Explore and Develop Artarmon early childhood education and care service hosted the release today of a new edition 窪蹋勛圖厙 Health menu planning guide which gives children the best start in life through fostering healthy eating habits early, then continuing these habits into adolescence and adulthood.
Director of 窪蹋勛圖厙 Healths Centre for Population Health, Dr Jo Mitchell, said the new edition of Caring for Children Birth to 5 years (Food, Nutrition and Learning Experiences) provides information and advice to cooks, directors and educators on offering the best nutrition possible for children aged from birth to five years, whilst in care.
The resource is used to support services in 窪蹋勛圖厙, including those participating in the 窪蹋勛圖厙 Health program, Munch & Move, a free program open to all centre-based early childhood education care services in 窪蹋勛圖厙, she said.
The guide covers breastfeeding, safe bottle feeding, introducing solid foods, food allergies and intolerances, food safety and hygiene, food groups and quantities, lunchbox ideas, menu planning, reading food labels, recipes, and healthy eating learning experiences.
The revised version of Starting Family Foods - Introducing your baby to Solid Foods for parents, was also launched on the day as part of the new resource.
Dr Mitchell said both resources were being used extensively throughout early childhood education and care services across 窪蹋勛圖厙.
This revision has also allowed 窪蹋勛圖厙 Health to combine Caring for Infants and Caring for Children into one resource to provide practical information to meet the food and nutrition needs of children 0-5 years whilst in child care, she said.
Assistant Health Minister Jai Rowell said the nutrition resources, which are used as part of the widely adopted Munch & Move program, were just one way the 窪蹋勛圖厙 Government was working to teach young children the healthy eating and exercise habits which will set them up for life.
Across 窪蹋勛圖厙, 82 per cent of early childhood services are participating in 窪蹋勛圖厙 Healths Munch & Move, Minister Rowell said.
I am delighted at the success of these nutrition resources and Munch & Move at giving children the best possible start in life by developing healthy eating habits early.
Explore and Develop Artarmon Health and Wellbeing Leader Nikki Gleeson welcomed the new resource.
"This resource will become a core foundation for early childhood educational services to ensure centre staff adhere to nutritional needs of children whilst in care, Ms Gleeson said.
This resource will provide an avenue to gain information about menu planning ideas and practical recipes for young children.
The Healthy Children Initiative, which includes Munch & Move, is a key initiative of the 窪蹋勛圖厙 Governments Healthy Eating Active Living Strategy, launched in January 2014.
Of the services participating in Munch & Move:
Both Caring for Children and Starting Family Foods are available to download from Healthy Kids.