Parents in the UK are relying on a network of people to provide their child’s meals due to the nature of our modern lifestyle.<\/p>\n
A new survey from the Infant and Toddler Forum (ITF) discovered that the average toddler has nearly 30 per cent of their meals provided by people who are not their parents.<\/p>\n
Nurseries, childminders and grandparents are some of the people feeding toddlers and concerns are being raised that children\u2019s wellbeing may be affected if the quality and amount of food being provided to them\u00a0is not consistent.<\/p>\n
Parents revealed they are also concerned that those caring for their children are not providing healthy options and food suitable for their age, with 50 per cent worried their child is given too many treats.<\/p>\n
Atul Singhal, Chair of the Infant\u00a0and Toddler Forum believes that those caring for children and taking care of their nutritional needs should approach feeding toddlers with ‘confidence’.<\/p>\n
This can be achieved\u00a0by reading through the ‘Ten Steps’, a brand new guide for parents launched by the ITF.<\/p>\n
The new guide has been produced by the ITF who have worked in partnership with healthcare professionals.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Acting Chief Executive, Pre-school Learning Alliance, Neil Leitch says: \u201cWe all need to ensure that children start to develop healthy eating habits from the earliest possible age.\u00a0 Our experience shows us that many settings do an admirable job of providing nutritious meals despite budgetary constraints, but there is room for improvement in some areas.\u00a0The Ten Steps for Healthy Toddlers is exactly the kind of practical resource that will help practitioners to get the balance right.\u201d<\/p>\n