1. Promote healthy food and drinks based on the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating

Trinity Preschool will:

• Encourage the inclusion of a wide variety of healthy and nutritious foods for snacks and lunches whilst at preschool. This includes fruit and vegetables, wholegrain cereal products, milk products, lean meats and the choice of water to drink;
• Provide information to parents and families on the types of foods recommended for children and which are suitable for children’s lunchboxes;
• Encourage children to eat the more nutritious foods provided in their lunchbox, such as sandwiches, fruit, cheese and yoghurt, before eating any less nutritious food provided;
• Encourage children to choose water as a drink;
• Encourage and provide opportunities for staff to undertake regular professional development to maintain and enhance their knowledge about early childhood nutrition. Discourage the provision of highly processed snack foods which are high in fat, salt and sugar and low in essential nutrients in children’s lunchboxes. Examples of these foods include lollies, chocolate products, sweet biscuits, muesli bars, fruit filled bars, chips, oven-baked crackers and corn chips.

2. Provide a positive eating environment which reflects cultural and family values

Trinity Preschool will:

• Encourage staff to sit with the children at meal and snack times and role model healthy food and drink choices;
• Endeavour to recognize, nurture and celebrate the dietary differences of children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds;
• Provide sufficient meal and snack times for children to consume an appropriate amount of food and drink as well as enjoying social interaction with other children and staff;

3. Provide lifelong learning about healthy food and drink choices

Trinity Preschool will:

• Foster awareness and understanding of healthy food and drink choices through a range of learning experiences included in the children’s programme;
• Encourage children to participate in a variety of hands-on food preparation experiences;
• Provide opportunities for children to engage in discovery learning and discussion about healthy food and drink choices.

4. Encourage communication with families about the provision of appropriate healthy food and drinks for children while they are attending preschool:

Trinity Preschool will:

• Provide a copy of the Nutrition Policy to all families at the beginning of each year, or when their child commences at Trinity Preschool. Families will be provided with opportunities to contribute to the review and development of this policy;
• Request details of any food allergies or specific dietary requirements be provided to the service and work with parents to develop an appropriate response so that children’s individual needs may be met;
• Ensure that Trinity Preschool is free from nut, egg and other products that may produce an anaphylactic/allergic reaction when children with those allergies are present at the centre;
  Promote safe and hygienic food handling practices by requiring children to wash their hands before eating or handling food;

Communicate regularly with parents and provide information and advice on suitable and unsuitable food and drinks packed in children’s lunchboxes. This information may be provided to families in a variety of ways including newsletters, orientation days, information sessions and informal discussions.
Encourage parents to provide an ice pack in children’s lunchboxes if dairy or meat products are included.
Due to food handling regulations, children’s food will not be heated, to avoid accidental burning and to ensure food hygiene.

Reference:
NSW Department of Health (20008) Move and Munch Manual