healthy approach to food. Katy Morton met him at a cookery demonstration
event to talk early years nutrition.
Is it better to give fruit or vegetables to children?
There is a broader array of nutrients in vegetables. Spinach has seven times more vitamin C than an orange.
Vegetables, proteins and fats are the real key building blocks of human nutrition. I recommend good-quality carbohydrates like squash, root vegetables, green vegetables and oily fish.
By reducing a child's intake of fruit they won't miss anything, but if that is the only healthy option that is available, it is better than giving them things like cereal bars.
There are mixed views on giving children dried fruit as a snack because of its sugar content...
Sugar is more damaging to health than any other aspect of our diet. If you give children fruit, I would recommend whole fruit or fresh smoothies as they have a high-fibre content that slows down the release of the natural sugar. This prevents soaring and crashing blood sugar levels.
The problem with dried fruit is that there is less moisture so the sugar is much more concentrated. The blue-sky picture is getting more vegetables into children, but that is easier said than done. Overall, I agree with reducing the sugar content of diets.
How can early years settings increase children's intake of vitamin D through their diet?
The key is to be creative in how they get fresh produce into dishes, whether that be making smoothies with fresh fruit, or disguising vegetables in pasta.
There are certain foods that are rich in vitamin D, such as mushrooms and eggs, some of which now contain Omega 3 fatty acids that are essential for development, but settings shouldn't become too concerned about the specific amount of vitamin D that children are consuming.
Rather than focusing on what to take out of dishes to make them healthier, early years settings should concentrate on adding ingredients to make meals more nutritious.
Only voluntary, rather than mandatory, food and drink guidelines exist for early years settings. Should there be specific guidelines that nurseries have to follow, as schools do?
I think that all of it needs a facelift. The food that they serve in a lot of schools is so far removed from a healthy diet anyway.
There absolutely does need to be stronger guidelines for early years settings. Government support is also needed in terms of making healthy ingredients more accessible.
Children need foods that contain iron, vitamin D and Omega 3 fatty acids, as these are pivotal to the development of the growing child. Not having enough of these nutrients could be disastrous and set the stage for major health epidemics in the future. I know that sounds a little bit over the top and like scaremongering, but it is that big a deal.
Omega 3 fatty acids are vital for the development and growth of the child's central nervous system, which has a direct bearing on cognitive development.
There is a huge price to pay for having a bad diet, but it can be so easily addressed through affordability, education and pleasure - food is one of life's biggest joys.
The event was organised by Cow & Gate. For more information on Dale Pinnock, visit www.dalepinnock.com
RECIPE
Red lentil and coconut dal
Dale Pinnock says...
This is such a doddle to make and an absolute delight to eat. If you are a fan of both Indian and Thai cuisine, then this fusion dish is set to be a winner.
Ingredients
- 100g of red lentils
- 200ml of coconut milk
- 400ml of vegetable stock
- 1 large red onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 fresh green chilli, finely chopped
- 2 fresh lemon grass stalks, bruised
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Start by bashing the lemon grass. Use the butt of a large knife or something with plenty of weight behind it. This will split and bruise the stalk and allow the wonderful fresh oils to leach out of the lemon grass into the dish.
- Saute the onion, garlic, chilli and lemon grass in a little olive oil with a pinch of salt, until the onion has softened.
- Add in the lentils and the coconut milk, and allow to simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- Start adding the vegetable stock little by little. Keep doing this until the lentils have softened and partially broken down, which usually takes about 20-25 minutes.
