Tops Day Nurseries, one of the UK’s leading eco-sustainable childcare providers have shown their support for UK Malnutrition Awareness Week by engaging the children in educational activities regarding health and nutrition.
The children at Tops in Poole had lots of fun making their own vegetarian pizzas whilst discussing the importance of healthy eating and where our food comes from.
The children at Tops in Efford, Plymouth have spent time making their own fruit kebabs and chopping the fruit themselves! They have also baked a scrummy apple and blackcurrant pie!
Malnutrition Awareness Week aims to raise awareness and understanding about the risks of preventable malnutrition.
Research confirms that healthy eating habits in the early years influences growth, development and academic achievement in later life. This is one of the reasons that Tops Day Nurseries took steps to radically redesign a balanced menu 5 years ago in which they completely cut added sugar from their menus, followed by over-processed food, such as ham and nuggets.
A healthy, balanced diet and regular physical activity are essential for children’s health and well-being. Tops Day Nurseries has in-house catering manager who oversees the catering operations and develops menus and recipes that include all of the correct nutrients that children need.
In support of health and nutrition and also the environment Tops have recently introduced vegan and vegetarian meals to their menus on a weekly basis.
Cheryl Hadland, Managing Director of Tops Day Nurseries, says “Going vegetarian, is the next natural step for day nurseries committed to providing the best long term outcomes for children. There is no doubt that humans reducing their meat and fish consumption is the best thing for the planet, and therefore for children’s long term future. I think we all want our children to be able to look forward to a world where climate change and extinction of species has been controlled and this is something we can do to help.
The vast majority of children love to eat what the other children eat, so nursery is the perfect opportunity to introduce a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to children’s diet in a fun and social way”.
The children at Tops in Gillingham have been looking at lots of healthy and unhealthy foods through the use of old-time favourite book ‘The Hungry Caterpillar’. The 2 to 3 year olds at Gillingham enjoyed posting the healthy goods into the hungry caterpillar’s mouth!
The children at Tops in Southsea, Portsmouth enjoyed digging up their potatoes that they have been growing, washing them and making potato salad! As well as making a yummy home-made yoghurt that they polished off at snack time!
Tops is Salisbury spoke to their children about good and bad foods, and asked them what would happen if they ate too much bad food, one of the children’s responses were “our teeth will fall out!” The pre-schoolers enjoyed using their interactive table to explore a game all about healthy eating!
Tops Day Nurseries make a conscious effort all year round to teach their children the benefits of the right nutrition. They launched their ‘Tops Cooking School’ in 2014 as an extra-curricular activity for their children. These weekly workshops see children get involved in the entire cooking process, and encourage skills of independence, as well as the children being able to learn where food comes from and how good the right food can be for our bodies.
The B. Corp Certified, Tops Day Nurseries, is one of the most sustainable day nurseries in the UK, offering flexible education and childcare for children aged 3 months to 5 years, and out of school clubs for up to 11 years with Hi 5’s clubs across Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Somerset and Devon.