Policy and Procedure No.40
SAFER EATING GUIDELINES & PACKED LUNCHES
The Government introduced a “safer eating” section to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework during 2025. We must follow the Government food safety advice for children under the age of 5 to reduce the risk of choking in the setting, and therefore all food in lunch boxes should be prepared to:
- remove any stones and pips from fruit before serving
- cut small round foods, like grapes, strawberries and cherry tomatoes, lengthways and into quarters
- cut large fruits like melon, and hard fruit or vegetables like raw apple and carrot into slices instead of small chunks
- do not offer raisins as a snack to children under 12 months – although these can be chopped up as part of a meal
- soften hard fruit and vegetables (such as carrot and apple) and remove the skins when first given to babies from around 6 months
- sausages should be avoided due to their high salt content, but if offered to children these should be cut into thin strips rather than chunks and remove the skins
- remove bones from meat or fish
- do not give whole seeds to children under five years old
- cut cheese into strips rather than chunks
- do not give popcorn as a snack
- do not give children marshmallows or jelly cubes from a packet either to eat or as part of messy play activities as they can get stuck in the throat
- Policy for Lunch Cover
a. Lunch boxes or bags will be stored in a fridge.
b. The tables at which children eat their lunch are cleaned with antibacterial solution. These will be cleaned before and after use.
c. The children will be supervised as they wash and dry their hands before eating lunch.
d. The children will be supervised at all times as they eat their lunch. While children are eating there will always be a member of staff in the room with a valid paediatric first aid certificate.
e. Ratios will be maintained during lunch times.
f. The children will be given their own named lunch box when seated at the table.
- Procedure for children staying for lunch
a. Parents should send their child’s food and drink in a named lunchbox or lunch bag.
b. The box or bag should be named near the handle for ease of identification.
c. All reusable containers within the lunch box/bag (flasks etc) should be named.
d. If the child has a drink from home for snack time, this should be brought in a separate named container and left on the tray located just inside the room.
e. Any uneaten food will be left wrapped in the lunch box/bag so that parents/carers are aware of what has been eaten.
f. Pre-school is a nut free zone and therefore, nuts and their products are not permitted.
g. Due to the very high salt content and choking risk associated with pork salami sausages, whole, packaged “Peparami” will no longer be permitted in lunchboxes
h. Sweets, chocolate bars and fizzy drinks should not be included in lunch boxes/bags.
i. Fruits should be prepared as above when included in lunch boxes/bags.
j. Parents should include spoons or cutlery in the lunch box if they are required to consume the food.
k. Lunch boxes/bags should be easily accessible for the child so that they are able to eat their dinner with ease.
l. At the beginning of each morning session the trolley will be in the waiting area to allow the children to leave their own named lunch box and foster independence. Staff will then transfer these to the fridge.
m. For children who arrive at 11:45 for lunch session and pm sessions they will bring their lunch in with them and pass it to the staff member waiting on the door to greet them.
n. At the end of the session lunch boxes/bags will be available for collection from the trolley in the waiting area.
For further information please refer to:
https://help-for-early-years-providers.education.gov.uk/health-and-wellbeing/food-safety
Tragically, a child dies in the UK every month from choking and hundreds more require hospital treatment. Please support Millfield Pre-School with taking all the necessary steps to keep children safe and well.
If a child experiences a choking incident that requires any intervention, an accident form will be completed to record the event and parents/carers will be made aware.
Signed: Clara Hall- Chairperson
Signed: Tegan Kidman- Lead Practitioner/Manager.
Amended: 11th February 2026.
Review: 11th February 2027.