Wauchope healthy eating

HEALTHY EATING

The Five Food Groups for Littlies

Toddlers 1 ½ - 3 years

Preschoolers 3 – 5 years

FOOD GROUP

FUNCTIONS

FOOD

AMOUNTS PER DAY

Breads & Cereals

Body fuel and energy

Key nutrients:

J Energy

J B Vitamins (esp B6)

J Fibre

J Protein

J Whole Meal Bread

J Whole Meal Cereal

J Pasta

J Rice

J Porridge

At least 5 Serves* (Toddlers 4 serves*)

* preferably whole grain

1 serve = 1 slice of bread

= ½ cup cereal / porridge

= 2 Weetbix

= ½ cup cooked rice, noodles, pasta

= 2 large crackers

Fruit & Vegetables

Body repair and maintenance of good health

Key nutrients:

J Vitamin A

J Vitamin C

J Folic Acid

J Energy (carbohydrate)

J Fibre

J Pineapple

J Corn

J Carrots

J Watermelon

J Grapes

J Potatoes

J Tomatoes

At least 2 serves of fruit * (Toddlers 1 serve of fruit*)

* minimal juice

1 serve = ½ whole fruit

= 2 to 4 pieces of dried fruit

= ½ a cup juice, 1 chopped fruit

At least 2 services of vegetables * (Toddlers 2 serves*)

* Choose different colours

1 serve = ½ a cup of raw or cooked vegetables

Milk & Dairy Foods

Growth and maintenance of health bones & teeth

Key nutrients:

J Calcium

J Protein

J B Vitamins (esp riboflavin)

JVitamins A & D

J Milk

J Ice Cream

J Yoghurt

J Cheese

3 Serves (Toddlers 3 serves)

1 serve = 1 large glass of milk

= 1 tub of yoghurt

= 1 slice of cheese

½ serve = 1 small glass of milk

= milk on cereal / in desert

Meat & Alternatives

Building and the repair of body tissue & muscle

Key nutrients:

J Protien

J Iron

J B vitamins (esp B3&B12)

J Zinc

J Steak

J Seafood

J Nuts

J Chicken

J Baked Beans

J Eggs

1-2 small serves (Toddlers 1 Serve)

1 small serve = 30g meat, chicken, seafood

= 1 egg

= ½ cup cooked lentils, pulses

= 1 tablespoon of peanut butter

Fats

Essential vitamin and energy needs

Key nutrients:

J Fat soluble vitamins (A,D & E)

J Energy (Fat)

J Olive Oil

J Margarine

J Butter

1 serve (Toddlers ½ - 1 serve)

1 serve = 1 Tablespoon butter/margarine

= 1 Tablespoon oil.

ô SNACK FOODS ô

Children have small tummies and need to eat often, so healthy snacks are important. Remember to encourage your child to eat a variety of foods.

ô Ideas for Snacks

Health snacks can be home prepared or bought from the supermarket.

Dairy Foods – choose full cream products for children under 5 years

J milk (plain or flavoured) tetra – packs

J individual tubs of plain or flavoured yoghurt

J frozen yoghurt

J fruche

J cheese sticks

J custard snack packs

J individual rice puddings

J instant pudding made on milk

Bread or cereal based foods – choose low fat / high fibre varieties

J Scones

J Muffins

J Plain popcorn

J Rice cakes

J Fruit buns

J Spaghetti

J Pikelets

J Sandwiches

J Weetbix & peanut butter

J Rice crackers

J Breadsticks

J Toasted sandwiches

J Crumpets

J Rockcakes

J Wheatmeal biscuits & cheese

J Breakfast cereal with milk

J Pretzels

J Pasta salad with low fat dressing

J Plain biscuits eg: milk arrowroots, vita weets

J Low fat fruit bars e.g Uncle Tobys Oven Baked Fruit

Fruit & Vegetables – fresh, frozen or tinned varieties

J all ‘snack pack’ style or tinned fruit

J dried fruit e.g. small box of sultanas

J fresh fruit pieces

J vegetable sticks & dip

J corn on the cob

Meat & Meat Alternatives – combine these with bread or cereal based foods

J boiled eggs

J baked beans

J tuna, salmon

J lentil or chickpea soup

J meat balls

J left over lean roast meats.

ô Please don’t send any of the following foods in your children’s lunchbox

L Snack foods like chips and chocolate bars. These are too high in fat, sugar and/or salt to be used as every day food choices.

L Sticky fruit snacks, muesli bars, lollies, cordial, soft drinks, sticky breakfast bars and other similar sweet foods. These are high in sugar, and can contribute to tooth decay

ô HEALTHY FOOD IDEAS FOR CHILD CARE ô

It is important that your child goes to child care with enough healthy food and drink in their lunch box to keep them going all day!

BREAD / CERERAL BASED FOOD

e.g. Any type of bread including fruit based, bagels, pita bread, lavash bread, or crisp bread, noodles, pasta & rice, pikelets, fruit or savoury muffins, rice cakes.

SALAD OR VEGIES

e.g. Shredded lettuce, carrot & celery sticks, tomatoes, corn, cucumber, pasta salad, rice salad, mixed salad.

FRUIT

e.g. Any fresh fruit such as grapes, small apple, peeled orange, mandarin, small pear, banana, chopped fruit salad, tinned or dried fruit. For the 3 – 4 year old room, please supply a piece of fruit to be cut u p and shared at morning & afternoon tea.

MEAT / FISH / CHICKEN / or MEAT ALTERNATIVE

e.g. Lean meats, ham, meatloaf, chicken, tuna, salmon, sardines, baked beans, canned bean mix, lentils, peanut butter, egg, cheese.

HIGH CALCUIM FOOD

e.g. Milk, cheese, yoghurt, calcium fortified soy milk.

DRINKS

e.g. Water, milk

KEEP LUNCHES COLD!

In the Fridge, a ‘Fridge Bag’ or with frozen drinks & food.

ô LUNCHBOX MENU IDEAS FOR 8 HOURS IN CARE ô

Morning Tea

Milk

1 small banana

Vita Weets & Peanut Butter

Flavoured milk

Mandarin

½ Vegemite Sandwich

Milk

1 slick of fruit loaf

Small Banana

Lunch

1 pocket bread with ham & Cheese

Custard Snack Pack

Water

Macaroni cheese with peas & corn

Snack Pack Fruit Salad

Tub of Fruche

Water

1 egg & Lettuce sandwich

Tub of Yoghurt

½ orange

Water

Afternoon Tea

Flavoured Milk

Fruit scone or muffin

Grated carrot & sultanas

Milk

Wheatmeal biscuits & peanut butter

Dried apples

Flavoured Milk

Vegetable sticks

2 pikelets

Important points to remember:

ôYou may need to vary the amount of food in the lunchbox depending on your child’s age and appetite.

ô Your child needs 3 serves of calcium rich foods everyday. One serve is equal to 250 mls milk (1 cup) or 250 mls (1 cup) calcium fortified soy milk or 40 g slice of cheese or 200g tub yoghurt. If small children cannot manage 3 serves of calcium rich food while in care, small amounts (that add up to 3 serves) can be spread throughout the day.

LUNCHBOXES: should be large enough to fit all food needs.

Insulated bags are excellent for keeping food and drinks cold.

DRINKS: Milk or milk drinks are important for calcium. N.B. The Preschool provides milk at morning and afternoon tea. WATER ONLY to be sent to preschool.