Food colourings

[Chelltune]

When you make things with the children do you add food colouring to them?

I try to avoid giving the children lots of colourings. The other day at preschool they had made a little coconut ice thing, it was coloured bright orange. On a trip they were given bright pink iced cakes.

Whats your view? Do you colour food or leave it natural?

[Ruthierhyme]

Thinking back, we did use it for some themed cooking for icing & the cake decorations probably contained artificial colourings as well .

I'd try as hard as possible nowadays to keep things natural. Luckily there are a load more alternative things available off the shelf now!!

I'd still use them in play though ~ Playdough, painting, water & other craft work... until there was proof it could be toxically absorbed by the skin !!

As part of policy/procedure .. proven colourant intolerances & Parental preferences were always written down on the Children's admission forms, are you allowed to specify what you'd like on these ?

[Chelltune]

It doesn't bother me that much, he isn't into sweet stuff so he usually has a nibble and then throws it away. It just suprises me that they teach the children that it is healthiest to make your own snacks. They bake bread, biscuits, pizza, etc on a daily basis but these colourings go against that.

we use colouring , If we can avoid it we do but for occasional use feel it ok, which is why it gets sent home with parents and it is their choice as to if they let their child eat it! Seeing some of the sweets parents give when collecting children it is a small drop in the ocean what we do!

parents are given option on reg form to state preferences on this... and we do comply, remembering of course that a lot of white items have blue colouring in it to make it brighter and whiter!! (son reacted to all mints particularly one turned out it was the colouring in them!!)

As to going against healthy eating policy... we believe we all have treats occasionally better to teach a little is ok rather than ban totally.

[sarahnev707]

I have a son now aged 11 who has been allergic (massive reaction) to all artificial colours all his life but fine with non artificial - so I've got good at reading all the labels!!! E is for additives is an excellent book and I take it with me when I go shopping even now, so I don't make any mistakes.
School send home the cake/bun etc and the wrapper and he swaps stuff for a piece of chocolate if he can't eat it.... it'll get harder as he gets older though cos he'll be more in charge of his own diet......
I've been lucky as the school have supported me - even down to giving him plain playdough.... cos his hands used to swell
true allergies are out there!
Sarahx

[Chelltune]

Originally Posted by noah

As to going against healthy eating policy... we believe we all have treats occasionally better to teach a little is ok rather than ban totally.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not the food police, we have plenty of chocolate treats just not Smarties, Skittles, etc.

Chocolate can cause just as many problems as colours, as well as being addictive, brother in law is, if he goes a day without chocolate we all see the withdrawal symptoms and he is over 40!

My grown up son still has problems with food colours, caffeine, and other food stuffs, he never needs to drink alcohol a glass of coke gives him a real high, as does tea, and any drinks with colour just watch out!! His mates all know when he has eaten or drunk something without realising it, and all know not to use jars to cook with but cook from fresh ingredients,

sarah, we coped by teaching him and pointing out the changes making him aware of what happens after he has eaten the foods, must admit took a while to make him understand but he learnt to look for the signs himself and became very aware of what to look for once he knew it did cause a reaction in him.

His reaction is purely behavioural so any mistakes just caused a nightmare for a few days, until it is out of his system again.

(when he worked in a night club he used coke to keep himself awake and on the go until 5am!! )