Eat healthy, eat in the daycare

In the first years of life, children never learn as much as later. Countless new experiences in perception go hand in hand with constant physical development. That needs nutrients and energy. A healthy, balanced and varied catering throughout the day is therefore very important.

From the energetic breakfast to the high-quality lunch to the tasty snack, we offer the complete day service. Sure, that lust & Love is just as much a part of the game as the high quality standards: balanced and tasty, with good food, preferably seasonal and from the region.

1 How we cook and prepare

Our employees work hand in hand with the educators and respond to the children’s preferences and wishes of the daycare management. This is the only way that day-to-day catering can be optimally integrated into the overall concept of the daycare. The parents can also participate in the organization of the catering offer, especially through committees of the daycare and with their feedback.

Wherever possible, the fresh ingredients come from local producers. Because we are independent of suppliers, we can choose the best from them. Due to many years of experience, we are familiar with all kitchen systems. The majority of our clients favor our concept of the preparation kitchen directly in the daycare.

Whatever the wishes and possibilities on site, we always rely on an individual kitchen concept and gentle cooking processes. Our food does not know long journeys and idle times, even if we take care of several daycare centers for one porter using the central solution.

MenuPartner preparation kitchen –
right in the daycare

The MenuPartner preparation kitchen is based on the classic production kitchen, which can be combined with another kitchen system depending on the local conditions and the desired orientation. It is always located directly in the daycare.

Here the dishes are freshly cooked or prepared with variable proportions of fresh and (deeply) chilled food and pre-made components. In addition to the maximum flexibility and diversity, the preparation kitchen is characterized in particular by the fact that regional and seasonal cooking is easy to implement. This concept is also ideal as the center of small stand-by kitchens in several daycare centers in the vicinity.

The kitchen system should become part of the daycare concept. That is why we implement the preferred kitchen system as a single solution or as a combination of several kitchen systems, depending on requirements and circumstances.

Production kitchen → cook & serve
The production kitchen is a conventional kitchen in the daycare. Our chefs cook freshly here. This sophisticated cuisine is our first recommendation if the local conditions allow it. This concept is also ideal as the center of small stand-by kitchens in several day care centers in the vicinity.

Frozen food system → cook & Freeze
The producer processes raw ingredients into finished menu components, pre-cooks them, quick-freezes them and delivers them to the daycare center. Shortly before consumption, they are cooked by our employees in modern devices such as combi steamers. Because, for example, vegetables are usually processed within a few hours of harvesting, this is also known as frozen fresh.

Chilled food system → cook & Chill
The producer prepares the dishes, cools them down to a low temperature of 2-3 degrees Celsius and delivers them to the daycare. The food remains stable for several days until our employees prepare it shortly before consumption.

Warm delivery → cook & Hold
The dishes are cooked by the producer and delivered directly to the day care center for short transport times.

standard solution

With the standard solution, each day care center has its own preparation kitchen, in which the food is completely prepared only for this day care center. The food comes straight from the kitchen to the table. This is the ideal solution for every day care center.

Center solution

If there are several daycare centers in a community or sponsorship, a central solution can be ideal:
The daycare center with the best spatial and technical conditions plays the role of the "center kitchen". It provides the "stand-by kitchens" with a warm lunch. Breakfast, snacks, fresh side dishes such as salads and desserts are prepared in the stand-by kitchen.

Special features of the midpoint solution

Individual concept according to the conditions of the carrier
A prep kitchen provides lunch for several day care centers
The main dishes are prepared in the stand-by kitchens of the connected day care centers, but cold and fresh dishes such as breakfast, snacks and raw food are also prepared
Advantages: high quality of food with extremely short transport or downtimes, since the hot food comes directly from the neighborhood
If necessary, a vehicle will be provided by MenuPartner; Existing logistics systems of the carrier can also be included

2 What we cook and prepare

Healthy food – deliciously prepared and varied – is simply fun. Our menu plans are specially tailored to the respective age of the children, their taste and their needs. We meet the DGE quality standard for catering in day care centers for children as well as the standards of the projects based on it, such as the IN FORM project Fit Kid, according to customer requirements. The main meal and snacks can be combined according to the individual needs of the daycare center.

Complete daily service

Main breakfast with a hearty variety of bread, home-made spreads made from fresh ingredients, the fitters fruit & Vegetables, cereals & milk

Milk drink or fruit break

balanced, healthy, tasty, rich, varied, freshly prepared

Snack in the afternoon, e.g. B. vegetables, fruit, whole grain biscuit

Tea, water, juice spritzer (1: 3 mix)

The following two examples show how these components make up a complete daily meal plan: a sample plan for one day and a balanced meal plan for 4 weeks.

daily drink	Tea, water
milk drink	Cocoa milk drink 1.5%
breakfast	Crispbread, whole grain bread, avocado cream cheese, Tomato and carrot butter
snack	Carrots, kiwi, banana
Having lunch	Rice pan vegetarian with corn, broccoli, yoghurt dip
dessert	berry yoghurt
vespers	Bread and fruit skewer with cheese, cucumber and grape

3 Healthy eating with good ingredients

formative

A good meal plan lasts longer than childhood. Because smell and taste experiences shape the sensory memory and become the cornerstone of later eating habits. That is why we take care to prepare the menus carefully.

cautious

A good meal plan is good for children. That is why we have imposed some rules that ensure child-friendly nutrition. For example, we use some components with particular caution.

In the food pyramid, various foods and groups are shown in a proportion that is recommended for a healthy diet. At the base of the pyramid are shown the foods that should be consumed in large quantities, at the top the foods that should be consumed in smaller amounts.

4 How we ensure quality

About the good taste and friendly service In addition, good daycare catering is defined by numerous quality aspects of the kitchen operation. That is why our quality management system is always certified according to the current DIN EN ISO 9001 standard. The quality of the raw materials and prefabricated menu components as well as the food safety are decisive criteria when choosing our suppliers.

This also includes sustainability factors, such as careful fishing or the promotion of sustainable agricultural structures. We already have 12 of our menu kitchens for labeling
DE-ÖKO-070 get certified.

Our cooperation partners and suppliers include companies that may carry the following labels, among others:

– DIN EN ISO 9001
– MSC
– Fairtrade
– DE-ÖKO-006

Our quality management system has been certified in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9001 since 2003 and undergoes annual surveillance audits up to re-certification every three years. With a comprehensive HACCP concept, we have an efficient and strict control system anchored in daily kitchen operations – for the highest standards of food safety and hygiene. Another component of our quality management system is the monitored allergy management.

Ultimately, quality management is carried out by our employees in the daycare centers. Most of time they are located directly in the region and are trained, thoroughly trained and continuously trained as part of our internal qualification program. Know-how and commitment plus local solidarity – these are the pillars of our employees’ high level of personal responsibility for “their” menu kitchen.

By the way: We also pass on our knowledge of quality and life safety in external training.