It is especially significant when we consider that the majority of a child’s daily nutritional intake is had in a childcare setting and that many parents and children (especially from low-income households) rely on nursery meals as one of the main daily sources of nutrition and sustenance throughout the week.
Hitting the nutritional mark is crucial for obvious reasons, but also to ensure that a child’s energy and concentration levels are maximised throughout the day – to stave off those dreaded meltdowns!
Beyond the nutritional significance of the nursery menu, I’ve always considered school lunches and meals to be an opportunity to get fussy eaters to try something new as they are much more likely to eat something if their friends are tucking in! Introducing a variety of foods at nursery offers the opportunity for food exploration, and adventurous, independent eating away from the gaze of their parents.
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