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Healthy Eating and Mealtime Policy V2016.1
HEALTHY EATING AND MEALTIME
POLICY
SUB CATEGORY: Health, Hygiene and Safety
POLICY GOAL
To ensure the nutritional needs of all children are met, either through food provided by the setting
or food brought from home. To provide relaxed, social mealtime environments where children can
try new foods and enjoy eating.
RATIONALE
The Australian Government has published a set of resources called “Get Up & Grow – Healthy Eating
and Physical Activity for Early Childhood”. Our service uses these resources as well as the “5th
Edition Staying Healthy Preventing Infectious Diseases in Early Childhood Education and Care
Services” as guides to ensuring we are providing healthy and safe meal opportunities to children.
“Babies do not need sweet drinks such as cordial, soft drink and fruit juice, or other drinks such as tea
or coffee. These should not be offered, especially from a bottle. Sweet drinks can reduce a baby’s
appetite for nutritious foods and increase the risk of dental decay. Breastmilk and infant formula are
appropriate drinks for babies.
Adequate nutrition is essential for the active growth and development that takes place in early
childhood. Having good eating habits and a balanced diet supports children’s health and wellbeing,
and minimises the risk of illness. Eating habits developed in the early years are likely to have a
lifelong influence.
Experiences in early childhood settings can influence young children’s eating behaviours and
nutritional intake. Work with parents and families to support and encourage healthy eating for
children. Whether a setting provides meals and snacks for children or children bring them from home,
there are many opportunities to encourage good eating habits.
Choking risks for toddlers and young children
Children can easily inhale or ingest food, and their small airways are easily blocked. Children should
sit down whenever they are eating, and their eating should be supervised. Particular food items pose
greater choking risks to young children, and extra care should be taken with these foods.
Foods to be careful with include:
• hard food that can break into smaller lumps or pieces
• raw carrot, celery and apple pieces, which should be grated, finely sliced, cooked or mashed to
prevent choking
• nuts, seeds and popcorn
• tough or chewy pieces of meat
• sausages and hot dogs, which should have the skin removed and be cut into small pieces to
prevent choking.
Hard lollies and corn chips also present a choking risk, but these should not be offered in the setting
as they are sometimes foods.” 1
1
“Get up and Grow – Healthy Eating and Physical Activity for Early Childhood – Director/Coordinator
Book”, Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (2009)
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Healthy Eating and Mealtime Policy V2016.1
“Certain foods can be dangerous for young children because they are easily inhaled and block
breathing tubes. These include nuts, raw carrots and other hard vegetables, pieces of apple, popcorn,
corn chips, lollies and grapes. Remember that young children under the age of three years may not
be able to chew properly because they do not yet have their full set of teeth, so anything that is small
and firm is a potential hazard.
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Never give nuts to children under five years of age.
Carrots and other hard fruit and vegetables should be cooked, mashed or grated.
Stay with young children at eating times and make sure they sit quietly while eating or
drinking.
Meat should be cooked and cut into small pieces.
Never force young children to eat, as this may cause them to choke.
Nurse your baby while he/she drinks from a bottle.
A baby should not be left alone with a propped bottle.”2
IMPLEMENTATION
ALL SERVICES
 Educators must ensure that children have access to safe drinking water at all times, and have
food and drinks available throughout the day not just a specific routine meal times.
 Learning programs promote healthy lifestyles, including nutrition, healthy foods and sometimes
foods and discussions about meals will be respectful to families’ cultural beliefs and lifestyle
choices.
 Educators will model and reinforce health, nutrition and personal hygiene with children
throughout the day.
 Educators will follow the Food Handling Policy and ensure the safe storage and heating of food
and drinks.
 We encourage and support mothers to breastfeed, information is available and breastfeeding
mothers are welcome to use the service facilities when feeding.
 Educators follow the guidelines below in relation to mealtimes and behaviour from the Get up
and Grow resource;
o Food is never used as a reward or denied as a punishment, or used to comfort children.
o Mealtimes are positive, relaxed and social.
o Staff and carers model healthy eating behaviours by sitting with children at mealtimes
and interacting with them.
o If food is provided by the setting, staff and carers model healthy eating by eating the
same foods as the children.
o Meals and snacks are offered at regular and predictable intervals.
o Food servings are of a suitable size, so children have control over their own choice to eat
and the amount they eat.
o Extra food is available if children are still hungry at the end of a meal or snack.
o Food is seen as important for a healthy body, and not related to weight or body shape.
o Fussy eating is dealt with in a relaxed way that encourages the child to try new foods,
but does not use praise or rewards for eating.
o Special occasions are recognised and celebrated with limited use of ‘sometimes foods’.
Alternatives to focusing on food are considered for celebrations.
o Cultural and religious beliefs are respected when planning, preparing and serving food in
the setting.” 3
2
The Royal Children’s Hospital (accessed on-line April 2016)
http://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Choking,_Suffocation_and_Strangulation/
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Healthy Eating and Mealtime Policy V2016.1
Meal Times
 Educators recognise that meal and snack times provide an opportunity for children to develop
good eating behaviours, enjoy eating and learn about nutrition and different varieties of foods.
 Educators will promote relaxed and enjoyable mealtimes and promote healthy lifestyles and
good nutrition, educators will engage in meaningful conversations with children during meal
times.
 Children must always be supervised during meal times
 Children should always sit down to eat at meal and snack times.
 Educators will set the scene for a positive mealtime and understand that mess is to be expected
especially with younger children.
 Educators will ensure they do not react negatively to the inevitable mess that comes with
children’s exploration of food however playing with food such as throwing or spitting it is not
acceptable.
 Children should be well supervised to prevent the sharing of food, especially where there are
known allergies.
 5th Edition Staying Healthy Preventing Infectious Diseases in Early Childhood Education and Care
Services recommends the following for meal and snack times;
o “Clean the surfaces that will come in contact with the food and with the utensils that are
to be used for the meal.
o Wash and dry your hands thoroughly before preparing or serving food.
o Check that all children have washed and dried their hands before they eat or drink.
o The same guidelines apply when you are preparing to give an infant a bottle as when you
are preparing food for older children to eat.
o During the meal:
o If children are sharing food from a common bowl or plate, make sure they
understand that they need to use tongs, spoons or other appropriate utensils to
take the food they want to eat. Remind them that they cannot touch food that is
being shared because this can spread germs that might make them or other
children ill. This is why it is important to use utensils, not your hands, when
taking food from a common bowl or plate.
o Do not allow children to share individual eating or drinking utensils, or take food
from other children’s plates or bowls.
o Use a separate spoon for each infant you feed.
o Teach children to turn away from food when they cough or sneeze, and then to
wash their hands.
o If you are interrupted to care for another child while preparing food or spoonfeeding an infant, be sure to wash your hands again before you continue.”4
SERVICES PROVING MEALS
 Information about allergies and intolerances are collected at the time of enrolment and
educators ensure this information is provided in numerous locations.
 Nominated Supervisors and those responsible for preparing meals will ensure that food provided
is nutritious and adequate in quantity, and takes into account dietary requirements appropriate
3
“Get up and Grow – Healthy Eating and Physical Activity for Early Childhood – Director/Coordinator
Book”, Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (2009)
4
“5th Edition Staying Healthy Preventing Infectious Diseases in Early Childhood Education and Care
Services” Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council 2012
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Healthy Eating and Mealtime Policy V2016.1
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to each child’s growth and development needs, and any specific cultural, religious or health
requirements.
An accurate weekly menu must be displayed where it is readily accessible to all families
Where a menu changes this information will be provided to families on the menu board.
Menus will be planned to ensure they are consistent with recommendations of the Australian
Government Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Guidelines for Early Childhood Settings.
Menu planning will encourage children to try a variety of new foods and take into account the
cultural and religious beliefs of families.
Foods that pose a choking risk will not be provided to children, refer to the Get up and Grow
Resource Book and information in rationale from Royal Children’s Hospital.
Cooks and those responsible for providing food must be provided with a copy of this policy and
are responsible for keeping up to date with recalls and dietary requirements.
Nominated Supervisors and Cooks/chefs must keep up to date with food recalls issued by Food
Standards Australia New Zealand. Services should subscribe to keep up to date with food recalls.
http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/media/pages/subscriptionservice.aspx
WHERE FAMILIES SUPPLY MEALS
 Educators promote healthy choices through strategies such as information pamphlets and
articles in newsletters from recognised nutrition authorities.
 Educators will advise families about foods that are choking hazards so these can be removed
from children’s lunch boxes
 Children’s lunches should be stored so that there is sufficient air flow in the refrigerator to keep
food at a safe temperature
 Families are encouraged to provide nutritious lunch options for children and reduce the supply
of “sometimes foods”.
 Families are encouraged to include a variety of healthy and nutritious foods for meals and snacks
in their children’s lunchboxes; including fruit and vegetables, wholegrain cereal products, dairy
products, lean meats and alternatives.
 Families must not use cling wrap in children’s lunch boxes as this poses a safety risk to children,
educators should monitor the supply of cling wrap and advise families of this policy.
 Chewing gum is not permitted at the centre.
 Water is the preferred drink for children. Cordial and juice are not recommended. Children
should not consume fizzy drinks, sports drinks or drinks containing caffeine.
 Families should be educated on foods which may present choking hazards and either not supply
or modify to reduce the risk. Modification could include, cooking, cutting or grating.
 Where there are potential choking foods educators must take steps to reduce the risk, this could
including cutting grapes in half as an example.
COMMUNICATION AND CONSULTATION
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Educators and Families will have access to this policy at all times.
Educators and families will be provided with opportunities to be involved in the review of this
policy.
Where food is provided families will be made aware of the menu which will be displayed at all
times.
Information on nutrition and healthy eating will be provided to families throughout the year and
will be readily available upon request.
Those responsible for providing meals at a service (cook, nominated supervisor) will be provided
with a copy of this policy and are responsible for keeping up to date with recalls and dietary
requirements.
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Healthy Eating and Mealtime Policy V2016.1
RELATED FORMS AND DOCUMENTS
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Caring for Babies Policy
Food Handling Policy
Enrolment Form
SCOPE AND ENFORCEMENT
The Failure of any person to comply with this policy in its entirety may lead to;
 Termination of Child Enrolment
 Performance Management of an employee which may lead to Termination
RECOGNISED AUTHORITIES AND DOCUMENTS WHICH GUIDE POLICY
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“5th Edition Staying Healthy Preventing Infectious Diseases in Early Childhood Education and Care
Services” Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council 2012
“Guide to the Education and Care Services National Law and the Education and Care Services
National Regulations 2011” Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (June
2014)
“Guide to the National Quality Standard”, Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality
Authority (Sept 2013)
“Get up and Grow – Healthy Eating and Physical Activity for Early Childhood –
Director/Coordinator Book”, Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (2009)
Nutrition Australia website and related factsheets (accessed on-line April 2016)
http://www.nutritionaustralia.org)
Recommendations made by Maryann Falkiner - Project Officer NSW Hunter New England
Population Health when reviewing current policy provided in email October 2012.
The Royal Children’s Hospital (accessed on-line April 2016)
http://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Choking,_Suffocation_and_Strangulation/
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (accessed on-line April 2016
http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/industry/foodrecalls/pages/default.aspx )
DATE CREATED:
November 2011
REVIEW DETAILS:
Review Date Details of Changes
January 2013
March 2013
January 2014
Changes made under “where families supply food” recommended change by
Hunter New England Population Health.
 Families are encouraged to include a variety of healthy and nutritious foods
for meals and snacks in their children’s lunchboxes; including fruit and
vegetables, wholegrain cereal products, dairy products, lean meats and
alternatives.
 Water is the preferred drink for children. Cordial and juice are not
recommended. Children should not consume fizzy drinks, sports drinks or
drinks containing caffeine.
Awaiting release of Staying Healthy in Childcare edition 5
Updated with “5th Edition Staying Healthy Preventing Infectious Diseases in Early
Childhood Education and Care Services” Australian Government National Health
and Medical Research Council 2012. Meal and snack time recommendations
updated p 3.
No changes made, sources updated where applicable
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Healthy Eating and Mealtime Policy V2016.1
May 2015
January 2016
April 2016
No changes made, sources updated where applicable
Additional information in rationale from Royal Children’s Hospital in relation to
foods which are choking hazards. Inclusion of grapes as a potential for choking.
Further information around reducing choking hazards has been included under
both providing meals and where families provide meals. Inclusion of services to
keep up to date with food recalls with Food Standards Australia New Zealand by
subscribing to the alerts.
No changes made, sources updated where applicable
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