Blog

Better Nursery Food Now

Anna Guyer | 23.02.10

With more and more mums working, 600,000 children are enrolled at nursery in the UK. There are also shocking stats, recently launched, that one in four children in the UK are obese by the time they go to school. So we are calling on government to put in place clear nutritional standards guaranteeing better food in our nurseries now.

The campaign has gathered momentum. The campaign's Facebook page has grown to nearly 600 fans and 1,500 people are following the Nursery Food Twitter page. More than 5,000 people have signed a petition online to demand better nursery food for our children.

It may surprise you to know that research conducted by the Soil Association, and funded by Organix, found this shocking state of affairs in nurseries:

• NO clear nutritional standards
• NO compulsory training for nursery staff serving food
• NO agency to monitor the quality of food provided
• NO government department giving a lead or promoting good practice.

In fact, foods banned or restricted in primary and secondary schools, like crisps, sweets and chocolate, are regularly served in nurseries.

We have run a survey on Mumsnet to get the views of this election’s most influential voters: mums. If the government needs to be made to listen, surely 1000 opinionated women can help make that happen. On March 31st, we are taking to government our petition, complaints, case studies gathered via Facebook and a new report on nursery food.

Surely the long-term health of the next generation should not be left to chance.

For resources, more about the campaign and to sign our petition, please visit www.nurseryfood.org.

Food Organic Parenting | Share +
soil association, organix, nurseries, better nursery food now

Greenhouse Weekly Roundup

Sally Hill | 10.09.10

We're now half way through the Soil Association's Organic Fortnight - a time of year which marks the challenge to 'Choose Organic Everyday'.

Here is a collection of special Organic Fortnight offers from many of the great organic businesses that are out there, as well as some fun ways the fortnight is being celebrated.

Organix Natural Baby Foods

Organic Fortnight fun on the Organix Facebook page including:

• Organic challenges: blind taste tests of organic vs. non-organic food such as strawberry jam and toast
• Fun organic facts of the day + organic quizzes
• Organic gardening tips, guide + photos

Green Baby UK and Green & Black's

Green Baby are hosting an Organic Fortnight competition to win a Green & Black’s organic chocolate hamper

The Green Familia and Wahanda

The top green shopping blog has teamed up with the largest online community for beauty and wellness to give suggestions and advice for switching to organic cosmetics and skincare, and treating yourself the natural way.

Soil Association

At the headquarters of Organic Fortnight there is a hive of organic activity but we thought the highlight was an organic bake-off among Soil Association team. What a great way to get everyone involved. There were photos posted to the Soil Association's Facebook page and the delicious sounding winner was a caramelised onion foccacia.

Prince Charles and Start UK

During Organic Fortnight Prince Charles and his Start UK initiative have been busy inspiring people to lead more sustainable lifestyle.

• The 'Garden Party to Make a Difference’ is now on. This is a 12-day green garden party where the Prince’s gardens of Clarence House have been opened to the public. It will be attended by Dame Vivienne Westwood among other high profile Britons and is open for public visits until 19 September.
• There will be a parade of eco cars in The Mall in London on Sunday 12 September featuring the fabulous electric Zero Motorcycles
• The garden party features an 'Earth Pavilion' made of mud tiles
• Prince Charles has taken biofuel-powered royal train on a tour of Britain to promote his message

The Guardian

Q&A on the Guardian blog with Peter Melchett, policy director of the Soil Association, who discusses organic food, products and farming.

Garden Organic

Garden Organic is holding a number of events over Organic Fortnight:

• Garden Organic Ryton is running daily organic tastings in their shop between 12pm and 2pm over the whole of organic fortnight. Visitors can sample organic products ranging from delicious breads, to mouth-watering fresh juices.
• On Friday 12th September, 11am to 1pm, Roberto Perez, an internationally renowned urban agriculture activist and star of the film The Power of Community from Cuba, will give a talk at Garden Organic Ryton on his experiences of permaculture. The talk costs £5 and includes access to the gardens. The talk is open to all, but people involved in the UK Transition Towns movement may find it of particular interest.
• On Saturday 20th September, 10am – 5pm, Garden Organic's world renowned Heritage Seed Library will hold its harvest event with talks on preserving our gardening heritage and seed saving. Tours of the seed library will also be held and a chance to see some of the collection's rare and unusual vegetable varieties. Tastings on the day will include Heritage Seed Library produce.

Waitrose and Booths

During Organic Fortnight, Waitrose and Booths are offering a third off Bonterra wines.

Waitrose and Duchy Originals

The new Duchy Originals from Waitrose range, the result of a unique partnership announced last year between Waitrose and Duchy Originals, is re-launched in Waitrose branches this month. Boasting a new look, and over 150 products, there is something to tantalise every taste bud. And to mark the occasion, tonight will see Duchy Originals on-screen debut with the brand’s first television advertisement screened on ITV1 at 7.00pm.

Waitrose is offering 25% off the new Duchy Originals range over Organic Fortnight.

Organic Food Awards

The Organic Food Award winners were announced and include Organix, Black Isle Brewery, Pertwood Organics, Clipper Teas and Vintage Roots organic wine. The awards will be presented by celebrity chef Hugh-Fearnley Whittingstall at the Organic Food Festival.

2010 Bristol Organic Food Festival

This brings us to one of the centre-pieces of Organic Fortnight, the 2010 Bristol Organic Food Festival, taking place this weekend. There are so many exciting things to do including the Kids Taste Experience with this week's Greenhouse Eco Hero Katy Davidson and free screenings of Food Inc. 

Here are the links we loved this week:

Read more

Weekly Greenhouse Updates | Share +
soil association, hugh fearnley-whittingstall, garden organic, organix, bristol organic food festival, organic fortnight, guardian, peter melchett, waitrose, zero motorcycles

I ♥ THE ORGANIC FOOD FESTIVAL

Anna Guyer | 15.09.10

Not sure why I love the Festival so much every year. But I do – what a wonderful year it was again in 2010. Total sunshine, wonderful smells, tastes and flavours, the most passionate of producers, lots of people to see and hear about where their food comes from, and a real sense of being in all this together. For sharing, encouragement, good conversations, delicious food and an ambience that is almost impossible to beat.

Highlights of my show this year ...

Meeting the lovely Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall who gave his time for free to show his support for organic

Eating a Brown Cow burger on the steps watching the Sheep Show

Sampling the award winning wine from Vintage Roots – Crazy By Nature Red

Finding the gorgeous Spiezia body oil and bath oil – my favourite pampering product

Buying and sampling Green People’s Anti-Ageing Facial Oil – smells heavenly and great for my ageing skin already! 

Eating the award winning Bertinet Bakery bread with friends – it was defo the most delicious bread I have ever had

Organix winning award for Best Baby Food (Organic Banana Porridge – yum!)

So – thanks to all the wonderful producers and the organisers – it was a great Festival again this year.

Organic | Share +
organic food festival, organic, soil association, hugh fearnley-whittingstall, organix, green people, bertinet bakery, spiezia, vintage roots ltd