From Jamie Oliver’s fight to ban Turkey Twizzlers and improve school dinners, to pushing the five-a-day message to combat obesity, encouraging good eating habits from an early stage is crucial for tackling childhood obesity and instilling a healthy diet.
And now this focus has moved even younger — to the under-fives — with additional support and voluntary guidelines being provided by the School Food Trust to nurseries, childminders and early years’ services on healthy eating.
For the first time, a nationally-recognised information source has been produced suggesting foods that should be offered to young children including portion size, sample menus, recipes and advice on tackling fussy eaters and getting children involved in cooking.
[See also: Top 10 tips to help your kids eat healthily]
The guidelines are being supported by the National Day Nurseries Association, the National Childminding Association and the Pre-School Learning Alliance.
Children’s minister Sarah Teather said: “Healthy eating is at the heart of helping every child get the best start in life. Nurseries play a vital role in getting children from all backgrounds to develop good eating habits — but many lack the expert knowledge of what is the best food to serve.”
Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance, also added: “This code of practice will help childcare providers navigate through the maze of information about what food and drink is nutritionally appropriate and inappropriate for young children.”
More than one fifth of children are either overweight or obese by the time they start full time school.
In 2010 an independent report in this area called for clearer guidance to be given to parents and childcare providers.
Research from the report found that some carers were giving young children food that was more appropriate for older children and adults which could mean the children were getting too much salt and sugar but not getting enough energy, carbohydrate and essential minerals such as iron and zinc.
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