EXCERPTS
Child care centres will have more options to offer healthy food thanks to changes to provincial regulations announced Thursday.
"The day care centres and preschool programs have been doing a wonderful job in terms of offering healthy foods," said Community Services Minister Denise Peterson-Rafuse.
But the former system was rigorous and included red tape that made it hard for centres to make additions to their menus in a timely manner.
"If they wanted to make a change to their menu they would have to go back to public health nutritionist and go through a process," Peterson-Rafuse said. "Now we have a more comprehensive guideline."
The new guideline, developed during the past year through consultations with more than 500 participants, gives the centres more flexibility to make changes as long as they meet the nutrition standards.
The minister made the announcement while spending some time at the Bible Hill Village Preschool, which is run by a society. Director Niki Hoyle said children benefit physically and mentally when provided nutritious food.
"When they are shown healthy eating habits from a young age, they learn how to choose good, affordable food as adults," she said.
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- reprinted the Truro Daily News