Mealtimes Matter CIC

Let's remind parents that there are many reasons why their child may not be eating well today that has nothing to do with the food they are given or the quality of their cooking 😊

Positive chat at mealtimes, that is not all about food, can support many of these.

🥦🍅 Eat together for stronger connection 💪🥕🥖

https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/2025/05/nurturing-nutrition-building-healthy-foundations-in-the-early-years-vodcast/

Nurturing Nutrition: Building Healthy Foundations in the Early Years Vodcast - Foundation Years This vodcast is a recording of the live event held by Foundation Years on 'Nurturing Nutrition: Building Healthy Foundations in the Early Years'. We explore how to create supportive food environments that foster positive eating habits and long-term health for children in their early years. You’ll ...

Looking forward to 4 more primary schools delivering the How to Feed a Dragon Programme next term in Staffordshire 😊

We will be running more training for early years setting In September - please do contact us for further details on how your school can sign up 🍊🍇🥕🫑

Mealtimes Matter CIC provides training and resources for early years settings to support families and children that are struggling with mealtimes 🫶

Food parcels delivered to John Bamford Primary School and Cannock Chase Family Hub for families thanks to the kind donation from Farm Fresh Revolution

Mealtimes Matter CIC strives to create positive food environments for families and improves access to affordable healthy food 🍎🥔🥕

Two more early years settings ready to start the How to Feed a Dragon Programme 😀

Welcome...

🌽 Little Monsters Day Nursery - Anslow, Burton upon Trent

🍒 The John Bamford Primary School - Rugeley

The programme will support families of children with limited diets to enjoy a wider range of foods, reduce mealtime stress and build parental confidence in how to manage food refusal at home.

So exciting to see our first schools independently rolling out our How to Feed a Dragon Programme 😊

Resource kits delivered to:

🍋Holy Trinity Primary School, Burton upon Trent
🍓Ankermoor Primary School, Tamworth
🥦Two Rivers Primary School, Tamworth

🥕Each child receives a HTFAD early years cooking kit to take home which encourages participation in food preparation at mealtimes.

The kit also includes supportive parent resources, home activity booklets and a food starter pack to support delivery of the programme.

Can't wait to hear how they all get on 😊

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002bl1w/panorama-the-truth-about-baby-food-pouches

Our food environment shapes our food choices. So good to see this being highlighted and helping to inform parents about the hidden tactics that are used by food manufacturers.

Worth a watch!!

Panorama - The Truth about Baby Food Pouches Catrin Nye reports on how some baby food in plastic pouches are worryingly low in essential vitamins and minerals, while others contain more sugar than the NHS recommends for infants.

Really great to see this new guidance for EYFS settings but what are the implications? In reality it means that settings are likley to raise meal prices due to the high cost of healthy foods, more parents will opt to send in lunch boxes and put the setting in the difficult position of policing them.

https://lnkd.in/eHkXPM5U

Our How to Feed a Dragon Programme can ease this transition and compliment this guidance in the following ways:

🍒 It offers the opportunity to communicate with parents and children about food for 8 weeks in a gentle, fun and non-judgemental way
🍋 It supports children with sensory needs to explore a wide range of foods and has been shown to increase their willingness to try new foods
🌽 It teaches self-regulation (hunger and fullness) through the story of a hungry Dragon
🥦 Parents are offered additional online workshops to support them to manage food refusal at home and has been shown to open communication between practitioners and parents
❤️ The programme has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety at mealtimes
🍽️ Encourages children to become more involved in food preparation at home using the age-appropriate HTFAD cooking kit

Plus it supports the EYFS framework...

Take a further look at our website for impact data and further information and what teachers, parents and children have to say about it!
www.mealtimesmatter.org

https://gofund.me/eb6f8f24

Donate to How to Feed a Dragon- Supporting children with limited diets, organised by Jo Kellam Hi, my name is Jo, I am a Public Health Nutritionist offering a… Jo Kellam needs your support for How to Feed a Dragon- Supporting children with limited diets

A fabulous two days training 30 EYFS Practitioners, Teachers, SendCo Leads, Family Hub Coaches and Practitioners to deliver our award winning How to Feed a Dragon Programme 😊

🫑We valued all the feedback that came through the training as we start to work together as a team to support children's eating behaviours in the community.

🍋 So excited to see this programme start to impact many more families across Staffordshire that struggle with family mealtimes ❤️

Our award winning How to Feed a Dragon Programme is making waves! Schools and nurseries report:

✅ Willingness to try more new foods
✅ Increased food literacy
✅ More open relationships with parents

Join us in transforming mealtimes into joyful learning experiences. Together, we’re shaping healthier futures.

Visit our website to learn more 👉 https://mealtimesmatter.org/how-to-feed-a-dragon-programme

🌟 Building a Healthy Relationship with Food 🌟

A healthy relationship with food means enjoying a variety of foods, listening to body signals of hunger and fullness, and celebrating cultural and family traditions. 🥦🥖🍎

Our 8 week story-led How to Feed a Dragon Programme teaches children to find peace with food. Together, we can create positive mealtime experiences.

Email: [email protected] to learn more about how we can help in your setting.