Youngsters educated in healthy eating
A NUTRITION scheme which educates the importance of healthy eating amongst youngsters is proving to be a huge success across Gwynedd and Anglesey.
Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board’s Healthy and Sustainable Pre-school team have funded additional dietetic time to provide nutrition education and support for those who look after pre-school children to achieve the Tiny Tums best practice award.
The award demonstrates that they are achieving Welsh Assembly Government guidelines on nutrition for early years settings.
The additional dietetic capacity has increased engagement with early year settings resulting in more play-groups and those looking after pre-school children being awarded.
The scheme, which provides a course delivered by registered dietitians from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, launched during the Spring last year, and has since seen a rise in more playgroups signing up to the scheme.
The course encourages adults looking after pre-school children to provide healthy balanced menus and snacks including a range of fresh fruit and vegetables, tooth-friendly drinks and snacks low in salt and sugar.
Cheryl Thomas, who runs Meithrinfa Ser Bach in Llangefni, who received their Tiny Tums Practice certificate last year, says the course has made a huge difference to snack times at the nursery.
She said: “Since we finished the course last year we have really seen a transformation in the way meal times are carried out here at the nursery.
“We spend a lot of time with the children to educate them about what is in their food – we did use to have a few problems with fruit but now by holding some cooking lessons we can show them the different things they can do with fruit, such as making smoothies and their own fruit salads.
“It has made food a lot more interesting to them and they always look forward to their snack times as they now play a part in putting their snacks together and learning what is healthy for them.”