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Healthy eating in the early years lays the foundations for physical, cognitive and emotional wellbeing. It fuels growth, supports brain development and reduces the risk of chronic diseases. 

Ensuring food safety is a key factor in safeguarding children’s health and well-being. Here are some practical, easy to follow tips designed to help you effectively manage food safety and create a secure, hygienic environment for everyone.  

In this article, we are going to focus on specific requirements in relation to allergies and intolerances, exploring what they mean and what we can do to support an inclusive and safe environment for everyone. 

A healthy diet is essential for our bodies and our minds. This is true for all of us, but it is particularly important for ensuring the healthy growth and development of young children.

Healthy eating in the early years lays the foundations for physical, cognitive and emotional wellbeing. It fuels growth, supports brain development and reduces the risk of chronic diseases. This learning workout highlights the vital importance of working in partnership with parents and offers tips and ideas of how to get families involved in promoting health eating practices. 

Our relationship with food starts early on, and early education and care professionals play an important part in encouraging healthy habits, establishing nutritious routines and supporting children to feel confident about their eating choices. This learning workout is going to focus on how we can encourage confidence when it comes to eating at the setting and how this can be sustained through early childhood for a prosperous future where food is fun!  

Independence at mealtimes has a vast range of benefits, from developing fine motor skills to improving their focus and attention to an individual space.

A healthy diet is important for every child in their early years and beyond, but children under two years old have particular requirements that should be followed closely to ensure everyone has a healthy, safe and enjoyable experience of food!  

Let’s take a look at oral health in early education and care and consider what it means for young children in our care.

Mealtimes in an early education and care setting can often be busy for children and professionals alike. For children, it’s an exciting time of the day, exploring new tastes and filling their hungry little tummies. For professionals, it’s a time of acute observation to ensure safety and hygiene. But, for all involved, mealtimes are also a highly social situation and an opportunity to cultivate positive relationships with food, that value the benefits and enjoyment of a healthy balanced lifestyle. 

Let’s take a look at some of the ways to promote healthy eating in the home environment. These can be shared with parents and carers to support a consistently positive approach to healthy appetites for little tummies!