Nutrition - In Good Hands

Our dietitian offers tips on how to ensure good grub at your child’s school.


Make sure that the childcare centre:

* Has a cycle menu – a two- to four-week cycle for a fixed period of time
* Offers a balance of different foods from all food groups every day
* Gives variety – the same food should not be offered on consecutive days, and foods should be cooked in different ways (e.g. minced meat can be served as a patty, in a stew or stir fried)
* A combination of different textures, shapes and colours in the main meals and teatime snacks
* Introduces small amounts of new/unfamiliar foods periodically
* Caters to special requests to meet the needs of different cultures (such as vegetarians) or special dietary needs, such as food allergies

Other checks you can make at your tot’s childcare centre:

* Go through the menu to check if ingredients are stated;
* Pay a surprise visit to check if the food served is as stated in the menu;
* Inspect the school’s kitchen facilities and take note of its overall cleanliness;
* Ask about cook’s background, such as training and hygiene certificates.