Just as families are finding that the cost-of-living crisis is impacting their ability to make healthy food choices, nurseries equally are feeling the pinch.
As a result, the interest in organic food, for example, has declined somewhat and many nurseries are turning to tinned and frozen options to keep prices down. The advice is that frozen vegetables and tinned oily fish such as sardines, are good alternatives to fresh fruit, vegetables and fish (and meat), which has gone up in price considerably in recent months.
Less expensive produce can in fact be better, when the right choices are made, and in the face of today’s budgetary restraints, food education and preparation skills are increasingly becoming a priority.
Dr Xanthi Maragkoudaki, a lecturer in public health and nutrition at the University of Westminster, who works in collaboration with the Early Years Alliance through its Nutrition Support programme, corroborates this view. Her mission is to enable settings to set the nutritional bar high in the current economic climate.
Xanthi explains, ‘The programme, which started five years ago, supports early years settings both virtually and face to face, with the aim of providing support in enhancing nutritional practice across a wide range of criteria.’
While the programme uses an assessment process to award a Quality Mark reflecting the commitment of the individual setting in delivering the right foods and experiences to support health and wellbeing for children in their care, the first priority is to start with key dietary support, to get as many nurseries on board as possible.
‘This involves, for example, looking at children getting one portion of oily fish a week, one portion of red meat, or alternative sources of protein for vegetarians/vegans such as legumes or dark leafy vegetables with vitamin C on the side to help with the absorption of iron, and non-meat days for everyone,’ she says. ‘It’s also a good idea for all children to have a weekly supplement of vitamin D – especially with the lack of sunshine we’ve seen so far this year – so this could be an important point for nurseries to raise with parents.’
Parent collaboration is also a big part of its approach, encouraging nurseries to take on board the need to share information with family members. ‘At the same time, we are very keen on co-creation with nurseries and parents and emphasise the importance of not taking a condescending attitude towards parents who may, for example, be providing a lot of processed food and sweets for children’s meals,’ Xanthi says.
MOVING TO PLANT-BASED
At Portland Nurseries, parents have been supportive of the move to include a wide variety of plant-based meals in their menus.
Managing director Anastasia Murphy explains that although the nursery is not 100 per cent plant-based, it does offer a variety of plant-based meals throughout its seasonal, three-week rotational menu.
‘We made the decision to remove red and processed meat from our menus many years ago,’ she says. ‘This decision was made following information from the World Health Organization about the high saturated fat content of red meat and the associated health implications, and the environmental impact from the cattle industry. Our further move towards a plant-based menu aligns with our core Eco School values and our Food for Life Award, offering a healthy, low-carbon-footprint menu.’
She says that dairy, such as Greek yogurt, is sometimes featured in its menus alongside fruit as a dessert option, and cow’s milk is still served at snack time with the option of a plant-based alternative.
‘We also serve oily fish, as it contains important minerals like selenium, iodine and zinc, vitamin A and D, and essential fats/omegas important for brain development. However, we are conscious of the heavy-metal build-up in sea food, so we limit this to once a week.’
With all its new menus, the nursery welcomes feedback from parents and staff and cooks to monitor how well children eat at each meal, and if any waste was sent back to the kitchen.
‘We collate the data from all six sites across different age groups and make amendments if a particular meal is unpopular with all children,’ Anastasia says.
‘If children refuse food regularly, this is something we take very seriously and monitor closely. We do not feel comfortable sending any child home hungry. If children refuse a meal, they are gently encouraged to try it and offered an alternative when necessary. Alternatives such as vegetable soups and sandwiches are offered to children if a child refuses all of the meal in its entirety.
‘If they try parts of the meal, but do not eat everything, a decision is made by the staff team (in consultation with the child if appropriate) whether there is a need to offer an alternative, or whether the child will be OK until the next snack time/home time. We avoid offering alternatives at every meal to ensure children try the meals first and do not rely on a different offering.’
Portland Nurseries tries to reduce its impact on the environment as much as possible and believes one of the best ways it can do this is by not offering meat.
‘Good-quality, healthy, plant-based food doesn’t have to be expensive, and we use a variety of beans, pulses, lentils and wholemeal options throughout our dishes, which as well as being good for the planet, allow children to experience a wide variety of tastes,’ says Anastasia. The nursery group says all its menus, vegan and non-vegan, hold the Early Start Nutrition Stamp of Approval. Scientific research recommends three portions of legumes, such as beans, lentils, peas and chickpeas a day.
Anastasia adds, ‘Alongside our cooks, we have worked passionately to show that we meet all the criteria for both the Eco Schools Award and the Soil Association’s Food for Life Award – each nursery has to produce a portfolio of evidence and complete online assessments, as well as being visited, questioned and observed by an independent assessor. Healthy eating is a huge focus, especially as the UK faces such a worrying child obesity crisis.
‘We also provide weekly “breakfast and snack on the go” for families, so parents get to sample our menu too!’
INVOLVING CHILDREN IN HEALTHY CHOICES
Grass Roots Private Day Nursery, West Yorkshire has a clear strategy to ensure that healthy eating begins with the child and good eating habits. Children are involved in their mealtimes with both food preparation and learning about the origins of the ingredients in their meals.
Lucy Leadbeater, nursery manager at Grass Roots, says, ‘Our menus are organised to follow a three weekly rota, which changes each season, using nutritional guidance to ensure children are getting a balanced diet. We also source regular feedback from children, families and our team regarding our meals to ensure these are enjoyed by all.’
Since 2021, the nursery has been supported by Vitamin Angels. Lucy says, ‘They provide us with fruit, vegetables and protein for each child in both our settings on a weekly basis. We have a choice of ingredients chosen from a set list, and this helps us with pre-planning, ensures we can meet the nutritional needs of each child and helps with increasing costs.’
The nursery tops up on what it receives from Vitamin Angels from its local greengrocer. ‘We also buy an abundance of dried goods, such as flour, pasta, rice, herbs and spices due to us making our dishes from fresh in- house, and also have a nursery allotment which we use for produce, where we grow fruits and vegetables, such as sweetcorn, carrots, green beans and courgettes, and have fresh berries and fruit trees too; and our children also have a gardening club.’
Although all its meals are cooked in the kitchen, children do have the opportunity to prepare meals with the catering team, exploring food ingredients and learning about nutrition.
Lucy adds, ‘We have equipment, such as safety knives and chopping boards, so a group of children can work together, offering peer support. We currently have a practitioner taking Forest School training and, once qualified, we are looking to do some outdoor cooking with the children too!
‘Some of the meals and snacks children have helped make include making pizza and breads, incorporating mixing, weighing, sharing tools and ingredients, and learning new words, to name but a few. Also, one of our catering team brought some mackerel in for our children to help prepare, and through our supplier’s “traceability” we have been able to educate children about where the fish came from and how it got to us. This has really helped with children’s exploration of new foods and trying meals they would usually say no to.’
FOOD AS EDUCATION
Exploration of new foods and an understanding of its benefits and where it comes from is a key approach at Woodlands Day Nursery in Altrincham, Cheshire, which is part of the multi-award-winning Elmscot nursery group.
Elmscot believes in making the most of the educational opportunities available at mealtimes, and Steph Green, Woodlands deputy manager, encourages making food culture a key part of its learning philosophy.
‘From planting, growing and sowing our own produce, working closely with our local greengrocer and allowing children to be actively involved in the handling and preparation of food, we feel our children are exposed to a high level of quality education around nutrition, with activities around food being prominent across the nursery environment,’ she says.
‘Our children use different cutting tools to chop fruit when making fruit kebabs, and chop and make their own salad to accompany their meals, as well as using the apples from our tree to make apple and parsnip soup.
‘Also, under high supervision, they have been involved in activities which require them to utilise the oven, grill, hob and microwave to gain further understanding around the elements involved in cooking and food preparation.
‘Our chef is not only an amazing cook, she also uses her skills to educate the children through regular cookery sessions, allowing them to help prepare snacks and meals, involving them in the process of reflecting on menus and also by collaborating with our suppliers.’
When it comes to menus, Woodlands’ cook provides vegetarian/vegan options, and as a setting it feels that having children and families on board embeds an ethos of health and nutrition. As a result of this, it has compiled a recipe book containing some of its most popular dishes for families to try making at home.
‘Thinking about our food budget, we heavily spend in our greengrocer’s to ensure children have an array of fresh fruits and vegetables to tantalise their taste buds, encourage new tastes and textures and promote healthy choices from a young age,’ says Steph. ‘We also have our allotment area, which is currently thriving with strawberries, radishes, carrots, potatoes and a mixture of herbs.’
She adds, ‘It’s fantastic to see our plants being proudly maintained by our children, and we use this experience to educate in so many ways, such as showcasing the benefits of sustainability, observing plant growth and also using our home-grown vegetables in food preparation.’
Apetito ‘value of education’
Rupert Weber, head of education at apetito, a frozen meal delivery service, says, ‘Meeting children’s nutritional requirements is becoming increasingly challenging. Despite the availability of food, food insecurity and poor access to healthy foods remains a big problem.
The rising cost of living means that foods that can feed a family for less are prioritised, but sadly these are often of poor nutritional value, high in calories, salt, saturated fat and sugar, but low in essential micronutrients required for healthy growth and development, and the increased reliance on these foods is impacting the health of children. Type 2 diabetes, a disease that previously only affected adults, is becoming increasingly prevalent as a result of obesity among children.
‘Education could have a significant impact on children’s relationship with food and likelihood of meeting their nutritional requirements. Providing a balanced meal at lunchtime doesn’t just provide nourishment but shows children what a balanced meal should look like. Teaching children about nutrition allows them to make informed choices, and lessons should be interactive and fun, providing practical advice on how healthy food is tasty too!’
MORE INFORMATION
- apetito: apetito.co.uk
- Early Years Alliance Nutrition Support programme: https://www.eyalliance.org.uk
- Vitamin Angels: vitaminangels.org.uk
- The Yum Yum Food Company: yumyumfoodcompany.co.uk
- ICare Cuisine: icarecuisine.co.uk
- The Nursery Catering Company: nurserycateringcompany.com
- Slice Of Pie: sliceofpie.org.uk
- Nursery Kitchen: nurserykitchen.co.uk
- British Nutrition Foundation: nutrition.org.uk
