Our Traffic Light System for Healthy Eating 🚦
We use a fun and simple Traffic Light System to help children understand which foods are the best for their bodies and how often they should eat them. This approach makes healthy eating easy to grasp and encourages children to make better food choices.
🚦 Green Foods – Eat Every Day!
(Healthy, Nutrient-Rich Foods)These are the best foods for our bodies because they help us grow strong, give us energy, and keep us healthy. We encourage children to eat these foods every day!✅ Fruits and vegetables 🥦🍎✅ Wholegrains (brown bread, wholemeal pasta, brown rice)✅ Dairy like plain Greek yogurt and cheese 🥛✅ Protein-rich foods (chicken, fish, beans, eggs, nuts)✅ Water and milk as the best drinks
🟡 Yellow Foods – Eat Sometimes!
(Enjoy in Moderation)These foods can still be part of a healthy diet, but we should only have them occasionally because they may contain added sugar, salt, or unhealthy fats.🔸 White bread, white pasta, and white rice🔸 Fruit yogurts and flavored milk🔸 Unsalted popcorn, crackers, and cereal bars🔸 100% fruit juice (small amounts)
🔴 Red Foods – Only Occasionally!
(Treats & Less Healthy Foods)These foods don’t provide as many important nutrients and often contain added sugars, salt, and unhealthy fats. We explain to children that these are "treat foods" to have only once in a while.❌ Sugary drinks like squash and fizzy pop❌ Sweets, biscuits, cakes, and chocolate❌ Crisps and deep-fried foods❌ Fast food and processed meats (like sausages and nuggets)
How We Teach Children About Food Choices
We make learning about food fun! We use:
Games and activities where children sort foods into traffic light categories.
Storytelling and discussions about how different foods help our bodies.
Tasting sessions so children can explore healthy swaps.
Encouragement to choose "Green" foods every day and "Red" foods only as a special treat.
🍏 Home Challenge! 🍎
Try using the Traffic Light System at home to talk about food on your child's plate or when they’re choosing snacks!
You could:✅ Ask them to categorise their meals – is their plate mostly green?✅
Sort the food shopping together into green, yellow, and red groups.✅ Make it a fun game—can they spot a "green" snack in the cupboard?
By making children more conscious of their food choices, we help them build healthy habits that last a lifetime! 💚
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