Early years training in children's food needs to extend far beyond basic food hygiene courses to incorporate a wide range of subjects, from child nutrition and weaning to dealing with food allergies and managing mealtimes, say nursery managers committed to delivering high-quality food for under-fives.
What settings need to aim for, says Jane Harrison, director of Red Hen Day Nursery in Lincolnshire, Nursery World's Nursery of the Year 2013, is for children's diet and well-being to become 'part of the culture of the setting and daily practice'.
Much can be achieved through in-house training, she adds. 'Nutrition is a very complex subject. However, basic knowledge can be disseminated to both staff and children during cooking activities and mealtimes. More depth of information can be shared by the chef or cook. Extra information about food and nutrition should always be easily accessible in the staffroom and via meetings.'
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