A variety of nutritious foods will be incorporated into the Centre's menus including:
- Breads, cereals, vegetables and fruits.
- Meat, fish, and chicken.
- Full cream milk for 2 years and under, skim milk for over 2 years, yoghurts and cheeses.
- Meat alternatives such as legumes.
- Meals and snacks from a variety of origins.
- Foods low in added sugar, salt and fats.
- Water, available at all times throughout the day.
Food provided is consistent with the Australian Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents and the Australian guidelines Get up and Grow: Healthy eating and physical activity for early childhood. The menu aims to provide at least 50% of the recommended dietary intake of key nutrients for children. To support this, the centre implements a 4 week rotating menu that is reviewed and changed every 3 months and may vary due to seasonal changes. All educators receive training in food safety and food handling using the 'Food Safe Food Handler Training Program' within 1 month of commencing employment at the Centre.
Educators aim to accommodate children's individual eating requirements wherever possible and additional food is made available to children who are hungry. At all times food provided will be developmentally appropriate. Food will not be used as a punishment or reward, whether by its provision or denial.
Our Centre encourages birthday celebrations and we ask families to provide vanilla, soy vanilla ice-cream or 99% fruit juice blocks as a birthday cake alternative.
Families bringing food into the Centre for social events will be asked to label food including a list of ingredients. Nuts and nut-derived products are potentially fatal to some children, so we ask that families to observe the centres 'nut free' approach. (Please see anaphylaxis Policy)
Families are reminded that no drinks or food items be brought into the centre or left in children's bags.
