Book Reviews
Food and Health in Early Childhood
by
Deborah Albon & Penny Mukherji
RRP £17.99
(Paperback published by Sage)
Available at all good book stores and also at www.sagepub.co.uk/education
This highly readable, very interesting book is aimed at all Early Years Practitioner and other professionals interested in food and nutrition.
It is extremely comprehensive exploring all aspects of food and health in early years. Individual chapters cover areas such as policy development, cultural issues, nutrition, healthy eating guidelines, physiological processes linked to eating, promoting healthy eating in settings and multidisciplinary working.
The book aims to develop the reader’s knowledge and understanding about the role that food and nutrition play in early year’s education and how this area impacts on the child’s overall wellbeing. It’s a much broader, holistic book than just a ‘healthy eating book’ and you really feel that both authors have an in-depth understanding of the complex issues within early years, well supported by thorough research.
The book is up-to-date in relation to current early years thinking and includes references to key-person relationships, EYFS, ten year childcare strategy, Every Child Matters and is written in a practical, resourceful way. Each chapter encourages the reader to consider their practice and attitudes by way of reflection, discussion points, further reading and useful websites. Chapters 3 and 7 are particularly useful for practitioners in early years settings as these chapters explore healthy eating for the under fives, healthy eating guidelines & the curriculum and working with parents.
All the chapters have useful case studies and activities which could be used in training and development of practitioners.
Review by Lois Nott (Early Years Consultant)
June 2008
