Food and Drink Policy
Widcombe Acorns Food and Drink Policy is written in accordance with the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) (2026), the Early Years Foundation Stage Nutrition Guidance (2026), and advice from the Food Standards Agency (2026).
Context of Food and Drink at Acorns
Children bring their own lunch to Acorns.
Acorns provides a snack twice a day and water throughout the day.
Acorns provides regular cooking opportunities for children.
Snacks provided by Acorns and food prepared during cooking activities are vegetarian. Meals provided by parents may contain meat and fish.
Our Aim:
Our aim is to ensure that all food and drinks at Acorns are safely prepared and offered. We work with parents to provide healthy, balanced and nutritious meals for our children.
We plan our snacks and cooking activities to contribute to a healthy, balanced and nutritious diet. At Acorns, we work to create positive attitudes and routines around mealtimes, encourage children to try a variety of foods, and help them develop healthy habits that contribute to positive health outcomes later in life.
How Acorns Manage Food Safety:
All staff must complete Level 2 Food Safety training.
Staff work with parents to be aware of any existing or new food allergies.
In cases of severe allergies, we may exclude specific foods from Acorns. For example, if a child has a nut allergy, Acorns will operate as a nut-free setting.
Food preparation areas, storage facilities and food-related routines must be maintained to a high standard of hygiene.
Staff follow Food Standards Agency advice on preparing and cutting food in ways that reduce the risk of choking and share this advice with parents.
Procedure of Providing a Balanced Diet that Supports Healthy Bodies and Oral Health
Our snacks are planned in accordance with the Early Years Foundation Stage Nutrition Guidance (2026).
Our typical daily snacks include a plain starchy food, such as plain savoury crackers or unsalted, unsweetened rice or corn cakes; two types of fruit; and a choice of semi-skimmed milk, oat milk or water.
Adults support children with appropriate portion sizes, ensuring that snacks do not reduce their appetite for lunch.
Acorns does not provide foods that are high in sugar or contain artificial sweeteners.
Acorns staff work with parents to share information about providing healthy, balanced and nutritious food for children and encourage healthier food choices for packed lunches.
Acorns does not allow children to bring chocolate or sweets in their lunch boxes.
In cases of allergies or dietary requirements, suitable alternatives will be offered, such as gluten-free or dairy-free options.
Making Mealtimes Positive and a Shared Experience
Our meal and snack times are structured, organised and well supervised. Children sit with an adult at a small table and enjoy time to talk and eat together, this enables staff to give children support and encouragement during meal times.
Celebrations
Families are welcome to send in fruit for us to prepare and share during snack times to celebrate special events such as birthdays, Eid, Diwali, Easter etc.
To align with our Food and Drink Policy, we cannot distribute other foods due to the risk of allergies and our commitment of avoiding foods that are high in sugar or contain added sweeteners.
Policy reviewed: September 2026