What we feed them.

Every meal at Normanhurst Child Care Centre is cooked on site by Dianne, our centre cook. 5 meals daily, fresh each day, on a 4-week rotating menu approved by Munch & Move (the NSW Health initiative for healthy eating in early childhood).

What's on offer each day

5 meals across the day, included in the daily fee:

• Breakfast for early arrivals (usually toast, cereal and fruit)
• Morning tea mid-morning (fresh fruit, crackers and cheese, yoghurt)
• Hot cooked lunch (the main meal of the day)
• Afternoon tea (sandwiches, vegetable sticks, hummus, fruit)
• Late snack a final snack before pickup

What the menu looks like

The menu rotates on a 4-week cycle. Sample lunch options across a week:

• Beef bolognese with hidden vegetables, on penne pasta
• Chicken and vegetable risotto
• Cottage pie with mashed potato and seasonal vegetables
• Vegetable lasagna with garlic bread
• Roast chicken with steamed vegetables and gravy

The menu is on the kitchen door, in the Owna app, and we send out a copy at enrolment.

Allergies and dietary requirements

Because Dianne cooks every meal on site, we cater for allergies and dietary needs directly in the kitchen rather than asking families to bring food in. We currently cater for:

• Nut allergies (we are a nut-aware centre)
• Dairy and lactose intolerances
• Gluten intolerance and coeliac disease
• Egg allergies
• Vegetarian diets
• Cultural and family preferences

For children with severe allergies (anaphylaxis), we work closely with the family and the child's allergist. An ASCIA action plan is required, and EpiPens are kept at the centre.

How children eat

Mealtimes happen as a group, with children sitting at child-height tables. Educators sit with the children, eat with them where age-appropriate, and use the time to model conversation, table manners, and trying new foods. Children are never forced to eat. Educators gently encourage them to try, and every child is served a small portion of everything on offer.

For babies in the Possum Room, mealtimes are individualised. Some babies are still on bottles, others are on solids. Each child eats at their own pace, with their own routine.

Drinks

Water is available at all times. Each child has a labelled water bottle. Juice, soft drink and sugary drinks are not served. Cow's milk is offered with morning tea for children over 12 months. For babies under 12 months, we use formula or expressed milk that families provide.