Health nutrition facts and information

Healthy eating is for the whole family and essential for growing children. The foods and eating patterns enjoyed at an early age will affect your children's eating habits for the rest of their life; being brought up to 'finish your plate' can lead to overeating; desserts after each meal can develop a sweet tooth – it's important to make family meals an enjoyable, healthy and nutritious occasion.

Healthy eating for the family

Finding the time to create tasty, nutritious meals for the family can be challenging, but healthy meals can be quick and easy too! Try these options for better family nutrition.

1. Getting the family up just 20 minutes earlier provides the time for a nutritious breakfast - essential for a healthy start to the day.
2. Sitting down as a family provides time to catch up and also helps everyone to focus on and enjoy the meal. Research has shown that eating in front of the television can cause overeating, as you eat faster and ignore 'I'm full!' signals.
3. Serve smaller portions - this will help to prevent overeating, and a second helping is always an option!

Top Tips for family-friendly food!

Have water on the table at meal times.
This encourages everyone to drink more water and slows down fast eating.

Variety is the spice of life.
Eating a wide range of foods from a young age provides the necessary nutrients for good health and also helps to reduce the likelihood of a child developing allergies.

Five servings a day.
Make sure everyone is getting their five servings of fruit and vegetables daily. A glass of fresh juice, fruit snacks and vegetables with dinner easily achieves this.

Healthy mix and match.
For every spoonful of sugary cereals, a spoonful of healthier muesli, oats or bran flakes should be added to the breakfast bowl.

Low down on sugar.
Swap cordials for fresh juice with no added sugar or sweeteners. These can still be mixed with water. Use sparkling water for a bit of fizz!

What you should focus on eating

Try some of the following suggestions for a healthy diet that will benefit the whole family. These are all quick, easy and nutritious!

• Porridge made with semi-skimmed or whole milk. Add a little honey or chopped banana, and maybe some nuts or seeds
• Boiled egg with rice cake or wholemeal toast soldiers
• Fruit salad mix topped with bio yoghurt and a sprinkle of nuts or seeds

• Fruit or a chunk of cheese
• Home made healthy muffins, oatcakes or flapjacks
• Rice pudding

• Pizza with your own healthy vegetable toppings
• Tuna pasta mix or bake
• Beans on wholemeal toast

• Buckwheat pancakes with stir-fry vegetable filling
• Grilled fish or meat with mixed mash (sweet potato, carrot, parsnip and/or potato mixed with a little cheese), and peas
• Homemade burgers or fishcakes (with added vegetables) and baked beans

• Milk - dairy, rice milk or soya milk
• Dilute fresh juice rather than cordial with still or sparkling water
• Fruit smoothies

Healthy recipe

Fruity Oatcakes
100g butter or olive oil margarine
50g date or apricot purée
100g whole wheat flour
100g porridge oats

1. Preheat oven to 180º C / gas mark 4.
2. Cream butter or margarine and fruit purée together until light. Add the flour and oats and mix to a stiff dough.
3. Roll out the dough and cut into 12 small cakes.
4. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.