[Anna07]

i found aspects of the programme quite confusing, on the one hand it was saying often children's meals e.g. at nursery etc weren't balanced and there wasn't enough carbohydrates and fats as everyone was so conscious of giving them their five a day that they gave too much veg and fruit etc at nursery but then it was saying that the healthiest snacks were a piece of fruit (which i do know) but what is an alternative snack to a piece of fruit that isn't laden with either sugar or salt?

i have to admit that it seemed unfair that it just focussed on AK's meals as I am sure all the other manufacturers of toddler's ready meals (M&S, Little Dish etc) are guilty of the same things and I have to admit that I could understand what she was saying that the meals had to be tasty in order for a child to eat them and she said that was why salt and sugar were added but there must be other ways. I have to admit though having never used one of the meals i probably would think twice now having seen the programme.

If ready meals were used in the way they were intended i.e. occasional convenience foods then it wouldn't be such an issue that they had a higher salt or sugar content than a homemade meal would, the problem is there are lots of parents out there that only give these to their children so clearly in these instances they will be blowing the daily salt allowance out of the water.