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Food Foundations
In This Issue
Food and sensory needs of children
Subscriber offer for menu reviews
Vegetarian meals
Bush tucker foods
Facts about milk
Free professional development for ECEC cooks and chefs
2024 Food Safety Supervisor Courses
Recipes
Training Opportunities
Access links
Food and sensory needs of children
Children are all unique and experience food in different ways with their senses. To one child a strong flavour is delicious on their tastebuds, while for another, more mild flavours are preferred.
By understanding children's different food journeys, we can better support them in their exploration of food. Here are a couple of types of sensory needs and preferences of children and how we can support them.
Sensory Seekers
Children who are sensory seekers explore the world with all of their senses, and often seek out big flavours and textures.
They may prefer foods that have crunchy or chewy textures, such as apples, carrots, crackers, or chewy dried fruits.
Big flavours they may like could include pickled foods, flavourful dips, herbs and spices.
Sensory Avoiders
Children who are sensory avoiders will seek milder flavours, consistent textures and may prefer food that is separated. They may not like to touch foods with their bare hands.
- Try offering picnic style meals where they can select separate foods rather than mixed foods.
- When serving food, keep it separated on their plate or allow them to serve on to their plate how they prefer.
- Support children to use utensils to help them pick up food - fork, spoon, chopsticks or food picks.
Timid Tastebuds
Children who have timid tastebuds are still learning about flavours and textures. They may take some extra time to build up their confidence to explore new foods.
- Always include a familiar or 'safe' food at a meal that children will be able to enjoy.
- Offer small amounts of 'new' foods for exposure, allowing children to decide if they will eat the new food or not.
Subscriber offer for menu reviews
For menu reviews booked in the next month, we are offering all Food Foundations subscribers the following rate for a 4 week menu review.
4 week menu review - $390+GST (Usually $550+GST)
Our 4 week menu review is a great quality improvement activity that will support your centre to meet the National Quality Standards, and more importantly ensure children in your care are receiving nourishing foods for their growth and development.
Menu Reviews booked in the next month can be completed anytime up to the end of May 2025.
Click on the button below to request a menu review for your service.
Vegetarian meals
If you provide food at your centre, it is great to include vegetarian meals on your menu at least once a fortnight. When providing vegetarian meals it is important to include ingredients that include protein, iron, and vitamin C.
Vegetarian ingredients that are high in protein include legumes (e.g. chickpeas, kidney beans, cannellini beans, baked beans), lentils, eggs, tofu or soy products (e.g. edamame beans), milk, yoghurt, cheese, nuts or seeds.
Ingredients that are a source of iron include eggs, legumes, baked beans, tofu, and peas.
Foods high in vitamin C include most vegetables and fruit. Some vegetables high in Vitamin C include broccoli, sweet potato, spinach, frozen mixed veggies, zucchini, capsicum, cauliflower, tomato and green beans etc. Some fruits high in Vitamin C include oranges, mandarins, pineapple, berries, kiwi fruit, pawpaw and rockmelon.
Here are some vegetarian meal ideas that include these important nutrients:
- Chickpea and pumpkin curry with broccoli and rice
- Tofu, mixed vegetable and noodle stir fry
- Bean and vegetable hot pot
- Chickpea and sweet potato patties with wraps and salad
- Mexican bean burrito
- Roast vegetable frittata
- Lentil and vegetable lasagne
- Sunflower seed pesto and pumpkin pasta
Email us your favourite Vegetarian recipe and we will share it in our next E-newsletter!
Bush tucker foods
Exploring bush tucker foods as part of your early years service program allows children the opportunity to learn about the many different foods and flavours that are part of Australia's diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. Here are a few tips on ways to integrate learning around Australian bush foods into your service.
- Connect with local Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander leaders in your community. They may be able to provide insights into bush foods from the local area, their uses, how to grow and cook with them.
- Source some bush tucker herbs and spices and use them in a cooking experience with children - lemon myrtle, bush tomato, wattle seed, pepperberry, or salt bush are great flavours.
- If you have space in your centre garden, plant some bush foods. Look at what grows well in your local area, and what you might be able to harvest and use in cooking experiences.
- If you are a centre that provides food, add some bush tucker foods to your menu. This could be a wattle seed or lemon myrtle flavoured damper,
Facts about milk
Milk is wonderful! A fantastic source of protein and calcium for building strong muscles and bones. Here are a few facts about milk to consider at your service.
- Wait until children are 12 months old before offering cow's milk as a drink. Why? Because the protein level in regular cows milk can be difficult for babies to digest. It is ok to offer milk that is included in recipes (e.g. in baking or meals).
- Plant based milk substitutes (nut or cereal based milks) are not naturally high in calcium or protein. Check the nutrition information panel to see if the brand you buy has been fortified with calcium - it should have at least 100mg of Calcium per 100mL. Of all the milk substitutes available, soy milk contains a similar amount of protein to cows milk.
- Children who drink lots of milk often won't get enough iron and fibre in their diet. They may drink so much milk that their tummies are full, and so they eat less food. It is recommended to offer children no more than 500mL of milk as a drink in a 24hr period.
- Children aged 1-2 years should be given full cream milk (~4% fat) instead of reduced fat milk varieties, as the extra energy is needed for their growth.
FREE professional development for
ECEC cooks and chefs
Menu Planning in ECEC Settings Workshop
This 2hr virtual workshop is included in Food Foundations subscription for cooks and chefs who work in ECEC settings. The workshop will provide ideas for creating menus with nourishing snacks and meals, and managing dietary requirements of children attending your service. We hold one workshop each month. Click on the button below to find out more and register for the February workshop. We look forward to seeing you there!
2025 Food Safety Supervisor Courses
We offer Food Safety Supervisor training for those working in early years, OSHC, aged care and disability settings. This practical course enables you to complete all assessment on the day, and is delivered by our team of experienced trainers who work within community settings. The course prepares food safety supervisors to supervise and oversee day to day operations and to prevent and recognise food safety hazards in their workplace through nationally recognised training.
Live Virtual and Face to Face Course Cost: $385
Click on the button below to register and find out more about the requirements for completing this course (please note the additional requirements for a live virtual course). The course runs from 9am-4pm. Upcoming courses available:
Thursday 24th April (Face to Face - Grange Community Hall)
Tuesday 20th May (Live virtual)
Tuesday 10th June (Live virtual)
Tuesday 1st July (Face to Face - Northgate Hall)
Tuesday 15th July (Live virtual)
If these options don’t suit, please don't hesitate to email us at training@naqld.org with your preferred date and time. We will try to accommodate your request if possible.
We also offer private courses delivered at your workplace for a minimum of 6 people ($385 per person). Please phone or email us to find out more.
Recipes
This month we wanted to share some more of our favourite recipes from Lunchbox Week! These Savoury Scrolls and Mini Meatballs are two great savoury snack ideas that you could add to your menu, or share these with families at your centre. The pictorial recipes are also great for children to follow if they want to get involved in cooking in the kitchen. Click on the buttons to download the recipes.
Training opportunities
Online Training
We offer self-paced online training programs through our partner In Safe Hands. Click on the following buttons for more information and to register.
Level 1 - Safe Food Handling for the Early Years Sector
Mealtimes, Food, and Nutrition for ECEC Educators (0 to 5 year olds)
Advanced - Safe Food Handling for the Early Years Sector - coming soon
Access links
Once logged in to the subscriber section of our website, access the following:
Do you have a question for the Food Foundations team?
Feel free to give us a call (07 3257 4393) or email through your questions to foodfoundations@naqld.org
Nutrition Australia
Ph: (07) 3257 4393
Email: foodfoundations@naqld.org
Website: www.naqld.org
Nutrition Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land we work on and pays respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
