Elior introduces food training for French toddlers

Elior, the French catering company, has unveiled a new concept to encourage young children to try different food at an early age.

The idea, according to the caterer, was to overcome the "meal phobia" that occurred in young kids, causing them to reject a lot of food. The new idea, called the restaurant des tout-petits, or toddlers' canteen, encourages three- to six-year-olds to touch and smell different types of food before each meal.

Anne Babkine, Elior's marketing director for education, healthcare and seniors, said the idea was to awaken children's senses and taste-buds to different foods. "The simple discovery of a new food helps to educate children's taste through touch and smell."

Each day a member of the school's catering staff gives a brief talk to the toddlers explaining a new food group and different product, she explained. But the new concept didn't end there - children were encouraged to sit and eat their meal in a family-style setting with specially designed small tables and chairs and colourful cutlery.

She added that smaller children under the age of five would be served their food from a small central canteen, while the older kids would serve themselves a starter and a dessert.

The idea was that children would sit and eat a three-course meal in their own time and at their own pace in a fun environment. "We know that children eat more when they serve themselves," said Babkine. "One of our goals is for the children to learn at an early age the construction of a proper meal, with a starter, a hot meal and a dessert."

Local authorities usually pay about half the total cost of the food and would also set nutritional guidelines, Babkine said. Parents pay for the rest, between g1 and g3.5 (70p-£2.45) depending on their income and allowances. The meals cost about g1.6-g2 (£1.10-£1.40) to produce.

Babkine said the meal costs were similar to a normal nursery school service, but schools had to invest in the furniture and cutlery, which cost about g10,000-g13,000 (£7,000-£9,100) per school.

The new concept is currently operating in seven schools in Paris's 18th district. The caterer, which is the second biggest player in the education sector in France, provides about 500,000 meals a day to three- to 18-year-olds.