Ingredient quantity guide for long day care menus (60 children or less)
The tables below will help you order and prepare foods and drinks in quantities that meet the Menu planning guidelines for long day care, support children’s nutrition needs and reduce food wastage at the same time.
For centres with more than 60 children see this guide.
The Ingredient quantity guide helps you order and prepare foods and drinks in quantities that meet the Menu planning guidelines for long day care. This supports children’s nutrition needs while also reducing food wastage.
Please Note: If your centre has more than 60 children, please use the ingredient quality guide for larger long day care menus here.
Lean meat and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts, seed and legumes/beans
Offer 1 children’s serve of lean meat, poultry, fish or alternatives per child per day.
| What is 1 children’s serve? | 5 children | 10 children | 20 children | 30 children | 40 children | 50 children | 60 children | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lean red meat, pork, poultry (raw) | 50g boneless | 250g | 500g | 1kg | 1.5kg | 2kg | 2.5kg | 3kg |
| Lean red meat (cooked) | 30g | 150g | 300g | 600g | 900g | 1.2kg | 1.5kg | 1.8kg |
| Poultry (cooked, skin off) | 40g | 200g | 400g | 800g | 1.2kg | 1.6kg | 2kg | 2.4kg |
| Fish (raw) | 60g | 300g | 600g | 1.2kg | 1.8kg | 2.4kg | 3kg | 3.6kg |
| Fish (canned/ cooked) | 50g | 250g | 500g | 1kg | 1.5kg | 2kg | 2.5kg | 3kg |
| Egg | 1 egg | 5 eggs | 10 eggs | 20 eggs | 30 eggs | 40 eggs | 50 eggs | 60 eggs |
| Legumes (dry) | 35g | 175g | 350g | 700g | 1.05kg | 1.4kg | 1.75kg | 2.1kg |
| Legumes (cooked/tinned, drained weight) | 85g (½ cup) | 425g (2½ cups) | 850g (5 cups) | 1.7kg (10 cups) | 2.55kg (15 cups) | 3.4kg (20 cups) | 4.25kg (25 cups) | 5.1kg (30 cups) |
| TVP* | 20g | 100g | 200g | 400g | 600g | 800g | 1kg | 1.2kg |
| Tofu | 85g | 425g | 850g | 1.7kg | 2.55kg | 3.4kg | 4.25kg | 5.1kg |
| Hummus | 60g (¼ cup) | 300g (1¼ cups) | 600g (2½ cups) | 1.2kg (5 cups) | 1.8kg (7 cups) | 2.4kg (9½ cups) | 3kg (12 cups) | 3.6kg (14 cups) |
| Nuts, nut butters, seeds | 15g | 75g | 150g | 300g | 450g | 600g | 750g | 900g |
* TVP stands for Textured Vegetable Protein which is a vegetarian meat substitute. One children’s serve of lean meat, poultry, fish or alternatives is equal to half a serve in the Australian Dietary Guidelines.
Fruit
Offer 1 children’s serve of fruit* per child per day.
| What is 1 children’s serve? | 5 children | 10 children | 20 children | 30 children | 40 children | 50 children | 60 children | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit (fresh/ frozen) | 75g (½ med piece) | 375g (2½ pieces) | 750g (5 pieces) | 1.5kg (10 pieces) | 2.25kg (15 pieces) | 3kg (20 pieces) | 3.75kg (25 pieces) | 4.5kg (30 pieces) |
| Fruit (cooked/ tinned, drained) | ½ cup | 2 ½ cups | 5 cups | 10 cups | 15 cups | 20 cups | 25 cups | 30 cups |
| Dried fruit* | 15g | 75g | 150g | 300g | 450g | 600g | 750g | 900g |
* Dried fruit leaves a sticky residue on teeth and can contribute to tooth decay. If included on the menu it should only be offered once per week.
Vegetables and legumes/beans
Offer 1–1½ children’s serves of vegetables and legumes per child per day.
| What is 1 children’s serve? | 5 children | 10 children | 20 children | 30 children | 40 children | 50 children | 60 children | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegetables (fresh/frozen) | 75g | 375–500g | 750g–1kg | 1.5–2kg | 2.25–3kg | 3–4kg | 3.75–5kg | 4.5–6kg |
| Vegetables (cooked/tinned, drained) | ½ cup | 2½ - 3¾ cup | 5–7½ cups | 10–15 cups | 15–22½ cups | 20–30 cups | 25–37½ cups | 30–45 cups |
| Vegetables (salad) | 1 cup | 5–7½ cups | 10–15 cups | 20–30 cups | 30–45 cups | 40–60 cups | 50–75 cups | 60–90 cups |
| Legumes (dry) | 30g | 150–225g | 300–450g | 600–900g | 900g–1.3kg | 1.2–1.8kg | 1.5–2.25kg | 1.8–2.7kg |
| Legumes (cooked/tinned, drained weight) | 75g (½ cup) | 375–500g | 750g–1kg | 1.5–2kg | 2.25–3kg | 3–4kg | 3.75–5kg | 4.5–6kg |
Grain (cereal) foods
Offer 2 children’s serves of grain (cereal) foods per child per day.
| What is 1 children’s serve? | 5 children | 10 children | 20 children | 30 children | 40 children | 50 children | 60 children | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bread (all types) | 1 slice (40g) | 5 slices (¼ loaf) | 10 slices (½ loaf) | 20 slices (1 loaf) | 30 slices (1 ½ loaves) | 40 slices (2 loaves) | 50 slices (2½ loaves) | 60 slices (3 loaves) |
| Pita bread | ½ large pocket (40g) | 2½ pockets (200g) | 5 pockets (400g) | 10 pockets (800g) | 15 pockets (1.2kg) | 20 pockets (1.6kg) | 25 pockets (2kg) | 30 pockets (2.4kg) |
| Breakfast cereal flakes | 30g | 150g | 300g | 600g | 900g | 1.2kg | 1.5kg | 1.8kg |
| Breakfast cereal (wheat biscuits) | 2 Weetbix™ | 10 Weetbix™ | 20 Weetbix™ | 40 Weetbix™ | 60 Weetbix™ | 80 Weetbix™ | 100 Weetbix™ | 120 Weetbix™ |
| Bread roll | ½ medium | 2½ rolls | 5 rolls | 10 rolls | 15 rolls | 20 rolls | 25 rolls | 30 rolls |
| Pasta/noodles/rice/cous cous | 30g dry | 150g | 300g | 600g | 900g | 1.2kg | 1.5kg | 1.8kg |
| Flour | ¼ cup(35g) | 1¼ cups (175g) | 2½ cups (350g) | 5 cups (700g) | 7½ cups (1.05kg) | 10 cups (1.4kg) | 12½ cups (1.75kg) | 15 cups (2.1kg) |
| Cracker biscuit/ crisp bread | 35g | 175g | 350g | 700g | 1.05kg | 1.4kg | 1.75kg | 2.1kg |
| Crumpet/ English muffin | 1 crumpet/ small muffin | 5 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 |
Milk, yoghurt, cheese and/ or alternatives
Offer 2 children’s serves of milk, yoghurt, cheese or calcium fortified alternatives per child per day.
| What is 1 children’s serve? | 5 children | 10 children | 20 children | 30 children | 40 children | 50 children | 60 children | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milk | 100mL | 500mL | 1L | 2L | 3L | 4L | 5L | 6L |
| Hard cheese | 15g (1 slice) | 75g | 150g | 300g | 450g | 600g | 750g | 900g |
| Yoghurt | 80g | 400g | 800g | 1.6kg | 2.4kg | 3.2kg | 4kg | 4.8kg |
| Custard | 100mL | 500mL | 1L | 2L | 3L | 4L | 5L | 6L |
| Evaporated milk | 50mL | 250mL | 500mL | 1L | 1.5L | 2L | 2.5L | 3L |
| Milk powder | 15g | 75g | 150g | 300g | 450g | 600g | 750g | 900g |
| Ricotta cheese | 50g | 250g | 500g | 1kg | 1.5kg | 2kg | 2.5kg | 3kg |
*A ‘children’s serve’ refers to the portion of food appropriate for children aged 1–5 years. To be practical in the childcare setting, children’s serve sizes have been
adapted from the serve sizes in the Australian Dietary Guidelines.
For more information please phone 1300 22 52 88 or email heas@nnf.org.au
Except where otherwise indicated, the images in this document show models and illustrative settings only, and do not necessarily depict actual services, facilities or recipients of services. This document may contain images of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In this document, ‘Aboriginal’ refers to both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. ‘Indigenous’ or ‘Koori/Koorie’ is retained when part of the title of a report, program or quotation. Copyright © State of Victoria 2016
Written and reviewed by dietitians and nutritionists at National Nutrition Foundation, with support from the Victorian Government.
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The Healthy Eating Advisory Service is delivered by experienced nutritionists and dietitians at National Nutrition Foundation, with support from the Victorian Government.
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