New DGS guidelines - Healthy eating in crèches
28/09/2026
DGS publishes first national guidelines for feeding in crèches
For the first time, the Directorate-General for Health (DGS) publishes national guidelines for the provision of food in crèches and other social responses addressed to children up to the age of 3.
The document sets out recommendations for a nutritionally adequate, safe and age- and development-appropriate diet for each child, covering the composition and number of meals, portions, textures and foods to be favoured or limited.
Among the main principles are the promotion and protection of breastfeeding, food diversity, high nutritional density and the limitation of ultra-processed foods, products with added sugars and foods with high salt content.
The guidelines also include recommendations for food allergies and intolerances, vegetarian food and therapeutic diets, as well as practical suggestions for menus, lunches and snacks.
The DGS underlines the importance of this intervention in the first 1000 days of life, a decisive period for the growth, development and formation of eating habits with an impact on health throughout life.
Learn more here:
Consult the Manual here: (PDF - 18250 Kb )
Source: www.dgs.pt
