Healthy recipes: Let’s make a food rainbow

In the early years, it’s important to develop healthy norms for children to live with.

If we can live with healthy habits from an early age, a ‘normal’ diet will be a healthy one. In the early years, little ones are experiencing lots of things for the first time, so if their first experiences of food are enjoyable, it’s likely that they will develop positive attitudes to foods and grow up with healthy food being part of normal family life.

One part of this is to ensure they become familiar and comfortable with a range of foods from an early age, with different colours, textures and flavours. The more familiar children are with foods, the more likely it is they will taste and enjoy them.

Our healthy recipes are ideal for you to follow along with your children, and help them to enjoy different foods too.

Including children in the making of meals and snacks is a great way to introduce foods, and our recipes show ways you can make the activity safe and fun for your toddler.

Let’s make a food rainbow

Handy extras

• Food Rainbow recipe sheet

• Guide to chopping techniques

• 5532-a-day guide

Useful links

• NHS – Food scanner app