Frequently asked questions
Sainsbury’s Kids range FAQs
Why do we say that the range is aimed at 4-8 year olds yet the GDA’s are based on 4-6 year olds?
Sainsbury’s have designed the products for 4-8 year olds as our research has shown that this is the age group that are most likely to consume this range. However there are no Guideline Daily Amounts (GDA’s) specifically for this age group, so we have chosen to work with stricter GDAs for girls 4-6 years and we have based our Multiple Traffic Light labelling criteria on this. The Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) publishes GDAs in order to provide standardisation across industry. GDAs are a guide as to how much calories, sugar, fat, saturates and sugar someone should be eating in a day.
Are the new products in the Sainsbury’s Kids range suitable for my child who is older than 8?
The Kids range is targeted at 4-8 year olds but of course the products are suitable for older children, however as the portions are designed for this younger age range you may need to add some additional carbohydrate (such as bread, potatoes, pasta or rice) or some extra veg on the side of our ready meals to ensure an older child is getting enough energy.
Why do some of the Sainsbury’s Kids products have red segments on the Multiple Traffic Light labelling on the pack?
You’ll see that most of the Multiple Traffic Light labelling will be green or amber because we have very strict standards tightly controlling the amount of fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt, that goes into our Kids products.
You’ll however see some reds. These appear on the dairy products (cheese and organic flavoured milk drinks). This is because dairy products contain high levels of naturally occurring fat and saturated fat. However in moderation and as part of a healthy balanced diet, milk and dairy products are an important food group for growing children, providing calcium, vitamin D and many other important nutrients. We’ve worked hard to get the fat levels as low as possible.
There are also some red traffic lights for sugar on our juicy water drinks. This is from the naturally occurring fruit sugar in the juice, but there is no additional added sugar.
How much is a child’s portion of fruit or veg?
Children’s 5-a-day portions vary greatly depending on age, size and appetite and there is no standardised portion set like the adult value of 80g. For this reason we have chosen an upper level of 60g to count as 1 portion and highlighted 40g as a contribution towards 5-a-day.
Our customers have told us how difficult it can be to get their children to eat fruit and veg so we have tried to include as much in our Kids products as possible.
You will find many of our Kids products contain 1 portion or contribute towards 1 of your child’s 5-a-day. Look for the logo on pack to identify these products.
Does the Sainsbury’s Kids range contain any artificial colours, flavourings, preservatives or sweeteners?
Our Kids range contains no artificial colours or flavourings.
None of our Kids range contains artificial sweeteners except for our Kids ‘no added sugar flavoured waters’. These contain sucralose to give our customers choice, providing a sugar-free option in the case of special dietary requirements such as diabetes.
We don’t allow any artificial preservatives unless they are completely necessary for food safety and there is no suitable alternative. The only product in our Kids range containing preservatives is our Kids Meatballs*.
Should I be restricting my child’s intake of any nutrients?
Although you should not be encouraging excessive consumption of fat, saturated fat, sugar or salt, it is not appropriate for young children to have a restricted diet which is low in fat and calories (unless specified by a healthcare professional.) This is due to children’s high energy requirements needed for healthy growth and development.
* This information was updated on 09/04/2008, however with some many new and developing lines we cannot guarantee this information will be the most recent, so please check the label information on pack.
