Food & Drink

Promoting Healthy Eating

At South Hill Park Pre-school we encourage healthy eating and snacks, giving consideration to NHS Change4Life guidelines to reduce sugar, salt and saturated fat. We also promote good oral health habits and regular handwashing before meals and snacks.

Dietary Needs and Allergies

Parents must provide information about any food allergies or special dietary requirements their child has, during the admission process. This information will be shared with the staff and clearly displayed within the Pre-school.

We take care to avoid contact with any allergens or restricted foods. For children with severe allergies or special dietary needs, parents may be asked to supply snacks or milk.

Parents can ask for allergen and ingredient information about snacks and meals at any time, in line with the Food Information Regulations 2014, by speaking to the Manager or Deputy Manager.

Snacks and Mealtimes

Children have a healthy snack mid-morning and/or afternoon. Staff carefully check all snacks against children’s dietary needs and preferences. When possible, snacks are chosen to reflect the children’s cultural backgrounds.

Parents must provide their child with a water bottle filled with fresh water, which will be made available to children throughout the day. Milk or water will be offered at snack times. Juice or squash is not permitted during sessions, except for special occasions.  Fizzy and sugary drinks are not permitted at any time during Pre-school sessions.

Lunch Club

Children attending lunch club need to bring a packed lunch, with an ice pack to keep food fresh if also attending the morning session.

We encourage healthy lunches and parents are expected to provide their child with a healthy packed lunch that does not contain chocolate, sweets or nuts (due to allergies). We also advise parents to avoid processed foods too. Parents should provide cold food or use a thermos; staff cannot reheat meals.

Lunch is a social time with staff sitting with children. Children are encouraged to be independent but are supported if needed. Children are never forced to eat or finish their food. If a child consistently refuses certain foods, staff will work with parents to support positive eating habits. Staff communicate any concerns about eating habits to parents.

The Pre-school will provide parents of children attending lunch club with a letter containing information, tips and advice on providing a healthy packed lunch for their child. Additional relevant guidance will also be shared throughout their child’s time at Pre-school via letters, emails, Facebook and the website.

Celebrations and Treats

For celebrations, food provided will respect all dietary needs. Parents are asked not to bring cakes or sweets for birthdays; instead, we use a wooden birthday cake and sing together.
If they would like to, parents can send in their child’s favourite fruit or vegetable to share with their friends at snack time on their birthday, however this is not compulsory. 

Cooking Activities

Children are regularly offered the opportunity to take part in cooking activities, with consideration given to individual dietary needs, allergies and cultural diversity when planning. Children wash their hands before and after the activity and wear aprons during the cooking sessions. 

Staff Training

Staff at the Pre-school complete Food Safety and Hygiene training on induction and every three years after. Additional allergy specific training is provided as needed.

Supervision During Eating

Children are appropriately supervised by staff during snack and mealtimes to ensure their safety and well being. Staff support children as needed with eating and encourage good table manners and independence skills. This supervision also helps staff to promptly act on any choking or allergen risks.

To help keep children safe, parents are asked to cut up foods in their child’s packed lunch into appropriate sizes/shapes to reduce choking hazards (e.g. grapes and cocktail sausages to be cut vertically). .

Please all see our Oral Healthy Policy for more information about Food and Drink.

Last reviewed August 2025