Early Years Education Food Standards Act 1999

Question: Describe about the Early Years Education for Food Standards Act 1999. Answer: Explanation of healthy eating The term healthy eating means those foods that provide enough nutrients so that good health and energy can be maintained. Guenther et al. (2013) also defines that healthy eating can be maintained by eating right types of food, recommended amount of food and in a hygienic manner so that body will be beneficiated. All the food must have to be satisfying The Food Standards Act 1999 (Food.gov.uk 2016). Healthy eating for children in their early years according to EYFS According to the Early Years Foundation Stage(EYFS), it is important to provide balanced and nutritious food that helps them for their intellectual and physical development (Gov.uk 2014). This is a statutory framework to deliver quality early education on healthy food. This organization emphasizes more on the children of age five or less. Children should eat wide variety of food for getting sufficient calories, protein, vitamins and minerals that is required for their physical development. Premium quality of the food must have to be provided especially dairy provided to get calcium, vitamin A and B12 Their menu must have to be planned according to their growth needs, so their development can be evaluated from their growing age Children should also know the importance of the good and healthy food and food hygiene for their heath. Positive and welcoming eating environment so that children will feel encouraged to eat and know good eating habits Provision of Safer Food Better Business packets to children to maintain a standard in their meal Current national and local initiatives, which promote healthy eating UK government takes initiatives for promoting various Television Advertisements regarding healthier eating habits. These Government programs include National Child Measurement Programme and public awareness campaigns like Be Food Smart campaign that is associated with the function of offering better health services for children (Gov.uk 2013). Moreover, food should be provided by registered organization like Ofsted or the childminder agency for any kind of food poisoning and adversities. Mandatory food and drinks- Cereals, bread and carbohydrates like potatoes. Moreover, they should also consume green vegetables and fresh fruits. In addition to that, milk, cheese and yogurt so that the immune system can be well performed. Protein ingredients like meat, fish and alternatives like poultry eggs are also recommended for better health. Local initiatives like online campaigns and fan pages likeChange4Life where healthy recipes are provided by other people that include stir fry recipes that are not only ideal for daily menus, but they also consume less harmful ingredients like oil and sugar. More amounts of sugary foods and fats and oils must be avoided as these food results in adverse result like obesity and tooth decay, which may diminishes their appropriate health growth. Thus, these foods must have to be avoided. Moreover, individual initiatives as Jamie Olivers Kitchen Garden Project is liable for empowering primary school teachersfor good health of school children and they already have an online community of over 580 primary schools (Kitchen Garden Project 2016). Some other local initiatives associated with similar objective are Countryside Classroom, Childrens Food Trust and Food For Life. Fulfillment of the delivery requirements Criteria maintained National Child Measurement Program Be Food Smart campaign Change4Life Jamie Olivers Kitchen Garden Project Promotion of healthy food habits This organization is liable for promoting good health among family members so that more children can know about the good food habits They offer nutrition education actions to influence consumer awareness and attitudes for healthy eating Based on real life experience, several mother and nutritionists post their experience for good food habits This project empowers every local school to grow fresh cereals and promote the knowledge and confidence to cook for positive eating habits. Offering knowledge on good food menu They provide knowledge of good food menu Education in specific settings, Public Awareness and Skills Training, knowledge on diabetes Aware people for good food menu and taken the initiative like TV advertising break during Coronation Street Offers knowledge on the good food menu and serves an area of high deprivation. Emphasizes more on developing generation Focus more on the growing generation from 0-5years All age group Emphasize on children and every age group Focused on primary school children Table 1: Delivery Requirements of the national and local initiative for promoting food habits (Source: Created by Author) Directory of healthy eating programs and initiatives Healthy eating support centres Telephone Numbers Email/Website Addresses Jamie Olivers Kitchen Garden Project 0117 314 5180 https://www.jamieskitchengarden.org/ Not Available Childrens Food Trust 0114 2996901 https://www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk/ The Childrens Food Trust, 3rd Floor, 1 East Parade, Sheffield S1 2ET Countryside Classroom 0845 838 7192 https://www.countrysideclassroom.org.uk/ Countryside Classroom, Arthur Rank Centre Stoneleigh Park Warwickshire, CV8 2LG Food For Life 0117 314 5180 https://www.foodforlife.org.uk/ ffl@foodforlife.org.uk Food for Life c/o Soil Association South Plaza Marlborough Street Bristol BS1 3NX Table 2: Directory of healthy eating programs and initiatives (Source: Created by Author) Reference List Food.gov.uk. (2016).Regulation and legislation | Food Standards Agency. [online] Available at: https://www.food.gov.uk/enforcement/regulation [Accessed 2 Nov. 2016]. Gov.uk., 2013.Be Food Smart campaign launches - News stories - GOV.UK. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/be-food-smart-campaign-launches [Accessed 17 Oct. 2016]. Gov.uk., 2014.Early years (under 5s) foundation stage framework (EYFS) - Publications - GOV.UK. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2 [Accessed 17 Oct. 2016]. Guenther, P.M., Casavale, K.O., Reedy, J., Kirkpatrick, S.I., Hiza, H.A., Kuczynski, K.J., Kahle, L.L. and Krebs-Smith, S.M., 2013. Update of the healthy eating index: HEI-2010.Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics,113(4), pp.569-580. Kitchen Garden Project., 2016.The Kitchen Garden Project | Teaching Children About Food. [online] Available at: https://www.jamieskitchengarden.org/ [Accessed 17 Oct. 2016].