Food & Nutrition Procedures

14.1 Food & Nutrition Procedure

I shop regularly to ensure a supply a fresh of nutritionally balanced meals and snacks.

I pay special attention to age/stage appropriateness and specific dietary requirements, usually working from the Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Pre-school services.

I consult with parent/guardian and children as to food preferences; however, I must serve nutritionally balanced meals and will NOT serve children very restricted diets unless this is prescribed by a doctor on account of a medical condition. In the latter case I demand a written statement from the child's doctor regarding the child's diet.

I provide parent/guardian with information on the food offered and a menu describing the main meal each day.

I include nutrition in discussion with parent/guardian and also raise any concerns immediately if necessary.

I do not serve ketchup as it is prohibited. (Pre-school services must not have ketchup on the premises when inspected.)

I undertake training in food and nutrition: I have done nutrition courses among others with Dr. Anne Marie Tully, senior dietician with the Health Promotion Unit of the Health Service Executive as well as both Basic and Primary Food Hygiene courses and have an Honours Certificate in Food Hygiene from the Environmental Health Officers Association. I have completed a Basic Food Handlers course that covered the HACCP principles, and I did the Environmental Health Officers' Association's Primary Course in the principles and practices of Food Safety that I passed with distinction. Moreover, I have various lectures about nutrition and I have read extensively on the subject.