KiddiChef.com - 7 Golden Rules

We are more than a catering company, we work with you to make a positive difference in child care food sector! From parental advice, child development, health concerns and nutritional guidance KiddiChef.com continues to share relevant information with you, helping you engage with your children better. 

Catering for children is notoriously tricky, however, KiddiChef is dedicated to work with our nursreies to ensure they receive the support and knowledge to create a healthy eating regime. Schedule your FREE TASTER SESSION - CALL 0121 554 0469 for further details. 

Looking for ways to instill healthy lifelong eating habits in your toddler? Look no further. These 7 golden rules will help you lay the groundwork.  

1. Make Time It is understandable, everyone has routines, deadlines and planned activites, so running over dinner time seems like a no, no. However, ensuring children are given the time to enjoy their meal and to explore ingredients - without time contraints is essential. It will help them identify new ingredients and they will begin to enjoy their food, taking a few extra minutes to really appreciate the texture and taste of the food.  

2. Sensory Elements A fun way to encourage children to become more familiar with a variety of fruits and vegetables is to play games. Purchase a variety of ingredients and let the children touch, smell, taste and play with them. Relating healthy food to fun things is a great way to get a few bites of greens. 

 3. Postitive Attitude Let's get straight to the point - there is no quick fix! You'll need to patience and persitance to start teaching your children about healthy eating habits. That’s because the patterns they'll develop now will likely be the ones they’ll carry into adulthood.

4. The Power of Table Talk If your toddler is anything like most, they may have become very selective (make that suspicious) about the foods they'll eat. So it is important to get children involved to help them understand why and what they are eating. Simple points of discussion: "Did you know superman eats carrots so he can see better and sweetcorn to make him big and strong". This is a great method to encourage children to eat their meals.

5. Presentation Children develop a natural preference for the foods they enjoy the most. So the challenge is to make healthy food appealing. It has been researched that it takes 8-10 presentation of a new food for a child to openly accept it. So make it fun! 

6. Be Persistence Don’t be discouraged if your little one doesn’t immediately say, “Yum!” It may help to remember that “no” doesn’t really mean “no.” It often means “not now.” Research shows that it can take 10 or 15 tries before a toddler will accept a new food. So there’s no need to force the issue each time. If at first you don’t succeed, simply try, try, try again. 

7. Reward Good Behaviour Creating positive food experiences can decrease picky eating tendencies. Research has shown that rewarding a child for trying one bite of a rejected food with things like stickers makes it easier for them to try the food. 

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An apple a day keeps your asthma at bay

A study published today has revealed that the number of children being admitted to hospital with symptoms of asthma has fallen since the smoking ban, which took effect in July 2007.

Research shows there was a 12.3% fall in admissions in the first year following the introduction of the law, and these have continued to drop in subsequent years.

Asthma affects one in 11 children in the UK, and can be caused by a variety of factors including family history, exposure to tobacco smoke or premature birth.

There are many over-the-counter remedies to help manage asthma on a day-to-day basis, however many parents may not know that their child’s diet can affect the severity of their asthma.

As part of the KiddiChef grown-up forum, we provide information on how different foods can help disorders like asthma, eczema and hay-fever.

Asthma is a respiratory ailment that causes inflammation in the lungs. Omega-3 from flaxseed and fatty fishes, such as salmon, mackerel or tuna, may reduce asthma inflammation as well as promoting healthy brain and heart functions.

Fruit and vegetables rich in Vitamin C- may decrease asthma wheezing symptoms.  These include apples, berries, citrus fruits, cabbage, broccoli, leafy greens, sweet potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and red peppers. Foods made with vegetables and fruits, such as smoothies, juices, stews, pasta dishes and vegetable-based soups, are also rich in antioxidants.

Studies have found that people with asthma tend to have lower blood and tissue levels of magnesium, and increasing magnesium intake over the long run can reduce the incidence of asthma attacks. Magnesium rich foods such as green leafy vegetables, legumes, whole grains and tofu may prevent asthma attacks, whereas low dietary intake of magnesium-rich foods can increase asthma symptoms such as wheezing, coughing and chest congestion.

Seeds, nuts and plant-based oils such as sunflower seeds and oil, almonds, almond butter, hazelnuts, wheat germ oil, peanut butter, peanuts and soybean oil, provide your body with unsaturated fats and vitamin E nutrients. It has been noted that vitamin E may also decrease asthma-related lung inflammation.

Reduce Food Waste

We throw away 7.2million tonnes of food and drink from our homes every year in the UK. This adds up to the average household wasting £480 a year and rising to £680 for a family with children. 

2 main reasons why we throw away good food

1)      We cook too much

2)      We don’t use it on time

 

This New Year, ditch the bad shopping habits and plan to cook fresh food, save money and eat more healthily. Cooking at home is important as it equips families to gain the knowledge and confidence to prepare healthy affordable meals. 

Understanding the fundamental principles of cooking and how to save money, shop smarter and to reduce food waste will not only help us save £££ it will postively impact the environement too.

 KiddiChef.com has helped with these 10tips to reduce Food Waste.

1. Shopping matters: Reducing food waste begins at the grocery store.  Live by the motto “Buy what you need, and eat what you buy.”  Always have a plan and a list before going grocery shopping.  Check your pantry and fridge before you head to the store to make sure you’re buying what you really need.
2. Buy fresh produce a week at a time: Buy fresh fruits and vegetables in bulk only if you will use them before they go bad. If you are able to get to the grocery store weekly, buy only enough fresh produce to last that week.
3. Cook with canned and frozen fruits and vegetables: Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables can be a good solution if you aren’t sure you’ll be able to use up fresh foods before they go bad.  Bonus: they are often more affordable than fresh and can be even more nutritious. Just make sure they have no added salt, sugar or fats.
4. Stock your pantry: A well-stocked pantry can be the secret to whipping up a tasty meal from food that would otherwise go to waste. 
5. Adapt recipes to your needs: Learn to adjust recipes to meet your needs and use up what’s in your fridge.  Make changes to a recipe based on the foods you have at hand, including leftovers.
6. Make the freezer your friend: Freeze bread when it won’t be used right away, or if you have some leftover from a meal (bread can be stored in a freezer for up to 6 months).  Freeze leftover vegetables for use in later soups or stir fries.  Chop and store fresh fruits in freezer to use for smoothies.
7. Use up fresh fruit before it goes bad: Combine fruits into a fruit salad or top cereal with sliced fruit. Cook berries, apples or pears into a tasty pie or cupcakes. Use overripe fruit in muffins, breads, or pancakes.
8. Use up fresh vegetables before they go bad: Add vegetables to soups, stews, casseroles, pastas, sauces, or omelettes.  Combine vegetables and a little salad dressing for a side dish or snack
9. Transform leftovers into a new meal: Transform leftover mashed potatoes into a hearty soup by combining them with stock, a splash of vinegar, onions, carrots and any other veggies you have on hand.
10. Stretch ingredients over multiple meals: Use ingredients more than once to save money and avoid food waste. Add veggies to pasta or combine to make a mixed salad. 

 For further information on healthy afforadble recipes visit our KiddiChef.com Facebook Page www.facebook.com/kiddichef

Are you aware of the ‘hidden nasties’ in your food?

Change4Life – the government’s public health programme –have launched a new campaign to expose the high levels of sugar, fat and salt in food.

 

The scheme, which aims to reduce obesity, increase activity and improve lifestyle, aired its new advertisement this week.

 

It shows a large wine glass full of fat, which supposedly represents the amount of fat in a pizza and also claims that there are 17 sugar cubes in a bottle of cola.

It is hoped that this very visual representation of the‘hidden nasties’ will help people make better food choices.

 

Change4Life’s ethos is quite similar to that of KiddiChef in that we both want to create a well-balanced, healthy lifestyle.

 
 

KiddiChef’s meals contain only a varied selection of fresh, nutritious ingredients with no additives or preservatives.

 
 

However, we are not only about food, KiddiChef’s online community allows children and parents to feel part of fun, creative and inspiring hub.

 
 

Victoria Taylor, a dietician at the British Heart Foundation, welcomed the Change 4 Life campaign.

 

She said: "If we're to lessen the heavy burden of obesity, this campaign must provide the spark for a continued, joined-up approach to the promotion of healthy eating and physical activity across the UK."

 

 

We, at KiddiChef, hope that people take notice of the new campaign and bear it in mind when they are making food choices for themselves and their family.

New year, new start – for you and your child

You know the saying, ‘new year, new start’ – we all promise to eat better, get fitter and feel healthier with a list of resolutions we vow to keep.

But are you the only one whose diet needs a revamp? Your little one may need a ‘new start’ too - and that new start could be KiddiChef.

KiddiChef.com is a children’s catering company for parents, local nurseries, schools, childminders and holiday & afterschool clubs.

We create freshly prepared on-the-day meals for all children aged 6 months and above - capturing young, sensitive palettes and introducing children to tasty, healthy ingredients from a young age.

KiddiChef.com has gone right back to basics – we offer home-style cooking and training, using only locally-sourced, fresh ingredients and omitting toxins, chemicals and preservatives that are often found in retail, convenience and other fast foods.

This is a brand new concept – what makes Kiddichef.com unique is that our meals are made fresh on the day of purchase, without any vacuum packing, sealed jars or preservatives.

 

Our intention is to build a sustainable, healthy lifestyle for families. We want to create a community of experts, education establishments and government bodies, providing an accessible network for advice and support in improving children’s health and reducing obesity.

 

As well as this, we provide children with an education in healthy eating and a palette for nutritious ingredients that they can take with them through life.

Not only will eating better food help a child’s health, it will impact, what KiddiChef.com likes to call, their ‘ABC’ - Attention, Behaviour and Concentration.

Our belief is that any product that can sit unrefrigerated on a shelf for a year is not ‘fresh’.  We aim to provide a healthy alternative for parents and organisations, allowing them to provide their children with nutritious, tasty, fresh food every day.

Our multi-cultural menu is ideal for modern, working parents who want healthy, home-cooked food for their child, but do not always have the time to prepare it.

Parents can either pick up our meals from their local Kiddichef.com hotspot or opt for KiddiChef.com’s delivery service. We also service and deliver to nurseries, schools and after-school & holiday clubs, meaning that children can eat healthy food at school and home.

If you want to give KiddiChef a try for the New Year, or simply want a little more information email info@kiddichef.com or call 0121-554-0469.

Who said Christmas was just for kids?

Father Christmas must be rushed off his feet at the North Pole, finalising gift lists and loading the sleigh for Christmas Day. But while you’re waiting for him to arrive, we have some great ideas for festive fun for you and your little one this Christmas!

Potato printing

 

Your bound to have some potatoes left in the bag that didn’t get used for Christmas dinner, make use of them by carving out fun shapes, dipping them in paint and printing! You could try a Christmas tree, a snowman, a star, a candy cane and anything else you can think of!
 

 

 

Make your own Christmas cards

 

You could use your beautiful potato prints to make unique Christmas cards. Everyone loves the thought and effort that goes into a home-made card and it adds a personal touch – nobody else will have a card like it! Use sequins, stencils, felt tips, paint, stickers to create your masterpiece!
 

Gingerbread men

There is something wonderfully festive about gingerbread men; they’re a perfect snack in between wrapping presents. They are a favourite of children and easy enough to bake, but we all know the best bit is decorating them! Here’s a fun and simple recipe.
 

 

 

DIY Christmas decorations

 

You can buy plain baubles from most arts and crafts shop, cover them in PVA glue and roll it in glitter for a disco bauble! You could thread popcorn and cranberries on a string or opt for a decorative paperchain or sweet-wrapper chain.

And don’t forget to visit Father Christmas to tell him what you want for Christmas before he makes his trip around the world!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

World Diabetes Day – 14th November 2012

                           

What`s Diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most popular metabolic diseases. Its name derives from the Greek and it means “to go across” just because sugar goes across kidneys and it mixes with urine. People who have diabetes can`t use insulin well and so their blood glucose level goes up. Besides, they have problems in regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body.  

Different Types:

Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong condition in which the body can't control levels of glucose in the blood. It develops when the body can’t produce the hormone insulin. Type 1 diabetes is sometimes called insulin-dependent diabetes and is most commonly developed during childhood.

 Diabetes mellitus type 2, which was called “non insulin-addicted diabetes”, develops when the body doesn`t produce enough insulin to maintain a normal blood glucose level or when it can`t use insulin. This one is genetic and it manifests itself in old patients that usually have also other problems like: obesity, high blood pressure and heart diseases.

It is widely speculated that diabetes occurred when inherited genetic characteristics are triggered by environmental factors such as diet or exercise. Although there is no specific diabetes causes, the following triggers may be involved:

• Viral or bacterial infection
• Chemical toxins within food
• Unidentified component causing autoimmune reaction

 

Diabetes in children:

Type 1 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes in children: 90-95 per cent of under 16s with diabetes have this type.  

Some studies made by the Queen`s University of Belfast and by the Pecs University said that in 2020 children under 5 affected by diabetes will double! Causes of the growth of them are: bad alimentary habits, highest weight and height at the birth and caesarian births. Diabetes in children could not be only linked with genetic factors. Many scientists think it could be connected with imbalances during the gestation; that`s why it`s important that the mother follows a correct diet during the pregnancy.  Gestational diabetes appears unexpectedly and symptoms are: continuing thirst, tendency to urinate more, to get fat and an increase on the amniotic liquid.

 How to keep children diabetes under control:

Living with diabetes can put families under considerable strain, so access to backup support is crucial. This may be from your GP, the hospital team or social services. Online communities such as Children with Diabetes UK, provides parents with access to other parents who are raising children with diabetes.

 To keep diabetes under control you have to: 

          

- Check  regularly his/her blood glucose level;

- Pay attention on food and sport;

- Help your child to inject insulin;

- Find out when your child feels sick.

It`s very important that your child learn about diabetes and that you make him/her understand that to be diabetic doesn`t mean to be different from others. So, if he/she made you some questions about diabetes you have to answer him/her specifically. Don`t be afraid: your child will be more reassured this way.            

Diabetic children diet:

Parents must be aware that children with diabetes have diet restrictions, and that their activity levels need to be closely monitored. The key to taking care of diabetes is to keep blood glucose as close to normal as possible. The best way to do this is to:

•   Make healthy food choices

•   Eat the right amounts of food

•   Be active everyday

•   Stay at a healthy weight

•   Take your medicines and check your blood glucose as planned with your health care team.

1.    GRAINS, BEANS, AND STARCHY (6 or more servings a day)

2.    VEGETABLES (3 - 5 servings a day)

3.    FRUITS (2 - 4 servings a day)

4.    MILK (2 - 3 servings a day)

5.    MEAT AND FISH (2 - 3 servings a day)

6.    FATS, ALCOHOL, AND SWEETS (in general, you should limit them)