Healthy eating

Eating a balanced diet plays an important part in maintaining good health.

Mealtimes are an opportunity for children to learn healthy eating habits and mealtime skills, as well as a time to enjoy each other’s company and learn social skills.
If you are pregnant, or planning a pregnancy, eating a healthy nutritious diet is especially important. The NHS Start4Life website has plenty of useful tips and advice about foods to include and avoid during pregnancy. If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk as part of the Healthy Start Scheme.

Top tips to develop and maintain healthy eating habits

• Offer your child a balanced diet.
• Children’s appetites vary depending on a number of factors including age and how active they have been throughout the day. Give them appropriately sized portions, start small and if they want more, offer it to them.
• Accept that young children will make a mess at mealtimes, so set age appropriate meal time behaviours.
• Milk and water are the best drinks to offer your child. Avoid sugary drinks where you can.
• Try to eat together as a family without distractions such as TV or toys.
• Don’t add salt to your child’s food.Try replacing salt with pepper, herbs and spices to add flavour to your favourite dishes.
• Avoid foods with added sugar.
• Have perseverance, new foods may need to be offered multiple times. Praise children for trying new foods.
• Avoid using foods as a reward/punishment.
• Praise children for trying new foods.
• Give drinks with meals not before.
• Make meal times fun – prepare meals together, don’t just focus on the food – talk, laugh and chat, use brightly coloured plates/cutlery, incorporate interesting colours and textures at mealtimes.