PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that Kids Come First Child Care Services ensures that all food provided to children attending the program follows the guidelines under the Health Protection and Promotion Act and takes into account any allergies that are known to the program.
POLICY
In accordance with the Health Protection and Promotion Act, Kids Come First Child Care Services will ensure that all food that is served to the children while in the program are baked or cooked at the Centre and/or must be purchased from an approved source. Kid Come First staff will also ensure that all food brought into the program must take into account any food allergies of children and staff attending the program.
An “approved source” is a food premise that is government inspected. For this reason foods, which are prepared at the homes of parents and staff, will not to be served to the children. An exception is made for parents providing food for their own child. This food must be labelled with the child’s name.
If parents/staff wish to provide food for special functions such as birthdays, holiday parties etc., it is required that the food come from an approved source and is recommended to be non-hazardous. A hazardous food is one, which is capable of supporting the growth of harmful organisms [e.g. cream filled cake].
A log will be kept at the Centre to record any food that this brought in by parents/staff from an approved source. This log will document the type of food brought in, where the food was purchased, who brought the food in and when it was brought in.
ALLERGIES
Due to policies from our host Public Schools and the many allergies of the children in our programs, Kids Come First Child Care Services programs are Nut-Free. No products that contain peanuts, nuts of any kind or any nut by-products will be served to children at Kids Come First.
Any products or items that contain the label “may contain traces of nuts” are not to be brought into the school. This includes items such as Timbits, donuts or cookies from donut shops or bakeries that cannot guarantee that their products are nut-free.
In addition, we will let families know of any additional allergens that will need to be avoided in the program such as sesame, eggs, fish etc.