In recent weeks, we informed you that research found that 95% of Early Childhood Services in Australia are feeding children incorrectly balanced meals and failing to meet NQS Requirements. A new online menu planning tool feedAustralia has now been developed in partnership with Healthy Australia available free to all Early Childhood Settings to ensure nutritional requirements are met for all children.
The feedAustralia online menu planning tool, works by providing a platform to enter all your meals and snacks, quantities and recipes, using a searchable database of over 2,000 food items. The online menu planning tool will compare your menu based on NSW Nutritional Guidelines ‘Caring for Children’ and will assist your service to make changes to meet these guidelines.
The program's online menu planning tool will be used to monitor, assess and improve the delivery of food and drinks provided to children in early childhood education and care, in alignment with Australian Dietary Guidelines.
One of FeedAustralia’s goals is to significantly increase menu options which align with the National Quality Standard, especially Standard 2.2. Quality area 2, children’s health and safety, under the National Quality Standard is to promote children’s health through healthy eating. Services are assessed and rated on health and safety standards including promoting healthy and nutritious food and drinks for each child.
The feedAustralia program is available to all early childhood education and care providers at no cost. Providers will also have access to free onboarding and support to assist with the set-up and integration of the feedAustralia program.
Early childhood education and care providers are invited to register their interest in the feedAustralia program. feedAustralia will be available to all providers in early 2018.
Reference:
FeedAutralia
NSW Department Of Education
95% Of Menu Plans Unhealthy In Early Childhood Settings