During this course, we have looked at the many ways in which early years settings might encourage healthy eating. In this section, you need to think about whether your setting could benefit from any further information or use or develop current strategies to further promote healthy eating. To help you with this, here are some areas on which you might like to focus. 

Using current information 

Think about to what extent your setting is aware of current healthy eating guidelines and sources of information such as the Children’s Food Trust or the Caroline Walker Trust. 

Parents 

Think about how often information about children’s dietary needs and preferences is exchanged with parents. You might also like to think about how your setting helps parents to find about current guidelines for healthy eating. 

Mealtimes 

To what extent are the meals that are served to help children to eat healthily? Think about whether children have access to at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Are children encouraged to self-serve and get involved in the preparation of meals? 

Snacks 

To what extent are snacks seen as being part of children’s overall food intake? Are snacks healthy, i.e. nutrient-rich, low in salt and sugar? 

Activities 

To what extent are children involved in the preparation of food? Are cooking activities regularly planned that will help children to try out new foods?