Healthy Eating
Healthy eating program
Embracia Childcare & Kindergarten provides a delicious and varied menu that promotes healthy eating and a joy of food.
The meals provided are age appropriate and nutritionally balanced so each child can thrive throughout their day. Our menu is seasonal and uses locally grown produce to support each child’s development during mealtimes.
Healthy eating in Childcare and Long Day-care
Healthy eating in early years education lays the foundation for good health and lifelong habits. As children grow and develop, they require the right nutrients to support their physical, mental, and emotional growth.
Embracia Childcare & Kindergarten will work with parents to develop meal plans that suite the needs of their children. And provide culturally appropriate or dietary specific alternatives as needed.
We also believe in the holistic and educational benefits food can bring to children. Mealtimes in childcare promote social and emotional health plus teach children lifelong skills and introduce new concepts.
Our Menu
Given Kyneton’s unique location in the Macedon Ranges – there is an abundance of local growers and farmers in the region. Our menu uses local and seasonal produce with an emphasis on fresh and nutritional meals for youngsters. Supporting the region’s farming community is a priority for us along with teaching the value of local and sustainable food systems.
Morning tea, Lunch, Afternoon tea and Afternoon snacks are included in the daily fee. A variety of healthy foods are offered every day including iron-rich foods (meat, poultry, fish, legumes/beans, tofu, eggs), fruit, vegetables, grains, and milk products. Foods are an appropriate texture for infants’ age (e.g. mashed, lumpy, chopped, finger foods).
*Please note children with allergies and or food intolerances are provided a tailored version of the regular menu to suit their individual needs.
Download sample menu
Mealtimes are important
Mealtimes are important in childcare, they provide a range of educational, social and nutritional benefits.
Creating an enriching mealtime environment gives children an opportunity to build relationships with their peers and develop a sense of identity around their likes and dislikes. Children will develop their fine motor skills while using utensils and learn new words. Food introduces concepts like community, culture and teaches social skills about sharing, asking for things and using manners at the table.
Educators can model healthy behaviours during mealtimes and develop a stronger bond with children. Everyone enjoys food – it’s the perfect way to learn new things, stay healthy and develop relationships while doing something you love.
Infants: Food as sensory play
When infants play with their food, they are engaging in a rich sensory experience. Sensory play with food has a range of important benefits for your little one. It also introduces news foods in a fun and exciting way.
Food can act as the ultimate learning tool and play experience for babies because it’s multi-sensory. Infants will hear, touch, smell and taste.
It may sound messy, and yes, it is! But it’s an awesome way to introduce new concepts like shapes, colours and words to describe sensations. Playing with food helps develop hand eye coordination, fine motor skills and encourages self-feeding.
