**Ask me about Funded hours
It is my policy to provide children with healthy, balanced, and nutritious snacks and drinks.
Those responsible for the preparation and handling of food will be competent to do so.
I will collect, record, and act on information from parents about a child’s dietary requirements.
Where parents provide meals for their children to eat in my setting these should be in a plastic box that can be wiped down on arrival, I will then provide chilled storage for packed lunches and appropriate storage areas for other foodstuffs.
· I will also provide children with their own clean and age-appropriate crockery and eating utensils.
· I will respect the diversity of practice around mealtimes e.g. use of chopsticks or fingers for eating.
· I will provide children with healthy snacks and drinks as appropriate and recommended by the Food Standards Agency literature.
· I will ensure fresh drinking water is available at all times, both in and outside my setting.
As a provider of snacks, I am aware of my responsibilities under food hygiene legislation. This includes, if necessary, registration with the relevant Local Authority Environmental Health Department. If this is the case, then I am happy to have my premises inspected by a food safety officer.
I will always try to keep pets out of the food preparation area. If a family pet does gain access to this area then I will ensure that all work surfaces and cooking utensils have been thoroughly cleaned before any food preparation or food handling takes place.
Baby changing facilities will not be near food preparation areas.
I will ensure that I, and everyone caring for children, as well as the children themselves, are aware of good hand washing procedures and how these are carried out.
I will not undertake laundry during times of food preparation, and I will ensure that any soiled clothing or detergents will not come into contact with food preparation areas.
If there is an outbreak of food poisoning affecting two or more children looked after on my premises, I will notify Ofsted as soon as possible but definitely within 14 days of the incident occurring to comply with regulations.
I will keep all food receipts, including those under £10, so that if there is an outbreak of food poisoning on my premises, I will be able to trace the outlet where the food was purchased.