FOOD
Food
To control food quality, handling and preparation, SPRL Crèche Européenne uses the 'Guide dautocontrôle pour la sécurité alimentaire dans les milieux d'accueil collectifs de la petite enfance' (Food safety control guide for collective childcare facilities) drawn up in accordance with the guidelines of the 'Agence Fédérale pour la Sécurité de la Chaîne Alimentaire' (Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain), which represents all measures to ensure food safety at every stage from purchase to consumption.
Preparation and selection
Meals are prepared by the cook in our kitchen and taken to the sections, where the nursery nurses take care of portioning. Every day, children are offered 4 meals: a main meal and three snacks. Bottles for smaller children are prepared in the bottle house at the time of consumption.
Preference is given to foods containing wholemeal flour and grown organically. To avoid a tendency towards obesity, we use "good food": pasta and rice cooked without fat and especially with a sauce containing vegetables; for fats, we prefer olive oil.Fruit is normally given as part of the daily meal.
The desserts provided for the children are prepared in the nursery kitchen, as is everything given to the children at parties or gatherings. In the warmer seasons, we prefer to use foods that don't require long cooking and are easily digestible. Children are given portions that are not too plentiful; the children themselves can ask for a second helping of food if they feel the need, and they won't be forced to eat.
Special meals are also provided for children suffering from celiac disease, allergies, food intolerances, or who require a special diet as indicated by the pediatrician, who certifies the child's pathology.
food education
Education in good nutrition begins with weaning, from the child's sixth month.
From the twelfth month onwards, weaning is completed and the child is gradually brought onto an adult diet.
The eating habits we learn as children influence our state of health for the rest of our lives. An unhealthy diet increases the likelihood of later suffering from illnesses such as obesity, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, etc., which is why when compiling the menu we will be faithful to the rules of good nutrition.
Because after the age of two, the child may start to refuse new foods, we introduce as many foods as possible, as it is important to stimulate the child's taste from the start of weaning.The menus offered in the toddler sections are indicative, as they vary according to the child's age in months and physical development, and are adapted to the gradual introduction of certain foods with the parents' agreement.
Nutrition for children in the middle, older and kindergarten sections is based on the same principles. The differences are mainly related to the quantity and consistency of the food.For the youngest children, food will be puréed and chopped food gradually introduced.
