Meals at Carville Day Nursery

All of nursery meals are freshly prepared each day by our qualified cook. We ensure that the menus are well balanced and tasty so that the children can enjoy eating a range of different types of foods incorporating flavours from around the world. All of our ingredients are of the highest quality. We also cater for any specific dietary requirements and allergies. Fresh fruits are offered every day at breakfast, snack time, lunch and afternoon tea. Fresh vegetables or salads are also served daily.

Our menus are carefully planned in advance and we are conscious of the need to avoid using large amounts of  fats, sugar, salt, artificial additives and preservatives. Menus are sent out to parents each week so they know what their children will be eating each day. We also give daily feedback to parents on what and how much their children have eaten.

We have fresh drinking water available throughout the day. All the children have their own drinking bottle with a picture of themselves on it so they can identify which bottle belongs to them. They can then help themselves to a drink of water when they want to.

We use meal and snack times to help the children to develop independence through making choices by serving some foods and drinks for themselves with our assistance. The children are encouraged and not forced to try different foods they may not have seen before. They are also encouraged to use utensils appropriate for their age to eat with.

All the children wash their hands before sitting down to eat and are encouraged to say please and thank you.

Monday

Lunch – Homemade fish fingers (or vegetable fingers) with sauté potato with carrots and peas.

Dessert – Rice pudding with peaches or fresh fruit.

Tea – Beans on toast.

Pudding – Pineapple.

Tuesday

Lunch – Mince beef (or Quorn mince) and onion pie with mash potato, spinach and butter beans.

Dessert – Fresh fruit salad.

Tea – Banana sandwiches.

Pudding – Melon.

Wednesday

Lunch – Tuna, red and green pepper fish cake (or vegetable) with salad.

Dessert – Semolina with a strawberry compote or fresh fruit.

Tea – Toasted muffins with cheese spread.

Pudding – Pears.

Thursday

Lunch – Vegetable lasagne with a green salad

Dessert – Stewed apples with cream or fresh fruit

Tea – Chicken sandwiches with cucumber

Pudding – Apples

Friday

Lunch – Cauliflower and Aduki bean curry with rice

Dessert – Cherry strudel and custard or fresh fruit

Tea – Crackers with cheese and cucumber

Pudding – Mango

AUBERGINE LASAGNE

Ingredients

3 large aubergines cut lengthways in to half cm slices
1 onion finely chopped
3 garlic cloves crushed
1 large carrot peeled and chopped in slices
300g of mushrooms finely chopped
One tin of tomato
1 tablespoon of tomato purée
2 large bottles of white cheese sauce
500g 5% fat beef mince
2 teaspoons of dried mixed herbs
2 OXO cubes
25g of mature cheddar cheese

Method

Firstly, slice the aubergines into ½ cm. place the sliced aubergines on to a tray sprinkle a little salt over them to get rid of the excess water. Leave for 5 mins, pat dry the aubergine with kitchen towel then place under a grill, toast on both sides until slightly brown. Once this is done set aside for later.

Add a little olive oil to a pan and add 1 chopped onion 3 crushed cloves of garlic and cook for 2-3 mins until soft. Add chopped carrots, mushrooms and a sprinkle of herbs, cook for a further 2-3 mins stirring occasionally. Add the mince to the pan breaking it up with a wooden spoon or fork. Cook for 3-4 mins until the mince is brownish all over. Stir in the tomato puree and cook for 2 minutes. Next add tin tomato and season to taste. Bring to the boil then let it simmer for about 10 mins.

Preheat the over at 200c/ fan 180c/Gas mark 6. Empty the white cheese sauce in a pan warm and simmer until ready to use. Spoon a layer of mince over the base of a 20cm oven proof dish, then spoon the white cheese sauce over the meat and place the aubergine slices over the white sauce. Repeat the process twice more finishing with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese on top.

Bake for 35-45 mins until the top is golden and bubbling. Cool slightly then garnish with basil leaves to serve.