A Bedale nursery where children are involved in growing, buying, picking and cooking their own food, has won a national award.
Incy Wincy’s Day Nursery was recently announced a winner in the Nursery World awards for the exceptional quality of its food and its integration into every day life for children.
The Bedale childcare business was judged against high-quality nurseries from around the UK before going on to receive the National Food Award during a ceremony in London.
Director Annalisa James said the nursery takes an holistic approach to food.
“Food is an area we have focused on since we took over the nursery in 2013,” she said.
“It’s more than just ‘food on plates’. The children learn where their food comes from, grow it themselves, appreciate how it is used to create different dishes and experience different culinary styles to broaden their palettes.
“We work with local suppliers such as Carricks of Snape, Cockburns Butchers of Bedale and the Bedale Community Bakery to offer a seasonal menu of freshly-prepared food.”
Chef Rob Hartley has worked on the nursery’s menu with the wider team to include tempting dishes such as spiced paneer, chickpea and sweet potato curry, and Moroccan lamb kebabs with tzatziki and flat breads. An initiative has also been rolled out to allow parents to purchase ‘take home meals’ – adult-sized portions for them to enjoy when they get home from collecting their children.
The nursery’s wider focus on food means that the children are immersed in a hands-on experience with what they eat; running their ‘Star Baker’ business, regular trips to the pick-your-own farm, market and local bakery. This year the staff and children have developed the kitchen garden and children can cook lunch in the on-site pizza oven using freshly picked ingredients.
Nursery manager Sarah Moon-Gatford, said: “It’s important to us that children have a positive relationship with food, we enjoy the social side of it; cooking, growing and eating together. Our team have worked to create a relaxed learning experience with wholesome food at the heart of it.
“Our location and minibus allow us to extend the children’s experiences beyond the nursery and gardens, while weekly Little Forester sessions allow them to explore, investigate and appreciate the natural environment.”
The nursery, which is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, recently took over Bedale’s former children’s centre, from where it now runs the Grasshopper Pre-School, offering term-time day care.
For more information on Incy Wincy’s Day Nursery, visit; www.incywincys.com
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