Food & Nutrition

Nourishing Little Minds and Bodies

We believe good food is the foundation of healthy growth. That's why we serve nutritious, freshly prepared meals designed to support every child's development.

Mealtimes are more than just eating — they're a chance for children to relax, connect, and enjoy each other's company in a warm, social setting.

Food hygiene is something we take seriously. We follow the highest standards to make sure every meal is as safe as it is delicious.

Food Categories

How do we stand apart

On Site Chef

On site trained chef’s: passionate about creating nutritious, balanced meals for our little ones. We minimize packaged foods and cook from scratch - from snacks to sauces!

Savoury Snacks

Snacks: Tend to be more on the savoury side, with things like oat cakes, rice cakes, cheese and vegetable crudites. We also bake home made fruit muffins with oatbran and spelt flour.

Protein & Fibre

Protein and Fibre packed meals: We make dips and sauces fresh in our kitchens from whole foods and protein packed powerhouses of various legumes. Our breads, pasta’s and starchy carbohydrates are of the wholemeal and wholegrain variety. We seek to give the children meals which contain ‘complete proteins’

What we do

At Woodland Wanderers, everything we do is centred on keeping children safe, healthy, and happy. From how we prepare food to the choices we make about what comes through our doors, our policies are designed with children's wellbeing at their heart.

Smart Food Pairing

Fruit's natural acidity can contribute to tooth decay, so we pair it with other foods at mealtimes to protect children's teeth while they enjoy their favourite fruits.

Vegetarian Nursery

We're proud to be a vegetarian nursery — a choice that reflects our commitment to the planet and our children's health. It helps reduce our environmental footprint while introducing children to delicious, plant-based food.

no nuts policy

No food products containing nuts are brought into the building. Many foods are labelled as having "traces of nut" or "cannot guarantee nut free" — these are very difficult to avoid, so we remove the risk entirely to protect any child with a nut allergy.

Allergies

We record any food allergies and share them with all staff, so meals are clearly labelled and safely managed. Our chef follows our Allergy Protocol, and a first-aid trained staff member sits with any child who has an allergy or intolerance.

At enrolment, parents complete an allergy form. For documented allergies, we'll also need a GP Care Plan and two labelled EpiPens kept with us in the setting.

Dual ‘red - orange’ light system

Red mats with a sticker detailing an allergy

Orange mats with a sticker detailing an intolerance

Lunchbox Tips

at woodland wanderers, lunchtime is an extension of the classroom. We view every meal as an opportunity for your child to build confidence, practice fine motor skills, and experience the joy of saying, "I can do it myself!"

An easy to open, insulated type lunch bag with an ice pack to keep lunches fresh. Name with a ribbon tied around the handle or a sticker, to identify their lunch bag

Drinks – Please provide a named water bottle. We will top this up throughout the day and provide milk.

For wrapping food. Where possible use grease proof-paper, cling film is tricky to open, tin foil is particularly bad for fruit as the acids react.

Containers with compartments are great for little offerings and a variety of food groups reducing unnecessary wrapping. Containers are washable and more environmentally friendly.

Small Portion Ideas

Pot of hummus/guacamole – dips
Raw vegetables to dip – carrots, cucumber, celery, cherry tomatoes, peppers etc
Grated cheese of different types or small chunks
Grated carrot with lemon and olive oil
Slithers of cold Quorn – mini sausages, Quorn fillets, vegetarian meatballs
Cooked ½ corn on the cob
Half an avocado – to eat with a spoon
Cooked cold vegetables
Cut up omelette/tortilla
Hash browns/potato cakes
Boiled eggs – hens and quails
Fruit, cut and prepared – half grapes, soft and hard fruits, melon balls, make mini fruit kebabs

Tips for Healthy Family Mealtimes

Build meal plans around your family's real routine — small, realistic changes work better than trying to overhaul everything at once.
Aim for one meal a day made from scratch, whether at home, nursery, or work. It's what you do most of the time that counts, not perfection.
For snacks, pair something pre-packaged with fresh fruit, veg, or a homemade option.
Keep a mixed fruit and veg plate on the table before and during meals — and graze on it yourself, since you're your child's best role model.

Try "serve yourself" meals a few times a week (think tacos, pizzas, or a weekend cooked breakfast) so children can choose and serve their own food.
Cook together the Montessori way — washing, grating, and chopping gives children hands-on food exposure and independence.
Pick one new ingredient to try each week or fortnight, or let older children choose a meal they'd like to help cook.