Menu 1 | Menu 2 | Menu 3 | Menu 4
Healthy nutrition is increasingly recognized as one of the factors affecting health and learning. As professionals in the early childhood field, La Boîte à soleil employees are responsible for teaching children the concept of good nutrition (through programming, the food offered and special culinary activities that are planned to introduce the notion of healthy eating to children) and for monitoring all food that enters the centres and is distributed to children to ensure their safety (allergies, restrictions or intolerances).
We ensure that children are well nourished by preparing balanced menus in collaboration with a local dietician. The snack and meal menus, along with any changes, are posted at the entrance to each center. A nutritious snack is served in the morning and afternoon (an after-school snack is offered to children in the program, and lunch boxes are not permitted at the center). A hot meal that follows the recommendations from “Canada’s Food Guide” is served at 11:00am.
All food brought to the center (for special occasions such as parties, graduations or special events) must come from a commercial store or distributor. Packaging must be sealed and ingredients must be indicated on the package. Candies, chips, gum and chocolate cookies should be avoided. Sweets and pastries containing nuts and peanut products are forbidden at the center because of severe allergies (Tim Hortons products are forbidden).
Food allergies
If your child has a food allergy, you must complete the “Food Allergy” form and discuss it with the supervisor. A list of children’s food allergies is posted in the kitchen and dining room to ensure that no child receives a food to which he/she is allergic.
N.B. It is very important to inform the staff of your child’s dietary restrictions. La Boîte à soleil will accommodate you to the best of his/her ability by removing unwanted foods from his/her diet and substituting them.
Examples of accommodating restrictions: pork (or other meat), eggs, milk, soy.
Examples of non-accommodating restrictions: wheat, gluten.
In the case of a non-accommodating restriction (list above or severe allergy with Epipen), parents still have the option of bringing their child’s lunch. La Boîte à soleil will continue to provide suitable snacks for this child.
Our kitchen team aims to provide healthy meals and snacks that are adapted to children’s tastes, and that change with the seasons. Based on the principles of “Canada’s Food Guide” and under the guidance of a dietitian, we strive to offer nutritious options to the children at our centers. For example, we have eliminated juices, replaced white flours (when possible) with wholemeal or oat flours, reduced sugar, salt and fats (deli meats, pastries, creams, etc.) and added vegetarian or semi-vegetarian meals.
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