Healthy eating at Excel Childcare Services

Did you know?
Children start learning about food at a very early age. The messages they receive during this time lay the foundations for the choices they make about food as they move up to school and beyond. With more than one in five children overweight or obese as they start their school reception year, it’s never been more important to help them get a healthy start in life.

What does a healthy diet for very young children look like?

• Lots of choice and balance.
• Lots of fruit and vegetables.
• Lots of starchy foods, bread, rice, potatoes, pasta.
• Contains calcium and iron‑rich foods – milk and dairy, and other sources of protein, such as meat, fish, eggs, beans.
• Regular healthy meals and snacks.
• Low salt and added sugar.

At Excel we pride ourselves on the menu and food choices we have for our children, we set good examples and meal times are fun and we make sure the children are always involved e.g. helping to set the table, dish up their own lunches, make their own tea and tidy up afterwards.

We have a 5-week menu with vegetarian alternatives and before your child starts with our nursery we ask that parents tell us about any food allergies/preferences or special requirements so that we can meet the needs of your child individually. All staff are made aware of your child’s allergy or intolerance, we have a dietary requirement board up in each of our rooms.

Our menu includes something from each of the main food groups:

• Starchy foods – bread, rice, potatoes, pasta.
• Fruit and vegetables.
• Milk and dairy foods.
• Meat, fish, eggs, beans and other sources of protein.

Top tips for a healthy start

• Encourage your child to try lots of different foods.
• Unless you need to, don’t exclude particular food or drinks.
• Offer healthy alternatives to usual sugary or fatty ‘treats’.
• Make food and eating times fun social occasions, eating together with your child.
• Avoid fizzy, sugary drinks.
• Encourage your child to drink lots of water instead.
• Give whole milk to your child from one year of age until at least two years old.

Make mealtimes as fun as possible, encourage your child to get involved in the whole meal making process to get them excited about what they are about to eat. At Excel, we have found that just by involving the children and making our mealtimes more homely, that the children have a positive attitude towards food and are willing to have a go and try something new.

From the Manager

Chantel