IT’s a question that eats away at most parents at some time or another – is my child getting the right nutrition?
And it’s possibly an even greater responsibility for people who are paid to care for and educate those children.
But that task has been made easier through an award-winning Hunter New England Health (HNEH) program that’s been rolled out to more than 1800 childcare services across Australia.
Healthy Food in Childcare is an online solution: plug in your menu and it spits out suggested tweaks, based on dietary guidelines for children.
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It’s one of three projects for which HNEH teams won 2018 NSW Health Awards this month.
Tamworth’s Milestones Early Learning Centre CBD is one place that is using the online tool.
Cook Teresa Abra said it helped her to determine whether her mini-diners were getting what they needed.
“It tells me if I’m lacking in something in the way of fruits, veggies, meats, and how I can meet their nutritional needs better,” she said.
“It has confirmed I was mostly on the right track: I was giving the right things but not the right amount …
“Since starting to use it, I’ve been giving the children a lot more fruit and veg – probably more veggies than anything – and I’ve been boosting the meat content.
“It’s a really handy tool to have.”
Miss Abra said she planned three-to-six monthly menus, to introduce the children to new foods and let them try those a few times – and the children’s hands-down favourite was her meatloaf (recipe below).
Centre manager Krista Lynch said good nutrition led to “healthy minds, healthy teeth, healthy bodies”.
“It’s also part of our programs, so the children are always learning how to eat healthily and make healthy food choices.”
Other winners
Two other HNEH projects were recognised at the Sydney ceremony on November 6.
The winner in the Health Research and Innovation category was a study on high-flow oxygen for bronchiolitis, which found it supported more infants for longer compared to the standard low-flow oxygen therapy, and resulted in fewer intensive care admissions.
The recipients of the Keeping People Healthy award is @HNEHealth for Healthy Food in Childcare - an online solution! This initiative aimed to improve diets by supporting childcare services to provide meals consistent with dietary guidelines. Congratulations. #NSWHealthAwardspic.twitter.com/rh8yJq8Zsn
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) November 5, 2018
In the Supporting our People category, John Hunter Hospital was able to reduce, by 68 per cent over four years, the number of patients waiting more than a year without a scheduled appointment; and more than halved the longest wait time.
Teresa’s recipe for meatloaf:
Ingredients
- 1 brown onion diced
- 1 tablespoon crushed garlic
- 1 carrot
- 100g dried parsley
- 375g breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- 250ml tomato sauce
- 50ml Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon beef stock powder
- Place breadcrumbs, onion, carrot, garlic, parsley, sauces and beef stock powder in a bowl and combine
- Add mince and mix well
- Add eggs to bind together
- Place in a loaf tray and top with tomato sauce
- Bake in a hot oven for approx. 1 hour. Serve with mash and vegetables or a salad
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