Nurseries struggle to source sustainable, healthy food, with some resorting to the local corner shop or charitable donations to feed their children, according to research.

The report, Food Procurement and Provision in Early Years Settings, looked at the provision of food across 16 early years settings in Yorkshire.

Researchers at the University of York, food policy consultancy Bremner and Co and charity The Food Foundation found many settings struggled to procure local nutritious food and employ staff to prepare it. Barriers included procurement rules that prioritise cost over quality and do not facilitate the use of local suppliers, a concern about investing in food children might not eat, a lack of local authority leadership, resources and funding for early years nutrition and a prioritisation of school food over early years food. One childcare setting reported relying on food donations from a charity to be able to provide healthy meals.

The researchers found that although the settings provided fruit and vegetables, they also offered sugary desserts, chocolates and heavy puddings. One setting provided sugary mousse, chocolate cupcakes and Rocky Road as dessert for three days across a two-week cycle. 

The researchers said there was an urgent need for increased investment and to review the nutrition guidance in early years settings, given that children aged four years and under can get up to 90% of their total daily calories from their childcare setting. The report calls for changes including a dedicated government funding stream for nutrition in early years settings, nutritional training for early years professionals, and a more regulated approach to monitoring from Ofsted.

Professor Maria Bryant, co-author of the report and Professor of Public Health Nutrition at the University of York, said: “Poor diets in pre-schoolers can contribute to obesity, which affects one in five children before school age, and dental issues, which are the leading cause of hospitalisation for children under five.  Early years childcare offers a powerful opportunity to instil healthy eating habits and develop a life-long positive relationship with food as a shared social experience.”

Dayna Brackley, partner at Bremner & Co, added: “The early years sector is already grappling with a workforce and funding crisis, facing significant challenges in providing adequate nutrition to children under five. We need more political focus on early years nutrition, especially in light of childcare reform and a reported 33% rise in the number of hours a two-year-old will spend in childcare by 2028.”