Tootsies Private Day Nursery, which caters for a maximum of 130 children across two sites, serves them only meals and snacks that are free from artificial colours and preservatives and freshly prepared on site - including the home-made baked beans.
Chef Tristian Strover is a big part of Tootsies' success with nursery food. He joined in 2009 with extensive experience in the catering trade. He bakes his own bread, makes his own yeast and provides a great variety of dishes and seasonal foods. He monitors the children's likes and dislikes and adjusts the menus accordingly.
Parents can meet Tristian at open days, where they can take part in a masterclasss in cooking a meal with fresh produce and are offered recipe booklets to take home. Tootsies caters for all individual needs such as allergies or vegetarian or religious requirements. There is also a weaning menu for the youngest children.
Mealtimes are happy, social occasions, where children are encouraged to make conversation. Their independence is developed as they serve food and drink and feed themselves.
Our judge was impressed with the meal served at her visit - jambalaya with home-made bread, followed by a small portion of carrot cake with dried apricots and sweet potato to sweeten and reduce sugar content. Children who had egg allergies had home-made apple and blackberry sorbet.
Tootsies also won praise for its sourcing policy of local and organic food and sustainable fish. High-quality protein such as lentils or beans are included in all vegetarian meals. Tootsies is also working towards the Food for Life Gold Standard.
Other winning factors include a hygiene system for taking and recording the temperatures of food, practical cooking activities for the children every week and vegetable plots for staff and children to grow their own produce.
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Willow Cottage, Oxford
Judges commented that from garden to plate, food provision from the owner's allotment and the nursery garden is excellent. Resources for parents are outstanding, with recipes on the website and subject packs for parents to take home. At lunchtime, older children serve themselves. Children enjoy tasty meals with a great variety of vegetables and fruit.
FINALISTS
Blue Grass Purple Cow, Stockport, Cheshire
kidsunlimited, Watford
Criterion: Open to early years settings whose approach to, and provision of, nutritious food promotes children's health and wellbeing.
