Setting
Busy Bees at Hatfield Road
Funding
The nursery's catering budget is about £1,500 per month.
Background
Ensuring children at nursery get good food is a core part of promoting their wellbeing. Busy Bees at Hatfield Road in St Albans, Hertfordshire, is part of a chain of private nurseries but has been recognised for its efforts to go above and beyond when it comes to catering.
Action
Nursery chef Carolyn Lemare has worked at Busy Bees in Hatfield Road for just over four years, having previously been a catering manager at a garden centre and working in schools.
While Busy Bees' head office sets a seasonal menu for its settings based on government guidelines, she is responsible for putting that into practice and serving meals and healthy snacks for up 65 children a day, aged from four months old to just under five.
"I always try and make meals tasty and look appetising - the look of food is very important with children," says Lemare, who prepares nearly everything from scratch, including making bread. "We'd never force a child to eat, but we don't give up. A child may try something 20 to 30 times before they will actually eat it."
Staff sit down with children at mealtimes, where children are encouraged to try new foods including a wide variety of fruit and vegetables. "It is terribly important the children have a balanced diet," says Lemare. "It helps with concentration and gives them energy."
Learning about food and healthy eating is part of nursery life and all children have the chance to be involved in preparing food, while pre-school children learn how to get used to a packed lunch.
Outcome
The nursery was rated "good" by Ofsted in its most recent inspection, which praised the quality of the catering and efforts to educate children about food. "Meals are freshly prepared on-site and are carefully planned to meet nutritional and individual dietary requirements," the report adds. The Hatfield Road nursery recently beat more than 200 nurseries in the Busy Bee chain to win a catering award, while the chain has just achieved the Soil Association's Food For Life Silver Catering Mark. This involves complying with various standards, including the use of free-range, organic food from local sources and ensuring at least 75 per cent is freshly prepared.
