LincolnshireCOUNTY COUNCIL

Nippers' Nutrition was a study of the nutritional

content of meals provided to children at 10 day care nurseries and a project to change the food offered to

their charges in East Sussex.

The nurseries that took part covered a mixture of

geographical and socioeconomic

backgrounds, with some providing their own meals and some buying-in their

meals from other suppliers.

Current Situation • 1.5 million registered

childcare places in the UK

• The child care providers influence

• 1 in 4 will start schooloverweight or obese

What is healthy eating for the under 5s?• What we found v the other reports

• Specific nutritional requirements

• The Eatwell Plate?

• Parents creating social exclusion

• Application

Multi-agency working:

The wayforward

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Children 1st Nursery (Grantham) Full Day Care Menu Analysis for 1 week (as recipe states)

Pilgrim Hospital Nursery (Boston)Full Day Care Menu Analysis for 1 week (as recipe states)

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Puddleduck’s Nursery (Spalding) Full Day Care Menu Analysis for 1 week (as recipe states)

Puddleduck’s Nursery (Spalding)Full Day Care Menu Analysis for 1 week (with sampling weights)

Achieving a balanced diet for children aged 1-5 years• Variation• Fruit and Vegetables-offer variety and small ‘tastes’• Minimal amounts of salt:1-3 years 2g /4-6 years 3g

maximum per day• Adequate amount of fat• Adequate amount of fibre – not too much• Not too much sugar• Protein• Starchy carbohydrates• Minerals – Iron, Zinc, Calcium• Vitamins A, D, C• Keep well hydrated• Consider Allergies• Adult health messages are not the same for this age group

Practical Steps to take• Don’t add salt to food• Make dishes from scratch using fresh ingredients where possible• Avoid/ limit foods that are high in salt• Check food labels• Don’t offer food as a reward• Adopt a positive approach to healthy eating• Don’t force children to eat• Don’t deny them food- they are growing!• Encourage them to try foods more than once• Serve food little and often

More information can be found at:• Soil Association – Better Nursery Food campaign

www.soilassociation.org• Caroline Walker Trust www.cwt.org.uk• Food Standards Agency www.eatwell.gov.uk

Where do we go from here? • Guidance for all Nursery

settings

• Parental information booklet

• Conference

LincolnshireCOUNTY COUNCIL