Tips on embedding healthy eating practices into your play experience
Play Matters supports the Dietary Guidelines for children and adolescents developed by the National Health and Medical Research Council through the promotion of healthy eating at group.
Group snack times provide an important opportunity for children andparents/carers to socialise and come together as a group.
How to implement this at your group:
- Healthy foods such as fruit, vegetables, lean meat or poultry, bread, and cheese (unless contraindicated by dairy allergies) should be provided at group sessions and special events.
- If members of the group agree to occasionally offer extra foods (e.g., party food, confectionery, soft drink, or cordial), healthy food options should also be provided as an alternative.
- Suitable children’s activities involving food preparation are fun and help with a child’s development and should be included in the group’s activity program.
- Groups may choose to either have families bring their own healthy food snack or a healthy food item to share (served in individual bowls for each child).
- Water should be provided as the preferred drink for children at group and special events.
- Where a member or visitor, child or adult at the group has a food allergy, the group is encouraged to be understanding of their needs, and where possible, avoid having the allergy-causing food at your group. Peanut allergies can be particularly severe and life-threatening. Other foods that can be a problem are eggs, milk, soy, fish, and foods containing gluten (wheat, barley, rye, and contaminated oats).
- Food is an important part of cultural and religious observance for many groups in our community. Groups should talk with member families to find out more about their culture and/or religion, respect differences in beliefs, and welcome diversity and variety when making decisions on food to be served at your group. Examples could include providing halal and/or kosher foods or avoiding ham (pork is not eaten by members of many cultural and religious groups).
- Adults and children must wash their hands prior to handling and eating food.
- Equipment used in preparing and serving food must be clean.
- Correct food storage procedures must be followed (please note that this will apply to special events where food handling procedures are subject to local council guidelines)
Further tips on healthy eating at your play experience can be found in the tip sheet here.