In the news today....

[Blaze]

http://latestnews.virginmedia.com/ne..._diet_guidance

&

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20110304...e-d831572.html

...discuss!

...I do know that sarah does an ebook on healthy eating!

PS GRRRR\ to the mail's wording!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ice-fives.html

[kindredspirits]

well in my setting the parents provide lunch, and whilst i ask for it to be a healthy lunch i feel that that is where my jurisdiction ends. My 12 month old mindee has had a tin of something every day for the past week - ravioli, tuna pasta, meatballs etc. I'm sure its ridiculously high in salt but I think that is for the parents to decide what to feed their kids - not me.

[Blackcat]

I think the articale forgot to put in that a number of parents don't give a about what their kids eat and it always seemes to be someone elses fault

[sarah707]

Interesting reading!

I think it is a difficult line for us to walk between advising parents and sounding like know it alls.

However the Eyfs does say we should share our knowledge about healthy eating with parents... and that we should ensure children are fed healthily at our houses... so we are responsible for what they put in their mouths when they come to us.

If parents send inappropriate food I return it and talk to them about alternatives while also remembering that one bad meal does not make a bad diet and can be balanced through the day.

I do not want the day I am spooning crap into a child's mouth to be the day Ofsted decide to pop round

[kel1983]

My parents provide lunches. One of my parents says that she doesnt allow her child to eat chips, crisps or chocolate because she says they are too unhealthy yet she will send her to me with a tin of baked beans or spaghetti hoops which i'm sure are worse.

Its the parents in my opinion which need to be educated.

[RachelE]

One would assume that almost every childcare provider offers a wide variety of foods and a healthy eating policy.
- or I am I being niave?

Are parents going to be regulated more?

I see lots of children eating very unhealthy things and dont think the healthy eating education is kept up to date for parents.
Health Visitors offer advice at the weaning stage and then often nothing more is added until the child starts school.

Parenst need to be educated about the link between behaviour and diet. I see a family at school and the toddlers have always got a bag of crisps, bar of chocolate or a sausage roll in hand - even the smallest one. The oldest one has concentration and behaviour problems. I'm sure if the parents were advised of a healthy diet, some of these problems may be eased.

I know childcare providers are easier to target than parents, but what about the children who dont attend any childcare and fall through the net?

Its a very interesting topic!

Rachel x

[Alibali]

We already have guidance material in Scotland
It's quite useful fo r planning menus etc, but doesn't help with what the children are being fed at home. My opinion is that it is the home they need to get information to, not us.

[Ripeberry]

Toddler not even 2yrs old is regularly seen up at our school with mum, drinking RED BULL! And the mum says he is a right handfull

[Hebs]

My parents provide lunches. One of my parents says that she doesnt allow her child to eat chips, crisps or chocolate because she says they are too unhealthy yet she will send her to me with a tin of baked beans or spaghetti hoops which i'm sure are worse.

Its the parents in my opinion which need to be educated.

Baked Beans are actually VERY healthy as long as they are the reduced salt ones

[kindredspirits]

Toddler not even 2yrs old is regularly seen up at our school with mum, drinking RED BULL! And the mum says he is a right handfull

that beggers belief!

[kel1983]

Baked Beans are actually VERY healthy as long as they are the reduced salt ones

No. I did check this the other day when she had some.

[MaryMary]

I saw this on BBC Breakfast this morning.

So, reading this, am I to believe that the 1 in 4 obese children are all users of some form of childcare? And the other 3 in 4 are all at home having healthy meals with mummy? I think not!

I object to inference that it is childcare providers (childminders in particular) that is causing this problem The whole story gives the wrong impression

it was interesting, listening to the guy on TV this morning, that one of the problems is to do with portion sizes, and he was saying that small children are being given 5 adult portions of fruit/veg a day in some cases. I, for one, am confused about what makes a 'portion' of fruit/veg. All the guidelines are always adult portions, so guidance on that would be useful

[Louise B]

We do have occasional treats like a chocolate mousse or a cake, etc. I did ask my development officer if this was ok and she said it was, in moderation, and as long as the kids were having healthy food too. I've got a new mindee who doesn't like eating lunch, she ignores her sandwiches and just shouts "Want crisps", or anything else except the good food! This week her mum or dad had put a tub of food in her bag, they didn't mention it so I didn't give it to her..... it had crisps, a kitkat and a cake in it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wouldn't mind her having ONE of those things if she just ate her lunch! So I didn't use their food, and stuck to my rules of if you don't eat enough lunch, you don't get anything else. And can you imagine feeding her those things, while the other 2 sit here eating yoghurts and fruit, lol!! xx