Healthy food and the culture of eating are introduced to children in an interesting, intriguing and pleasant manner
In accordance with the National nutritional policy programme and dietary guidelines, we organize healthy meals and devote our full attention to preparing fresh meals every day. For children of the first age group (from 1 to 3 years old), we prepare 4 meals a day and 3 meals for children of the second age group. The variety of fruits and healthy beverages are accessible throughout the whole day for all the children.
For the children with special dietary requirements we provide meals that meet their dietary needs.
Dietary restrictions
By setting an example, we encourage children to elevate the quality of their eating culture. We respect family traditions, create appropriate and pleasant conditions for nurturing eating culture (such as setting a nice table, using polite phrases, etc.), and allow for a choice in feeding (we don’t force food on children). We invite children to participate in creating menus and offer them the opportunity to serve themselves if they wish. Through rituals, we develop sociability associated with eating. As a motivational tool in eating, we include our main character – a puppet (as part of Puppet Project), through which we bring healthy nutrition and eating culture closer to children in an exploratory, interesting, and friendly manner.
To introduce improvements in the field of nutrition and promote a higher quality eating culture, we established a project team years ago. The team’s priorities change or complement each year. Together with our food organizer and the Department of Public Health, the team systematically monitors and analyzes children’s eating habits each year. We pay special attention to children who occasionally or for an extended period reject certain foods in daycare. In such cases, the team collaborates with their parents to find solutions. Based on monitoring and evaluation, it prepares an analysis of the state of nutrition and develops improvement criteria in the chosen area.
Priority goals in the field of nutrition in our daycare:
- Providing health-appropriate foods (ensuring food safety and the adequacy of their composition in terms of essential nutrients that impact the biological and energy value of foods).
- Creating menus presented to parents on notice boards and the daycare's website.
- Supplementing menus with indications of allergens present, marked for children with specific dietary needs, also presented to parents on notice boards.
- Ensuring four meals per day (covering 70% of daily energy needs).
- Choosing high-quality organic and bio foods, as well as foods without artificial colors and preservatives.
- Providing dietary nutrition to children with health indications, following medical certificates.
- Establishing a group to monitor children's eating habits (identifying preferences, tracking uneaten food, finding solutions for children with eating difficulties, generating new ideas for menu planning, and collaborating with parents).
