accordance with EYFS 2025, all children must be supervised during mealtimes in a way that ensures staff have both sight AND hearing of every child at all times. A child being out of a staff member’s hearing is not acceptable, even if they are within sight. This applies to all eating and drinking occasions including snack time, lunch, and any food-related activities.
Sufficient staff must be present and positioned to maintain both sight and hearing of all children during every mealtime. Children must not be seated in areas where supervision falls below this standard. Staff must not leave the room during mealtimes without ensuring an adequate number of remaining staff can maintain both sight and hearing of all children.
[EYFS 2025 — Choking Hazard Protocol]
Choking Hazard Foods
High-risk choking foods (whole grapes, cherry tomatoes, raw carrot sticks, whole nuts, popcorn, hard boiled sweets) must never be served to children under 5 without being appropriately prepared (halved or quartered, cooked to softness, or removed entirely).
The following preparation rules apply:
– Grapes and cherry tomatoes: must be halved or quartered lengthways before serving
– Raw carrot: must be grated, cooked to softness, or cut into very fine strips; sticks are not permitted
– Nuts: not permitted in whole form for children under 5; nut butters must be smooth
– Popcorn: not permitted for children under 5
– Hard or boiled sweets: not permitted
Any choking incident must be recorded in the accident log, parents notified the same day, and the incident reviewed to prevent recurrence. The review outcome must be documented and used to update food preparation procedures if required.
Learning through Food
Food Education: Meal and snack times are considered learning opportunities. Children are encouraged to participate in food preparation activities such as fruit kebab making, food tasting, and cooking.
Self-Help Skills: Older children are encouraged to serve themselves from a snack bar, fostering independence and learning about portion control.
Food Play: Children explore food through sensory activities, and role-playing activities are integrated into their everyday learning.
Menu Planning
Balanced Diet: Our menus are designed to provide a varied, balanced, and nutritious diet that reflects cultural diversity and includes a vegetarian option every day.
Parental Involvement: Parents receive information about the meals their child has eaten and are invited to provide feedback on menus through regular questionnaires.
Special Dietary Requirements: We cater to children with specific dietary needs, including allergies and religious or cultural food preferences. Individual care plans are developed in collaboration with parents to ensure their child’s dietary requirements are met.
Food Safety and Hygiene
Staff Training: All staff involved in preparing or handling food are trained in food safety and hygiene. Certificates are displayed in the kitchen area.
Safe Food Handling: We adhere to strict food safety protocols, including temperature checks, cleaning routines, and the safe storage of perishable items.
Allergen Awareness: Staff are fully aware of any children’s food allergies or intolerances. Children with allergies are identified through a red placemat system, ensuring that they do not come into contact with allergenic foods.
Packed Lunches
If parents choose to provide a packed lunch, the nursery encourages healthy, balanced options. Parents are provided with guidance on what constitutes a healthy packed lunch, and perishable items are stored in a refrigerator to ensure freshness.
Birthdays and Celebrations
We celebrate children’s birthdays and cultural events in ways that do not rely on confectionery or sugary foods. Instead, we focus on activities and healthy food options that reflect the diverse cultures and beliefs of the children in our setting.
Monitoring and Review
This policy will be reviewed annually or sooner if there are changes in relevant legislation or best practices. Menus are reviewed against the DfE’s nutrition guidance at least annually, and evidence of this review is kept on file. Feedback from parents, children, and staff is sought regularly to ensure the policy remains effective and up to date.
Date: May 2026
Review Date: May 2027
Signed on behalf of the provider:
Name and Role: Francesco Antonazzo, Director
Signed: Kellie Antonazzo, Manager