Are childcare settings’ food menus fit for purpose? A qualitative analysis in England

TL;DR

This study examines the quality and completeness of food menus in English childcare settings, finding significant variability and gaps in information.

Contribution

The paper provides a qualitative analysis of childcare menus in England, highlighting structural challenges affecting healthy eating promotion.

Findings

Only 17.4% of surveyed childcare settings submitted menus, with many missing key meal and snack details.

Menus showed inconsistencies in clarity, completeness, and format, often omitting breakfasts, snacks, and beverages.

Structural factors, rather than menus alone, influence the ability of childcare settings to promote healthy eating.

Abstract

Childcare settings have a central role in feeding pre-school-aged infants and children. One of the ways in which childcare settings plan nutritious, balanced, and varied meals and snacks for preschool-aged infants and children (0–5 years) is through the use of a menu. Nevertheless, international studies indicate an overwhelming heterogeneity in uptake of menus, as well as use and format, with variable details of food and drinks provided. Thus, in the context of a nationally representative survey on food provision in early years settings in England, we invited respondents to upload sample menus. Of the 322 settings that completed the survey, 56 submitted menus (17.4%). Five were excluded because the attachment was either not a menu or was illegible. Data contained in the 51 readable menus was extracted into an Excel spreadsheet designed deductively from available guidance on menus and inductively based on patterns emerging from the menus themselves. The menus demonstrated great variations in depth of information, completeness and clarity. Breakfasts, snacks, and beverages were often excluded from menus or the information about them was unclear. Menus also sometimes contained dishes with names that were unclear. Early years settings are expected to promote healthy eating, but their ability to do so is shaped by wider structural factors. Thus while childcare settings can play a crucial role in the health promotion of young children during a time of vital development, the wider policy context and challenges faced by childcare settings and families must be addressed.

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