National and local initiatives

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A range of diverse initiatives from national and local organisation are helping to promote healthy eating. Some of these initiatives are Start4life, Change4life and 5 a day campaign, eat smart play smart, cool milk, The children’s food campaign,the nursery milk scheme eat better start better programme, the schools Fruit and Vegetable Scheme, Feeding Young Imaginations. These organisations are engineering and supporting the campaign for us to eat healthy through healthy options information leaflet, taking exercises and encouraging children and parents. Start4lifeIs funded by the department of health and organised by the national health service.Start4Life is part of Change4Life, the nationwide campaign to help adults and families to eat well and move more. It also provides resources for Early Years providers on healthy eating and activity for toddlers and pre-school children.

This initiative encourages families to think about making healthy lifestyle choices. This principle has been adapted in schools as, all school lunches must now meet nutrient-based standards to ensure that they provide children with the fuel they need to lead a healthy, active lifestyle. The School Food Trust supports the NHS Change4life programme by ensuring that as many children as possible are eating healthy school food. Change4life also provides guidance and resources on the following: healthier breakfast clubs healthier tuck shops water provision healthier vending machines healthier lunchboxes dining room environment.

Eat smart, play smart

Eat Smart, Play Smart program is a fun-filled eight-week wellness program that teaches youth ages 3-19 years old about fitness, nutrition, and mental health topics. Lessons include activities and snacks that teach children how to make healthy Eat Smart, Play Smart helps children to understand the need for healthy diets and how to choose appropriately from different food groups for their meals. It encourages children to be more active in their home and school lives and to understand the benefits of being active in fun.

Cool milk

Cool Milk works in partnership with local authorities and early years groups to supply free and subsidised school milk to children in pre-schools, nurseries and primary schools. Cool Milk aims to make the access of milk easier for schools, nurseries, local authorities and parents, while promoting the important health benefits that school milk offers.

The children’s food campaign

The Children’s Food Campaign is to improve young people’s health and wellbeing through good food and real food education in every school. Clear food labelling that everyone, including children, can understand. Also, to protect children from junk food marketing The nursery milk scheme

The Nursery Milk

Scheme enables children under five to receive free of charge milk for every day they attend approved day care facilities for two hours or more. This milk is one-third of a pint.The Eat Better, Start Better programme  The Eat Better, Start Better programme is designed to complement local authority activities to support families in the foundation years with healthy food choices and cooking skills particularly focusing on less engaged families with young children. An integral part of the programme is monitoring the impact of the cooking sessions on family food habits. This programme run by The Children’s Food Trust aims to help early years providers meet children’s nutritional needs more consistently. It aims to help families with young children develop the cooking skills and confidence they require to cook and eat more healthily. The Schools Fruit and Vegetable SchemeFruit and vegetables are important as part of a balanced healthy diet. It is recommended that eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day. Children aged between four and six who attend a fully state-funded infant, primary or special school are entitled to receive a free piece of fruit or vegetable each school day.

Feeding Young ImaginationsFeeding Young Imaginations seeks to ensure that all children get a healthy start in life. They Work in partnership with the British Nutrition Foundation, to help parents and pre-school settings with practical guidance and development of food and nutrition, diet and nutrition. As well as to engage children in healthy lifestyles early in life.