Food and nutrition are important to us. We know that a healthy balanced diet is essential to your child’s growth and development.
At Monkey Puzzle Billericay, every day is an opportunity for us to satisfy your child’s appetite with delicious and nutritious meals and snacks, designed with their needs in mind, with a menu planned to broaden their food experiences.
All fruit, vegetables and meat products are sourced by a local provider. We always provide fresh, balanced meals to the children at each meal time with a choice of fresh fruit at snack times. We always provide fresh, balanced meals to the children at each meal time with a choice of fresh fruit at snack times.
We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So, to get our children off to a flying start, we offer a variety of non-sugared cereals and wholemeal toast, enough to fill up their tummies and keep a smile on their faces till snack time. At Lunch and Teatime, we like to serve a hot*, balanced meal that has been cooked on the premises by our nursery cook.
Copies of our three week menus and recipes are available at the nursery. Please ask our manager for a copy.
Throughout the day and at meal times we encourage the children to drink fresh water and as a rule, we do not offer squash as a mealtime drink.
If your child has any specific dietary requirements or you want further information simply get in touch.
*In Summer our cook will introduce a ‘High Tea rotating menu’ to accommodate the warmer weather.
Once a week they have Little Chef sessions, for all age groups.
The children have been making some carrot cupcakes today. They loved helping to measure out the ingredients and stirring the mixture. With each class, their communication & language skills have grown extensively. We use so many different skills when we cook, which has been amazing to teach our little ones here at Monkey Puzzle Billericay.
Kelsie, The Chef
Example daily menu
| Breakfast | Selection of Cereals and Toast | Selection of Cereals and Toast |
|---|---|---|
| Snack | Choice of Seasonal fruit Milk or Water |
Choice of Seasonal fruit Milk or Water |
| Lunch | Macaroni Cheese with salad and Garlic Bread Melon Wedges |
BBQ Chicken, sweet potato wedges and coleslaw Jelly |
| Snack | Choice of Seasonal fruit Milk or Water |
Choice of Seasonal fruit Milk or Water |
| Afternoon Tea | Cheese/ Ham Crumpets with Vegetable sticks Homemade cookies Milk or water |
Fish Fingers with savoury rice Ice-cream Milk or water |
Babies’ nutrition
At this age nutrition for your child and support for you go hand in hand as we work together to find your child’s feeding rhythm throughout their daytime with us and their night time and earlier mornings with you. We support both breastfeeding and formula feed with bottle feeds at nursery, delivered with comfort and care for their feeding and winding habits. When your child is ready to experience solid food we will complement your efforts at home, working in partnership with you as your child experiences new tastes and textures.
Toddlers’ nutrition
Your child’s food experiences are so important and at this age group, they really develop and secure many of their preferences. At this age we balance the opportunity to try new foods with the regularity and reliability of foods they already know and love, continuing to praise them for their food adventures, and giving them an abundance of time to enjoy these.
We delight in helping to create good habits, supporting mealtimes with learning and understanding about how foods help them and their bodies, helping them to make great food choices for life.
Preschoolers’ nutrition
Fuelling some of the most energetic beings on the planet is fun, and we love the challenge! A healthy balanced diet is essential to your child’s growth and development and at this stage, making sure they have the nutrition to match their desire to master the world.
Your child will continue to learn and understand how foods help them and their bodies, helping them to make great food choices for life. At this age, your child will be a master of self-service with them creating their own portions, so they can display their appetite and tell us about their choice, with our guidance of course!
