Sometimes a full plate isn’t enough. During National Nutrition Week, South African parents were invited to focus on what’s on the plate with their children’s nutrition in mind – helping to support growth, improve concentration, and boost energy in the classroom.
Cape Town, South Africa (18 October 2026) – Most parents know a hungry child struggles to learn. However, fewer realise that what a little child eats daily in the first years of life helps shape how their brain develops, how they grow and how ready they are for school.
During Nutrition Week (9–15 October) and World Food Day (16 October), Ladles of Love asked South African families to look at what was on their children’s plates.
The charity turned its much-loved preschool feeding programme into a nationwide conversation about nutrition and sharing simple, affordable habits parents can start at home today.
The Nourish Our Children programme provides healthy daily meals to 18,500 children and teachers in 233 preschools across the Western Cape, Gauteng and Northern Cape. Having seen the positive impact of consistent good nutrition on the children has spurred Ladles of Love to want every South African family to understand what eating right has the power to do.
South Africa’s food problem is about having too little. Around one in four children under five in South Africa is stunted, meaning they are too short for their age because of long-term poor nutrition, according to the South Africa Demographic and Health Survey. Stunting is linked to weaker school performance and lower earnings later in life, and much of the damage happens before a child turns five.
“This Nutrition Week, let’s look beyond simply filling stomachs and focus on nourishing young minds and bodies. Every nutritious meal given to a child in their early years is an investment in how they grow, learn and ultimately what they can become. Together, we can help ensure that every child has access to the nutrition they need to reach their full potential and become active citizens,” says Danny Diliberto, Founder and Director of Ladles of Love.
At the preschools supported by Ladles of Love, the principals see the impact of good nutrition on both the children and their teachers every day: in attendance, concentration, and the energy in the classroom.
Monica November, Principal at Hope of Africa Preschool in Delft, says that ever since Ladles of Love started providing them with nutritious food, attendance and wellness have increased.
“Many of the children come because they know they will get a nutritious meal at school every day, and that daily nourishment makes a real difference to both their cognitive and physical development.”
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Yolanda Jones, Programme Director, explains that these results start in the kitchen, where meals are prepared to be both nourishing and appealing to young children.
“We work with expert Chef Jane to assist us in devising healthy meal plans and teach our preschool principals and their cooks not to overcook the vegetables, so they stay crunchy and keep their nutrients. That way, the meals are full of flavour but still healthy for the children,” says Yolanda
Nourishing Children Is About More Than Simply Addressing Hunger
Ladles of Love is inviting South African parents to focus on the nutrition of their own children and, if they are able, to support those less fortunate by giving little learners the best start in life to support their education.
Good nutrition does not have to be expensive or complicated, and the impact is growing healthier generations of children and a better future for all.
How to be a champion of good nutrition:
Become a monthly donor. R300 a month covers two healthy meals a day for one child. Donors receive a Section 18A tax certificate. Give at Ladles of Love -Donate.
Volunteer. Help prepare and pack meals with the Ladles of Love team in Cape Town. Visit: Ladles of Love – Volunteer
Bring your business on board. Companies can support Nourish Our Children through CSI partnerships that invest in long-term child development.
Share the message. Pass these nutrition tips on to other parents and follow Ladles of Love on social media.
8 Simple Nourishing Habits for Families
- Breakfast first: Oats, maize meal or sorghum plus fruit or milk gives children energy to learn, play and grow.
- Eat seasonal veg: Cabbage, spinach, pumpkin, carrots and sweet potatoes are affordable, nutrient-rich choices.
- Go wholegrain: Unrefined maize meal, oats, sorghum, brown rice and wholegrain bread provide lasting energy.
- Stretch with beans: Beans, lentils, split peas and soya are affordable proteins that keep children fuller longer.
- Calcium daily: Milk, maas and yoghurt support growing bones and teeth.
- Water first: Make water the main drink and keep sugary drinks for occasional use.
- Flavour naturally: Use onion, garlic, herbs and spices instead of excess salt and stock cubes. Avoid overcooking vegetables.
- Cook together: Involve children in washing vegetables or packing lunchboxes to build a positive relationship with food.
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