Responding to the publication today of recommendations by a Government-commissioned panel for voluntary food and nutrition guidance for early years settings in England, Charlie Powell, Director of the Children’s Food Campaign said:
“While we welcome the substance of the recommendations from the Advisory Panel on Food and Nutrition in Early Years, we already know - from years of experience - that more voluntary guidance is almost certain to be largely ignored.”
“Guidance by definition is not enforced - nurseries can ignore it and continue to serve unhealthy and unsustainable food to the children in their care. This was the case in most schools, before legally binding standards were introduced.”
“Children in nurseries have a right to food which protects and promotes their health, and also protects the environment that they will grow up in. This will only happen if government introduces standards which are both mandatory and enforced.“
The Children’s food Campaign is supporting the Soil Association’s Better Nursery Food campaign, which is calling for legal standards for nursery food.
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For further information, please contact Charlie Powell on 0203 5596 777 or 07817 746786, or at charlie@sustainweb.org.
Notes to editors:
1) The Children's Food Campaign wants to improve children's health and well-being through better food - and food teaching - in schools, and protecting children from junk food marketing. We are supported by over 150 national organisations. The Children's Food Campaign is coordinated by Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming and funded by the British Heart Foundation. For more information, see http://www.childrensfoodcampaign.org.uk/
2) ‘Laying the Table’, Recommendations for National Food and Nutrition Guidance for Early Years Settings in England, is available at: http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/research/advisory-panel-on-food-and-nutrition-in-early-years
Children's Food Campaign: Campaigning for policy changes so that all children can easily eat sustainable and healthy food.
