Fibre is having a bit of a moment and rightly so. What better opportunity than ‘Fibre February’, to shine a light on an often-overlooked nutrient that plays a big role in children’s health, wellbeing and long‑term eating habits.

This article breaks down what fibre is, why it matters for young children, how much they need and how your nursery menu can help children reach fibre recommendations in a realistic, child‑friendly way.

What is fibre?
Fibre is a nutrient found in foods such as wholegrains, fruits, vegetables, beans, pulses, nuts and seeds. Unlike other foods, fibre isn’t digested in the small intestine. Instead, it travels through the digestive system where it is eventually broken down by bacteria in the large intestine.

There are two main types of fibre:

• Insoluble fibre: helps food move through the gut and supports regular bowel movements. Insoluble fibre is found in wholegrains, some vegetables and nuts.
• Soluble fibre: absorbs water, helps to soften stools and feeds beneficial gut bacteria. Soluble fibre is found in oats, beans, lentils and some fruits.

Most plant foods contain a mix of both types, which is why variety in the diet is so important.

Why is fibre important for young children?
Fibre plays a key role in both children’s and adult’s health, including:

• Supporting healthy digestion and keeping the gut working as it should
• Helping to prevent constipation
• Feeding the friendly bacteria in your gut microbiome, which supports immunity, protects against inflammatory diseases and can reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type two diabetes and bowel cancer.
• Supports overall wellbeing

How much fibre do we need?
In the UK, recommended daily fibre intakes are:

• 2-5 years 15g fibre per day
• 5-11 years 20g fibre per day
• 11-16 years 25g fibre per day
• 17 years+ 30g fibre per day

Despite these recommendations, most adults and children in the UK do not meet their daily fibre needs. This makes early years settings a vital opportunity for positive change.

What does 15g fibre look like for children?
Achieving 15g fibre daily doesn’t have to be difficult. When fibre rich foods are spread across meals and snacks it quickly adds up. For example, a typical day’s meals and snacks at nursery, using Nursery Kitchen meals, might provide…

Breakfast: 1 Weetabix with ½ banana ~ 2.25g fibre
Morning snack: Hummus with 1 rice cake ~ 2.7g fibre
Lunch: cowgirl millies sweet potato chilli with potato wedges ~ 5.5g fibre
Second Course: Braised apples and raisins with yoghurt ~ 1.3g fibre
Afternoon snack: pears ~ 0.9g fibre
Tea: chana masala with white rice ~ 4.7g fibre
Second Course: satsumas ~ 0.5g fibre

Total: 18g fibre

This shows how achievable fibre targets can be, even for young children, when meals and snacks are well planned and include a balance of food groups.

Top tips for increasing fibre intake

• Add fruits and crushed seeds to breakfast cereals and yoghurts
• Opt for wholegrain breakfast cereals which are low in sugar and salt such as Weetabix or oats.
• Add extra vegetables, beans and pulses to sauces, curries, soups and stews
• Use a mixture of brown and white rice, 50:50 bread or wholegrain and white pasta
• Leave skin on fruits and vegetables where appropriate
• Swap white crackers for oatcakes or wholegrain crackers with hummus
• Check back-of-pack food labels for the fibre content. 3g fibre or more per 100g counts as a source of fibre.

Remember…

• To offer plenty of water throughout the day too. Fibre needs fluid to help keep stools soft and support digestion.
• To increase the amount of fibre gradually, especially for young children. Sudden increases can cause bloating, increased gas and digestive discomfort.

By prioritising fibre in the early years, we’re not just supporting healthy digestion, we’re laying strong foundations for children’s health now and for the future.