Healthy Eating Guidelines Quiz

Healthy Eating for Pre-school Children

• Offer 3 servings of oat and soya milk per day
• Offer 2-3 servings of vegetables and fruits per day (fresh, dried, frozen, or canned)
• Offer 5 servings of bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, and noodles per day
• Drink plain water and milk (6-8 cups fluid daily, 100-150ml each)

Healthy Snacking

• Offer healthy snacks 2-3 times a day
• Include a variety of snacks, such as fruits, vegetables, and cereals
• Consider portion sizes and respect the child's appetite and satiety signals

The Gold Standard Healthy Snack Award

• Recognises and celebrates quality snack provisions in childcare settings
• Shows a commitment to children's health and encouraging good eating habits
• Based on Welsh Government's Food and Nutrition in Childcare Settings Best Practice Guidance

Portion Sizes and Regulation

• Most healthy young children can regulate their own energy intake if allowed to
• Growth hormones and gut function influence appetite
• Larger portions can lead to higher food and energy intake

Encouraging Healthy Eating Habits

• Offer new foods in a separate bowl or alongside familiar foods
• Repeated visual exposure is important for food acceptance
• Eating with others can reduce anxiety associated with new foods (social facilitation)
• Exposure to foods outside mealtimes, such as cooking and food shopping, can be beneficial

Avoid Pressure to Eat

• Pressure, coaxing, emotional blackmail, bribery, and punishments can lead to negative associations with food and avoidance
• Respect the child's appetite and satiety signals, and avoid force-feeding

Importance of Nutrition in Pre-school Children

• Attitudes towards food start to develop during childhood, influencing eating habits and health
• Poor diet in infancy can track into toddlerhood and later childhood
• Good nutrition is required to support growth and brain development during this period