Food and Health Guidelines - Torfaen Family Information Service

6. Menu Planning
Using local food producers:
• May be more economical.
• Seasonal produce can be used. For more
information see Appendix 3.
• A relationship with the supplier can be
developed.
• Environmental benefits such as limiting
food miles.
• There may be an opportunity to take the
children to visit the producer or supplier.
• May have improved taste and freshness.
• If the food is organic, you know the food
will be free from pesticides.
3 week menu plan
It is recommended that a minimum of a three
week cycle is used in Early Years settings.
A suggested menu plan is shown in Table 2.
Nutrition analysis of the 3
week menu
The menus for 1-4 year olds were analysed
using the Caroline Walker Trust package.
The protein content of the menu is higher
than recommended but is in line with eating
patterns in the UK population and helps
provide sufficient iron and zinc in the diet.
The average salt requirement for a 1-4 year
old is 2.3g/day. This is based on guidance
on target average salt intakes for children
set by The Scientific Advisory Committee on
Nutrition (SACN). 33 The suggested menus
in these guidelines do not meet these salt
targets. This is as a result of many commonly
consumed foods such as bread, pitta bread,
bread sticks and foods such as cheese, meats
and fish products and tinned foods being
high in salt. Food companies have started
to reduce the salt contents of some of their
foods but there is still along way to go if we
are to achieve the salt targets set by SACN.
The UK Reference nutrient Intake (RNI) for
vitamin D for children aged 6 months to
3 years is 7 µg per day. 34 Based on current
dietary choices, achieving this is unlikely
without supplementation. (See section 3 for
more information.)
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