Children's Food Trust

Children's Food Trust

Children's Food Trust was a UK-based national charity focused on improving the health and nutrition of children through better food choices. The Trust aimed to ensure that every child in the UK had access to a healthy diet, with a particular emphasis on improving the quality of food provided in schools, nurseries, and other settings. It provided advice, resources, and training to help schools and families make positive changes to children's diets.

History

The Children's Food Trust was established following the publication of the School Meals Review Panel's report in 2005. This report highlighted the poor state of school meals in the UK and recommended significant changes to improve nutrition standards. In response, the government set up the Trust (initially known as the School Food Trust) to lead these improvements. Over the years, the Trust expanded its focus from school meals to include all aspects of children's diets.

Objectives

The main objectives of the Children's Food Trust included:

• Improving the quality of food provided in schools, nurseries, and other childcare settings.
• Supporting families to make healthier food choices for their children.
• Conducting research and providing evidence-based advice on children's nutrition.
• Advocating for policy changes to promote better food environments for children.

Programs and Initiatives

The Trust ran several programs and initiatives to achieve its objectives. These included:

• Let's Get Cooking: A nationwide network of cooking clubs aimed at children and their families to encourage cooking healthy meals from scratch.
• Eat Better, Start Better: Guidance and training for early years settings to improve the food and drink provided to young children.
• The School Food Plan: An agreement with the government to implement new standards for all food served in schools.

Impact

The Children's Food Trust made a significant impact on children's food and nutrition in the UK. Its work led to the introduction of mandatory food standards in schools, which have been shown to improve the nutritional quality of school meals. The Trust also played a crucial role in raising awareness among parents, educators, and policymakers about the importance of healthy eating for children.

Closure

Despite its successes, the Children's Food Trust announced its closure in 2017 due to funding challenges. Its legacy continues through the various programs it initiated, which are still in operation today, and its resources and guidance continue to be used by schools and early years settings across the UK.

See Also

• Nutrition
• School meal
• Childhood obesity
• Public health in the United Kingdom