Why is KinderRijk going to provide hot lunches at day-care centres?
The parent survey from the spring of 2016 has shown that parents and particularly non-Dutch parents have a need for hot lunches. The number of international clients at KinderRijk is on the rise.
Parents prefer a healthy selection and the same food for all children.
We are providing hot meals at day-care centre Wimbledonpark and day-care centre Binnengasthuisstraat on a daily basis and the parents and educational staff share the same positive experience.
KinderRijk has made a deliberate choice for providing hot meals at its locations. It fits in with our food policy (teaching children to eat a varied selection of healthy food and getting them interested in this while their motor skills are being developed as well). All the children eat the same food. The intention is to relieve the parents. In the evening, you no longer need to put much time and effort in cooking for your child as the children have already had their portion of vitamins and vegetables.
When will KinderRijk start with this?
2nd January 2017
How often will KinderRijk be offering this?
“Lekker en Vers” will be providing a hot organic, vegetarian meal three days a week.
The meals will be provided on alternating days. The location managers will draw up a planning in consultation with the host. A cold meal will still be provided on the two remaining days as usual.
Who will be preparing these meals?
Lekker en Vers will prepare the meals.
The meals will be heated in a convection oven at the day-care centre.
Will much use be made of spices and salt?
No, Lekker en Vers prepares meals with mild spices and the smallest amount of salt possible. The meals are of course really tasty. All meals meet the standards for salt content laid down by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre.
From what age is a hot lunch provided by KinderRijk?
In consultation with the parents, we will provide hot lunches from the moment a child is able to eat food that is more solid. Usually this is from around the age of eight months.
Will the educational staff also have hot lunches?
The hot lunches are intended for the children. The educational staff will only have a bite to eat for educational purposes so as to encourage the children.
What to do if my child doesn’t want to eat hot lunches?
Children will need to get used to this. When they see other children eat hot lunches they will tend to do so as well (usually). We offer a supplement to each meal, such as raw vegetables, salads, soup, couscous and possibly an additional snack in the afternoon to make sure your child always receives sufficient vitamins and vegetables. The educational staff will help your child with this.
Our experience has been very good so far.
Do parents have a choice?
No, we offer each time one type of hot meal, which is organic, vegetarian and contains no flavour enhancers to make it suited for each and every child. Lekker en Vers will provide a varied selection of food. All the children will be having the same meal. A menu for the upcoming period will be available at the day-care centre.
We only make exceptions for children with food allergies.
My child is at the day-care centre on fixed days, will my child always be having the same meals?
No, this will not be the case. KinderRijk makes a selection from an extensive menu which changes four times a year. This means that your child will be having a different tasty meal every day.
How will a hot meal twice a day affect my child?
Hot meals at the day-care centre or at school are part of school life for many children in Europe. They have a sandwich in the evening or another hot meal. Two hot meals a day does not have to be a problem. Children must receive the averagely required amount of nutrients every day. It’s vital for them to eat enough vegetables. This can more easily be achieved in two hot meals. Hot meals limit the scope for sweets, cakes and other snacks.
What if I prefer hot meals on every day?
KinderRijk has now opted for providing hot meals on three alternating days per week. We provide a cold meal with a supplement as usual on the remaining days.
Will I be charged for this?
This is included in the hourly rate for 2017