A group of Bristol nurseries have been praised in a report investigating the food served to toddlers across the UK.

The report found Abbeywood Tots nurseries in Filton, Stockwood and Abbeywood were feeding children balanced, nutritious meals.

The nurseries, which are all certified organic by the Soil Association, spend 80p a day on food per pupil but manage to serve 100 per cent organic and local food.

The report, produced by baby food company Organix and the Bristol-based Soil Association, found at other British nurseries the foods served was often unhealthy and processed. It showed some nurseries spent only 25p on food per child per day, and foods banned or restricted in primary and secondary schools – chips, sweets and chocolate – were regularly served in nurseries.

Abbeywood Tots owner Mike Williams said he decided to go 100 per cent organic so the nurseries could provide a healthy balanced diet for the children and because they wanted to source in the Bristol and surrounding area.

Mr Williams said: "It was not an easy process by any means and it did take time to find the suppliers with the right quality products and the right delivery times. We had to make the changes gradually, and not overnight."

First they looked at meat, and now all of their beef, pork and lamb is supplied by Cullimore's organic food company in Stroud.

Mr Williams orders a month in advance, and Cullimore's delivers once a month, which helps to keep delivery costs down. Most of the meat comes in fresh and the nursery freezes it.

In order to pay for the organic meat on the menu, the nurseries reduced the number of times they eat meat to two or three times per week.

The rest of the time the caterer cooks pulses, pasta dishes and fish dishes.

After some initial teething problems with their fruit and vegetable suppliers, Mr Williams tried the Bristol wholesale fruit market in St Philip's, Bristol.

Now the nurseries are supplied by MD Kidners, who deliver every Monday.

Mr Williams said: "The produce is very high quality and it lasts well. The ordering system is simple – each week the supplier sends me a fax through of what is available and where it comes from. The nursery then chooses what it wants, and makes sure the majority of produce is local."

To supply a fully organic menu, Abbeywood Tots found the costs went up by 20 per cent at first, but this was off-set by lower wastage and is now down to 15 per cent.

Organix and the Soil Association have started a campaign on the back of the report called Better Nursery Food Now.

Abbeywood Tots was shortlisted in the best family business, and company with a turnover under £5 million categories in the 2008 Bristol Evening Post Business Awards.