Dietitian launches food superhero book as child nutrition concerns grow

Lucy Whiteside, a Specialist Children’s Dietitian with over 13 years of NHS experience and founder of Flourish Kids, has written The Amazing Fruitables and the Ice Cream Thieves, a colourful story using fun food superhero characters to help both children and parents understand how food supports growing bodies.

The book will be available from 5th March to coincide with World Book Day and was inspired by Lucy’s own children, who encouraged her to combine her passion for food science with her love of storytelling.

“In my clinical work I was seeing more and more parents navigating fussy eating and food anxiety alone,” Lucy explains. “Many children don’t meet NHS referral criteria, yet families are still struggling. At the same time, parents are overwhelmed by conflicting advice. I wanted to create something that simplifies nutrition and makes it feel positive rather than pressured.”

The story follows a group of food friends who become superheroes, teaching children the power of eating certain foods together and what this can unlock in their bodies in a fun and imaginative way. In the first book, children discover how nutrients like calcium and vitamin D work together to build strong, healthy bones and bodies, giving the characters the strength they need to defeat the mischievous Ice Cream Thieves.

While the story captures children’s imaginations, it also gently educates parents about how nutrients work together and why balance matters without fear-based messaging or rigid rules encouraging positive food exposure in a natural way.

The launch comes at a crucial time for child health in the UK. Recent figures have highlighted rising eating difficulties among young people, while data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey continues to show that many children are not meeting recommended intakes for key nutrients such as fibre and vitamin D.

Alongside this, new Early Years nutrition guidance introduced in 2025 and the expansion of free school meal entitlement from 2026 aim to support families and improve child health nationwide.

“For me, these changes are really positive,” Lucy says. “But education is just as important as policy. When children understand food and parents feel confident about what they’re offering, we create calmer mealtimes and healthier habits for life.”

Lucy’s book is closely linked to her growing local business, Flourish Kids, which runs playful food education sessions across Northamptonshire. The classes combine sensory food play, simple cooking, storytelling and learning where food comes from all designed to reduce mealtime stress and build food confidence for the whole family.

“The book brings what we do in sessions into homes and classrooms,” Lucy adds. “It helps families start positive conversations about food.”

The Amazing Fruitables and the Ice Cream Thieves is the first in a planned Fruitables series, with future stories set to explore themes such as energy, immunity, gut health and eye health continuing the mission to make nutrition accessible, empowering and enjoyable.

“My goal is to help children flourish in both body and mind,” Lucy says. “If we can educate families early and make food feel exciting instead of stressful, we can make a real difference.”

To purchase the book head to: www.flourishkids.co.uk

📚 Book Launch Event – Families Invited

To celebrate the launch of The Amazing Fruitables and the Ice Cream Thieves, Lucy is hosting a fun family book launch party at Flourish Kids HQ in Bugbrooke.

📅 Date: 7th March

⏰ Time: 1:00pm

📍 Location: Flourish Kids HQ, Bugbrooke (outdoor venue)

What’s happening:

• Live storytelling with Preacher the Storyteller

• Face painting by Rainbow Faces by Elle

• Signed copies of the book

• Family-friendly food fun and activities

🎟 Tickets: £10 for up to two adults and one child (includes a signed book and entertainment)

Additional children £3 each

📲 Booking: www.bookwhen.com/flourish360

or email: [email protected]