How to Feed a Dragon Programme

02/07/2025

Are you a parent/carer of a child aged 0-5 years who attends an early years setting in England?

Jo Pearce and I (and several of our MSc students) are interested in parent/carers’ views on the food provided in early years settings (e.g. nurseries, pre-schools, school nursery classes, childminders) – if you live in England and have a child aged 0-5 years who attends an early years setting, we’d love to hear what you think!

Our survey should take less than 10 minutes to complete and all responses are anonymous:

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

16/06/2025

Governors shape school food culture by ensuring compliance with School Food Standards, building strong partnerships with caterers and encouraging more inclusive meals for every child. With school food back in the spotlight, now’s the perfect time to act. Our free guide helps you understand your ro...

04/06/2025

It can sometimes be difficult to understand why your child is refusing foods but sometimes there is a simple reason 😊

🍇 See below for the numerous factors that can impact your child's appetite

🍅 It's not always because of the food you provide, or your cooking 😊

27/05/2025

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

We will be running more training for early years settings 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 to enjoy family mealtimes 🫶

07/05/2025

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.

01/05/2025

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 😊

28/04/2025

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

Our food environment and food options 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!!

Our How to Feed a Dragon Programme supports children aged 2-6yrs to explore a wide range of real food colours, shapes, smells and textures and has been shown to increase willingness to try new foods 🍎🍋🍊🥦🍆🍅

Check out our website for further details 😀

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.

22/03/2025

Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities may not recognise hunger and fullness cues the same way. Our 8 week story-led programme is designed to create a supportive environment for all.

Our services aim to support parents of children with challenging eating behaviours by promoting the sensory enjoyment of food first and foremost and gently encouraging a varied and balanced diet.

16/03/2025

How do you know if your child is hungry? 🤔

Understand the signs & help your child understand their body

Look for these physical symptoms:

1️⃣ Growling tummy
2️⃣ Low energy or tiredness
3️⃣ Feeling empty
4️⃣ Increased irritability

15/03/2025

Which foods can help keep hunger pangs at bay?

Foods containing protein, fibre or healthy fats are great for satisfiying hungry tummies:

🥚 Eggs, beans, fish or meat
🍞 Wholegrain bread and cereals
🍚 Rice or pasta
🧀 Cheese
🥕 Vegetables

Foods containing lots of nutrients make happy kids! 💚

14/03/2025

🤔 How can you tell if your child is really hungry? If they’re eating nutritious meals or snacks every 3 hours, they are unlikely to feel strong hunger pangs. Sometimes, children ask for food when they are bored or upset. Stay tuned as we help you decode your child’s hunger signals! 🥦✨