Full fat milk/yoghurt for toddlers

[RamblingRosa]

Nursery give DD (18mo) "virtually fat free" yoghurt which is also really high in sugar. DP and I aren't happy about it as we thought under twos were meant to have full fat dairy products (preferably not with tonnes of sugar added). I want to talk to the nursery manager about it but I'd like to go armed with some information from a reliable source like Food Standards Agency or NHS but I can't find anything online. I know I've read this in baby books (including the NHS one I was given) but I was hoping to just print something off the internet today.

Can anyone point me in the right direction of a website which explains why babies and toddlers should have full fat dairy?

TIA

The FSA has a bit here
scroll down to the part where it says "how a toddler's diet is different" and also "full fat or semi skimmed".

I really can't understand people giving toddlers low fat food, especially if it has lots of sugar in it. Hopefully your nursery just haven't thought about it and will change when the error is pointed out to them.

I've found a PDF of American recommendations here which also says fat should not be restricted in under 2s and gives references.

Thank you so much.

mummypig, I hope they change their ways too but I'm not that hopeful as I think their policies on food are a bit dodgy in general. I'd move DD but there are no other good nurseries with vacancies in the area

It's tough, isn't it? The last nursery ds1 and ds2 went to had awful food. It was a bit of a shock as the food at ds1's previous nursery had been excellent - I sometimes wished I was eating with them!

In the nursery with bad food, I ended up making my own food for ds1 and ds2 and sending it in. I had an excuse, because ds1 had food sensitivities, and the nursery didn't seem to be able to cater for these. They also couldn't understand that we didn't have puddings at home. I told them that he loved fruit but they thought that wasn't enough. It took me a while to realise that to get over this they were giving him biscuits after every meal. They were dairy free and soya free but I still found that a bit shocking. After that I provided puddings too. It was far from ideal as ds1 was very aware of eating different food to his peer group.

There were a few other issues with the nursery too. In the end I found a childminder, who cooked for them, and I had no problem at all with any of the food she provided. But I know I was lucky to find her.

Only just gone from full fat to semi skimmed milk with my 4 yr old son - basically because it started to become a faff to always get two lots of milk. He also has low fat plain yoghurt, because that's what we buy as a household, but I do not restrict him from having cheese or other full fat dairy products as and when. They are still growing and need fat in their diets.

I have similar problem - DD has just started nursery and I filled in on her dietary requirements form that I wanted her to have full-fat milk. I was taken aside the other day and asked if I'd mind her having semi-skimmed because that's what the nursery is supplied with . So what was the point of the form.
DD is not a big eater and light for her age (16 months and just under 9kg), so not sure what to do. On the one hand I don't want to go in all guns blazing about semi-skimmed milk - she is only there one day a week so it would only be one beaker of milk at teatime a week. On the other hand, I think the nursery should provide full fat milk. I don't have any plans to switch DD to semi-skimmed once she turns 2 (unless her eating/ weight takes a turn for the better), I do feel the nursery should make some sort of attempt to fit in with my wishes - surely I can't be the only parent at the nursery who feels like this.

Tabitha, can you take in your own milk? I know it's not ideal but that's what I do. I prefer DD to have organic milk so I take my own.

Now this yoghurt issue has come up I'm thinking of taking in yoghurts for DD too but then it starts to get a bit silly. I'm paying £44 a day for a nursery which claims to offer good food and yet taking in our own supplies.

The nursery is pretty good in general but the food is one thing that I think really lets it down.

I have the same issue with puddings/sweets. We don't give DD sugar at home (apart from the odd homemade treat like a bit of flapjack) but nursery seem to think it's important to give the kids treats every day like cakes and biscuits. DP and I sometimes feel like they think we're mad for not giving DD lots of sweets etc.

I might look into childminders. I'm about to change from part time to full time work and I want to feel confident that DD is getting the best possible care.

I could take in my own milk (although I do feel it shouldn't be necessary). I actually prefer organic milk too for DD so that is another reason to do it perhaps. I'll have a word with the nursery tomorrow about it.