Menu planning checklists for family day care

Early childhood services

This resource contains three checklists to match the meal times of your family day care to help you plan and review your menu.

Baby in orange bib eating puree food

What is the checklist for?

The Menu planning checklists for family day care outline the amounts and types of foods required to meet the nutrition needs of 1–5 year old children in family day care.

Who is the checklist for?

  • Family day care providers
  • Health promotion officer
  • Council staff

Benefits to providing and promoting healthy foods and drinks while children are in care

  • Helps your service meet the healthy food and drink requirements of the National Quality Framework
  • Supports children’s growth and development, mental wellbeing, and oral health. Children will learn better and be more alert when they eat well
  • Reduces children’s risk of developing nutrition-related chronic conditions later in life
  • Engages and supports families to also provide and promote healthy eating at home
  • Helps reduce food wastage

The checklist in a snapshot

Three checklists are available to match the meal times of your family day care. Select the suitable ‘Menu planning checklist’ to plan or review your menu.
Two young children eating fruit from coloured plates

Written and reviewed by dietitians and nutritionists at Nutrition Australia, with support from the Victorian Government.

Nutrition Australia and Victoria State Government logos

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