New food allergens requirements

[Lucylouby]

We have been told that childminders need to be recording all the food we give to the children in our care and recording any possible allergens the food contains as the EU has bought in new directions to say we must do this.

How are other childminders recording this information? I was going to cut labels of food packets and stick them in a book, but that doesn't cover all the home made stuff I cook, is it enough to write a list of ingredients for each dish in a little book and keep that? Eg, shepherds pie, onion, mince, oxo cube, water, potatoes, milk and butter? Would that be sufficient? Do I need to write a list of what the children are eating each day, or is a general list ok?
Does anyone know if anyone official is ever going to want to see this book? None of the children I look after have any allergies, obviously if they did, I would be far further ahead with this legislation.

You can put up a sign like the sandwich places have yelling parents to ask if they want to know about allergens in food. Some minders in my area have made a list of meals they regularly cook and the allergens in them. I have always listed food for the day and will tell anyone who asks about allergens in them. Obviously when I have my gluten free or dairy free children here, I accommodate that.

Telling not yelling

You don't need to be writing down all ingredients.
You already cover allergens advice when you sign up a new parent you ask if their child has any allergies. that's all you need to do. the new law is that you must be able to tell a parent if food contains any of the 14 allergens IF THEY ASK.
So, no need for lists of food etc. There's a lot of misinformation about this new allergens law. really , you need to do FA.

Agreed adsy. I haven't changed anything. I did give the parents an information note though.

www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/caterers/startingup/childminders

As a childminder, it is your responsibility to ensure that you have allergen information to provide for the food you serve and that this is accurate, consistent and verifiable. Remember to check the ingredients list of foods you use to make sure allergen information is correct, to avoid triggering an allergic reaction. The provision of allergen information concerns any foods bought from a shop and non-prepacked foods including home-cooked meals. This allergen information should be easily accessible and readily available to parents, who leave or may leave children in your care, and any children in your care who can make their own informed food choices.

Of course - Readily available can be in verbal form.