Diet & Nutrition
Our Meals
At WHF we understand the importance of nutrition and diet for your child’s health. We recognise that nursery aged children require meals rich in starch to provide lots of energy, foods rich in protein such as meat and fish and lots of fruit and vegetables for those all important vitamins and minerals.
We pride ourselves on the quality of the food we offer, all meals are freshly prepared and cooked daily from scratch meaning processed foods are kept to an absolute minimum. We use locally sourced suppliers for our meat and vegetables.
Special dietary needs or preferences are easily catered for, all children’s dietary needs are discussed and recorded when they settle into nursery.
Food is an important part in learning!
Menus are on a four weekly cycle and are changed every term to take into account the seasons and to ensure the children to try a wide variety of foods.
Meals are a social occasion and children are encouraged to help set tables and prepare ingredients. Staff sit with the children at meals times and siblings are able to sit together if they wish, this enables children of all ages and staff to interact within our family environment.
As a parent it is great to know that my child is eating nutritious and balanced meals, I am extremely happy with the choice on the menu and my child seems to be eating more and trying more food. He is definitely more adventurous now with his meals and food, I also love how the children are involved with growing their own foods and helping Tina to cook with them
Recipes
TOMATO DAHL: (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
- 260g red lentils
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mild curry powder
- 1 tsp miso paste
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 tin of coconut milk
- 4 tbsp coconut milk yoghurt (Or if prefer you can use plain yoghurt)
Method:
Place all the ingredients, except the coconut milk yoghurt, into a pan and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Once the lentils are cooked stir through the coconut milk yoghurt/plain yoghurt. Add a sprinkle of parsley or coriander as a garnish.
Can be served with rice or flat breads.
KATZU CURRY: (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
You could also add either chicken, prawns, Quorn, or vegetables
Method:
Cook the onion in the oil and then add the chopped carrots, garlic, ginger, curry powder, turmeric coconut milk and soy sauce into the pan and cook until the carrots are soft.
Once cooked blitz the sauce with a hand blender and add the sauce to your preferred meat/fish.
Can be served with rice or noodles.
SRI LANKAN COCONUT DAHL: (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
Method:
Fry the onions in some oil and then add the garlic and curry paste.
Add in the lentils, stock, coconut milk and turmeric.
Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the lentils are soft.
Can be served with rice or naan bread.
PORK & APPLE MEATBALLS WITH TOMATO SAUCE: (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
Tomato Sauce:
Method:
Mix a chopped onion, diced apple and pork mince in a bowl. Flatten out in an oven proof dish and cook in the oven until it is cooked, or alternatively roll into balls and place on a baking sheet.
For the sauce put into the pan the chopped onion, diced carrots, diced peppers, tin of tomatoes, tomato puree and diced butternut squash. Add some thyme, mixed herbs and basil. Cook until all the vegetables are soft.
Once cooked blitz the sauce with a hand blender.
Cut the meat into squares and add it /add the meatballs to the tomato sauce and serve with some pasta.
COWBOY CASSEROLE: (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
Method:
Peel and chop the potatoes and put them onto boil.
Put the sausages on a tray and put them into the oven until cooked.
Fry the onions in some oil and then add the carrots, beans, tomato puree and paprika and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Once the sausages are cooked add them to the tomato sauce and then serve.
Drain the potatoes and mash them. These can be served separately or you can make it into a pie using the mash as the topping with some cheddar cheese on top.
Alternatively use a baked potato and chop in half and add it to the tomato sauce or serve with roast potatoes rather than mash.
SWEET & SOUR CHICKEN: (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
Sauce:
Method:
Heat oil in a pan or wok, add the onion and peppers. Roll the diced chicken in cornflour and then add to the pan and stir for a few minutes.
To make the sauce mix the cornflour and pineapple juice till it is smooth. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and mix together. Add the sauce to the chicken and cook until the chicken is cooked and the sauce has thickened up. Sprinkle with spring onions.
Serve with rice or noodles.
TUNA & SWEETCORN BAKE: (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
Method:
To make the roux melt the butter and then stir in the flour and cook. When the roux smells of biscuits start to add the milk in stirring constantly, be careful not to let the sauce catch the bottom of the pan. Once the sauce is made add the cheese and stir until melted.
Add the tuna, sweetcorn and anything else you wish to add to the sauce.
Cook the pasta and once cooked add it to the sauce. You can either eat it like this or alternatively you can bake it in the oven with breadcrumbs on top for 20 minutes at 180°C.
Bacon and chicken can also be used as an alternative to the tuna.
You can also add pesto or sundried tomatoes for a different flavour.
VEGETABLE BEAN CHILLI: (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
Method:
Fry the chopped onion, garlic, carrot, celery and pepper as well as any other vegetables you wish to add and some seasoning.
Then add the tomatoes, tomato puree, chipotle paste/smoked paprika.
If the sauce is too thick you can loosen it with some vegetable stock.
The longer the chilli is cooked for the better it will taste.
Once cooked serve with rice, garlic bread, sour cream, grated cheese and guacamole.
If you want to add some meat you can use chorizo or pancetta.
What We Offer
Bunnies 0-2yrs
Welcome to the Bunnies, our loving and bouncy under two’s, who love to explore the world and develop their senses.
‘Play is the answer to how anything new comes about’ (Jean Piaget).
Squirrels 2-3yrs
Welcome to the Squirrels our loving and energetic two-year olds who go beyond the limits and discover new things each day.
‘Our task regarding creativity, is to help children climb their own mountains, as high as possible no one can do more’ (Loris Malaguzzi).
Hedgehogs (Preschool)
Welcome to Hedgehogs, the Whitehouse Farm Pre-school, where children challenge themselves and build on their ever growing skills.
‘A child’s play is not simply a reproduction of what he has experienced, but a creative reworking of the impressions he has acquired’ (Vygotsky).