As the majority of childcare centre staff are not qualified food safety specialists, it is important to convey the food safety & hygiene messages and highlight the consequences of poor hygiene when preparing food for children in your care.

The well known issues include:

1 – Staff personal hygiene with washing hands after going to the toilet or returning from a break;
2 – That children wash their hands before eating a meal; and
3 – Having clean crockery, cutlery and table to sit at and eat.

Areas that also need to be brought to the attention of all staff include:

1 – Food that is brought in from home such as: yoghurt, sandwiches with fillings, like meats & chicken MUST placed in a refrigerator, not stored in a locker or lunchbox without a freezer brick; and
2 – Storage of babies’ bottles in refrigerators and the absolute hygienic preparation of formula.

Making sure that your staff are well aware of these high risk issues will assist to reduce the risk of food borne illness and ensure the health of the children in your care.

Requirements for fluid
0-12 months                          150mls/kg/day
1-3 years                                 120mls/kg/day
3+ years                                  1000 -1500ml /day

for example a 10kg three year old needs about 1200ml fluid per day.

Water

Water is the number one fluid to hydrate little bodies. It is fat free, sugar free, kilojoule free and salt free. Children need to be offered between 5-6 glasses per day or fill up a 500ml water bottle twice. A note to remember, if your child is saying they are really thirsty then they may already be slightly dehydrated.

Handy tips

• Have a selection of coloured or named drink bottles in the fridge that your toddler or preschooler can access.
• Keep a jug of water on the dinner table.
• Freeze some brightly coloured plastic ice-cubes and pop into their drinks at mealtimes.
• Jazz up the water jug during the day using frozen pieces of fruit
• A squeeze of lemon, lime or an orange segment can take the edge off if a child “doesn’t like the taste of water”.

Milk


Milk is the number two choice of fluids for young children, however it is important to offer water if the child is thirsty (we don’t want your child to become a “milk –a –holic”. The Dietitians Association recommends milk, particularly reduced- and low-fat varieties, as part of a healthy diet. While milk is naturally higher in fat than other drinks, it also has important nutrients, like protein and calcium, and is about 90 per cent water. Children over the age of 2 years do not need full fat dairy products therefore offering reduced fat milk is recommended.
1-2 glasses of milk per day in conjunction with a tub of yoghurt or a slice of cheese will give your toddler enough calcium.

Handy tips

• A fruit smoothie or low fat flavoured milk is also a healthy snack for children.
• If you are buying flavoured milk, compare brands and select those that are lower in fat and added sugar.
• Watch the serve sizes of smoothies, which may be ‘super-sized’, and can contain a lot of kilojoules. When making a smoothie use ½ cup low fat milk plus fruit and ice. Once bblended will make around one cup of smoothie.

Fruit juice


This is a topic which continues to be hotly debated. Juice from fresh fruit is healthy however a bottle of juice can contain the same sugar as 3-4 pieces of fresh fruit without the fibre and other vitamins and minerals that fresh fruit provides. Fresh fruit especially with the skin is low in GI therefore sustains little appetites. Because juices are such a concentrated source of sugar and kilojoules they can lead to problems of tooth decay, stomach upsets and diarrhoea and ultimately an unbalanced dietary intake. Children who consume large amounts of juice tend to not feel like eating their regular meals. 100mls of juice contains the same kilojoules as 100mls of soft drink

Handy tips

• Use 100% fruit juices not fruit drinks (as these have added sugar)
• Keep juices for party times, dilute 1:4 with water and limit to 1 glass per day.
• If you have a juicer at home mix in a couple of pieces of vegetable such as carrot or celery to dilute the fruit juice
• If purchasing poppers choose small 125ml (the ones in the baby aisle have less sugar) containers with a straw not a pop top (save their teeth!)
• Do not put any juice into a bottle

Sugary soft drinks, fruit drinks and cordials 


Essentially these liquids are a combination of sugar, water and colour. Many are trying to sound healthy by adding ingredients such as “with real fruit” or contains 5% fruit. These drinks are low in nutrition but can contain plenty of extra kilojoules which children do not need. The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating considers these ‘extra foods’; in other words, they are not needed in a child’s diet. These drinks should be limited.

Handy tips

• Try to avoid giving these drinks to young children or limit them to occasions such as parties
• Adding a few tablespoons of freshly squeezed juice to plain soda or plain mineral water can provide some fun bubbles instead
• Artificial sweeteners used in Australia are safe for adult usage however diets soft drinks are still acidic which can damage young children’s teeth so best avoided

Ice-blocks

Many ice-blocks, icy poles or fruit ices are just frozen cordials. On a hot day, ice is very appealing to little ones so finding a healthy ice treat is important. Making your own using icy pole moulds or a crushed ice machine is the best.

Handy tips

• Freeze fruit such as berries or melon and blend or put through an ice crusher to make a slushy. Alternatively make a snow cone and poor over a few tablespoons of freshly squeezed juice
• .Blend some fruit with low fat yoghurt and freeze into home made icy poles

Importance of hydration in children

Little ones can dehydrate very quickly. Signs that your child is not drinking enough are dark urine, constipation, tiredness and lethargy, headaches and general unwellness.
Exclusively breastfed babies less than 6 months do not need extra water however over 6 months can be given extra cooled boiled water from a bottle or cup

Remember….
Do not introduce unnecessarily sweet drinks to your young children
Never put juice or sweet drinks into bottles
Try to avoid drink containers that pool liquids around their teeth such as pop tops
Avoid large sized or ‘super sized drinks’

Misunderstandings can be prevalent before the baby is born and it is no secret that while the arrival of a new baby is very exciting, many parents watch on nervously, waiting to see how the older sibling is going to react. Mostly, older siblings alternate between loving their new brother or sister and resenting him or her because of the time mum and dad are spending with the baby.

I recently read about a great idea to help explain to a child that even though there is now someone else in the family who needs a lot of your attention, you still love them as much as you always did.

Candle flames and love

Get as many candles as there are family members, of different lengths. Tell your child that the candles represent your family. Light the first candle, explaining that the flame represents Mum’s love (or Dad’s, depending on who is telling the story).

Pick up the ‘Dad’ candle and light it with the ‘Mum’ candle. Say that when Mum married Dad she gave him all her love, but she still had all her love left. Take the ‘older child, let’s call her Nina’ candle and light it with the ‘Mum’ candle. Show that now Mum has given all her love to ‘Nina’, Dad still has all her love and she still has all her love left.

Now use the ‘Mum’ candle to light the ‘baby’ candle and repeat, now the baby has all Mum’s love, ‘Nina’ has all Mum’s love, ‘Dad’ has all Mum’s love, and Mum still has all her love left.  Explain that you can give all your love to everyone you love and still have more to give.

Promoting positive behaviour

Our beliefs shape our behaviour. Nina is learning that there is enough of Mum’s love to go around, so she doesn’t have to be resentful of the new baby or misbehave to get Mum’s attention; a misguided attempt to feel belonging or love.

Just make sure you do this in a room with no drafts – you don’t want any of the candles to blow out during the ‘love’ demonstration!!! It might be a bit of a challenge to explain your way out of that one!

Constipation in Adults
The causes of constipation are usually dietary related, commonly – not enough fibre, or water. Other issues affecting the regularity of your system could include the serving sizes of your meals and how often you eat. The best way of adding fibre to your diet is choosing wholegrain products and increasing the quantity of fruits, salads and vegetables. This means a minimum of two servings of fruits and five serves of salad or vegetables every day. For many people, however, the amount of fruits and vegetables that are necessary may be inconveniently large or may not provide adequate relief from constipation. In this case; a fibre supplement can be useful.

Constipation in Babies
Breastfed babies are hardly ever constipated, although they may not have a bowel motion for several days or up to a week. Even then, their poo will usually be soft. Many babies strain and go red in the face when doing a normal poo. This is not a sign of constipation unless the poo is hard and causes pain and discomfort. True constipation in babies is rare and should always be checked by a doctor.

Causes of constipation in babies include:
Formula too strong: If your baby is bottle-fed, make sure the formula is made up correctly, so that there is not too much formula powder for the amount of water.

Different formula: Changes to the milk formula (especially swapping to ‘follow-on’ formula or cow’s milk).

Not enough fluid: Particularly in warm weather, bottle-fed infants require extra fluid such as cooled, boiled water between formula feeds. Breastfed infants may also require more frequent feeds.

Solids not right for baby: Use the correct solid foods for the age of your baby. Be aware that high fibre and wholegrain products are not suitable for babies under 12 months of age.
Starting baby on rice-based cereals containing iron is important around 6 months of age; however this may also cause poos to become dry and hard to pass. Using blended fruits and vegetables can help bulk and soften baby’s poos.

Ingredients:
250g dried penne pasta
1 onion finely chopped
2 tsp olive oil
50g olive oil margarine
50g (1/3 cup) plain flour
375 g crushed tomatoes
1 cup corn kernels
1 zucchini sliced
1 carrot sliced
1 head broccoli cut into florets
145g (1 1/2 cups) coarsely grated cheddar

Method:
Preheat oven to 200°C. Cook pasta in a saucepan of boiling water following packet directions. Drain. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, corn, zucchini, carrot and broccoli and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the vegetables soften. Set aside. Melt the olive oil margarine in the pan. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in the canned tomatoes. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Add the pasta, vegetable mixture and 1/2 cup of cheese to the sauce. Spoon pasta mixture into an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese over pasta. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden. Serve with mixed salad leaves, if desired.

Apricot Balls – Family

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups dried apricots
1 table caster sugar
1 cup water
¼ cup plain flour
2 table olive oil
2 tablespoon desiccated coconut
11/2 cups natural muesli

Method:
Place apricots, sugar and water in saucepan, bring to boil, cover and simmer for 12 minutes. Let cool. Place apricot mixture, flour, oil, coconut, muesli in food processor and process until mixed. Roll into balls (about 1 tablespoon each and chill).

Falafel Bites – Family and suitable for baby from 7 months

Ingredients:
400g can chick peas
¼ onion finely chopped
½ teaspoon cumin powder
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon flour

Method:
Place all ingredients in food processor and blend till smooth. Roll tablespoon amounts into balls. Shallow fry in olive oil or canola oil. Drain on paper towel. Serve immediately.

Fruit Compote – suitable for baby from 6 months

Ingredients:
1 apple peeled and chopped
1 pear peeled and chopped
3 dried apricots
2 prunes
½ cup water

Method:
Place all ingredients in microwave proof container and cook on high for around 8 minutes or until soft. Blend all ingredients and cool. Mix 3 spoonfuls of fruit mix with 1 tablespoon of plain yoghurt. Note: For storage place spoonfuls of fruit into an ice cube tray and freeze. Cubes can be thawed and mixed with yoghurt when needed.

Ingredients:
425 g can salmon
1 table oil
1 table flour
1 onion
2 stick celery
1 carrot
Garlic, ginger to taste
Salt, pepper
2 potatoes (cooked and mashed)
1 egg (lightly beaten)

Method:
Finely chop onion, celery, carrot, garlic, ginger and fry for 5 mins.
Add flour, salt, pepper.
Add drained salmon with bones.
Add potatoes and beaten egg. Cool.
Shape patties then cover in bread crumb.
Makes approx 15 patties.
* Easy to freeze

Banana smoothie on soy milk (dairy free)

Ingredients:
1 banana
100ml calcium fortified soy milk
1 teaspoon honey
100ml vanilla soy yoghurt
1 pinch nutmeg
Ice

Method:
Place all ingredients in blender or food processor.
Blend till smooth.
Serve immediately.

Cheesy muffins

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups self raising flour
½ tablespoons caster sugar
50g olive oil margarine
100 g fetta cheese, chopped
100g grated tasty cheese
1 egg
1 cup milk
½ cup grated parmesan

Method:
In a mixing bowl combine flour, sugar and rub in margarine.
Add chopped fetta, tasty cheese, beaten egg and milk, mix well.
Place even amounts into a 12-hole muffin tin and sprinkle with parmesan.
Bake at 190*C for 20 minutes (until muffins spring back on touching).
* Easy to freeze

Easy Lasagne

Ingredients:
Meat sauce
500g lean mince
500 g bottled tomato pasta sauce
1 cup frozen peas and corn
1 carrot grated
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar

White sauce
3 tablespoon olive oil margarine
3 tablespoon plain flour
500ml reduced fat milk
1 cup reduced fat grated cheese
1 teaspoon nutmeg
5-6 ready to use lasagne sheets

Method:
Meat sauce
Fry off mince in spray oil.
Add bottled sauce.
Add rest of ingredients.
Set aside.

White sauce
Melt margarine over heat. Remove saucepan from heat and add flour until form a paste.
Gradually add milk until smooth.
Return to low heat stirring constantly until thickens.
Add nutmeg and cheese.

In a pan place 1/3 meat mixture top with 2 lasagne sheets and top with 1/3 white sauce.
Repeat until use all ingredients.
Sprinkle small amount of cheese on top.
Cook in moderate oven for 1 hour until golden.

For example, look for foods that are fortified, such as soy milk with calcium added, or fish with edible bones (eg salmon, sardines). Smaller amounts of calcium can also be found in egg yolks, green leafy vegetables, almonds and sesame seeds. Please see the table below for more non-dairy, calcium-rich foods.

Black Beans 1 cup, 120 mg calcium
Navy Beans 1 cup, 130 mg calcium
Fortified Cereal 1 cup, 300 mg calcium
Soybeans, cooked 1 cup, 180 mg calcium
Spinach, cooked 1/2 cup, 130 mg calcium
Bok Choy 1/2 cup, 80 mg calcium
Canned Salmon w/bones 60g, 180 mg calcium
Fortified Cereal 1 cup, 300 mg calcium
Soy Milk, fortified 1 cup, 400 mg calcium
Tofu 1 cup, 40 mg calcium
Almonds 60g, 150 mg calcium
Oysters 90g, 80 mg calcium

For those who can eat dairy, the Dietary Guidelines for Australians recommends 2-3 serves each day, with a serve being 250ml of low fat milk, 2 cheese slices, 200g of yoghurt, or 250ml of custard. Note that soft cheeses such as cottage cheese and ricotta should not be counted as a serve as they are relatively low in calcium. It’s also recommended that adults and children above 2 years of age should choose reduced fat dairy products (reduced fat and skim milks should not be offered to children under 2 years, as children need the fat and vitamin A in full fat dairy products for energy, development and growth).

To include more calcium in your family’s diet:
• For a delicious snack choose a low fat fruit smoothie (on dairy or fortified soy milk), yoghurt (dairy or soy) or cheese (dairy, soy or goats) and wholegrain biscuits
• Add custard to fresh or tinned fruit
• Try yoghurt as a side dish or yoghurt-based dips (yoghurt and avocado or yoghurt and mashed banana)
• Enjoy salmon and green leafy vegetables for dinner
• Add low fat cheese to pancakes, muffins, omelettes, pasta and vegetable dishes
• Add low fat milk or skim milk powder to casseroles, soups and sauces

Non-Fat Milk 1 cup, 300 mg calcium
Reduced-Fat Milk 1 cup, 300 mg calcium
Non-Fat Yogurt 1 cup, 490 mg calcium
Swiss Cheese 30g, 270 mg calcium
Mozzarella – part skim 30g, 210 mg calcium
Tasty Cheese 30g, 220 mg calcium
Cottage Cheese 1 cup, 160 mg calcium
Parmesan Cheese – grated 2 tablespoons, 140 mg calcium
Frozen Yogurt 1 cup, 200 mg calcium
Ice Cream – Light 1/2 cup, 200 mg calcium

Ingredients:
500g lean beef mince
400 g can baked beans (an excellent source of protein)
400 g can crushed tomatoes
Taco seasoning
Shredded lettuce
Sliced tomato
Grated carrot
Grated cheese
Salsa or tomato sauce
Tortilla wraps
Method:
Brown mince and add baked beans and can of tomatoes.
Use taco seasoning to taste.
Place 3 table spoon mixture in centre of warmed tortilla.
Add lettuce, tomato, carrot, and cheese and salsa sauce.
Fold based towards top and fold in sides.
Secure with a tie or band for young children.
(You can hide many vegetables in the wraps for children to try)

Cheesy Berlotti Beans (Serves 6)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon oil
½ – 1 teaspoon garlic
2 cups raw berlotti beans (soak in water overnight)
100g tomato paste
3 cups chicken stock
½ cup parmesan cheese
1 cup rice

Method:
Fry garlic in oil until golden.
Add soaked berlotti beans, fry one minute.
Add tomato paste, stirring until beans well covered.
Slowly add stock, bring to boil simmer for about 1 hour or until beans are just soft.
Add parmesan cheese and rice.
Simmer for 20 minutes until rice cooked (top up with stock if required).
Consistency is that of risotto.
(Leftovers can be used in a toasted sandwich the next day).

Chicken and Tofu stir Fry

Ingredients:
200 g tofu, cubed (an excellent source of iron-rich protein)
400 g chicken sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup snow peas chopped
1 cup bean sprouts
1 bunch bok Choy
2 carrots peeled and chopped
Small can baby corn spears
1 cup chicken stock
2 spring onions chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoon soy sauce

Method:
Fry off cubes tofu and chicken in oil – set aside.
Add garlic and onions to pan and fry one minute.
Add chicken stock and vegetables and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.
Return tofu and chicken to pan.
Add soy sauce.
Serve with brown or white rice.
* Substitute pork, lamb or beef for chicken.

If your diet is not quite up to scratch, especially during the first few months of motherhood then it’s likely you may be lacking the key vitamins, minerals and antioxidants needed for a strong immune system. Similarly, encouraging children to consume a varied diet with foods containing immune boosting properties also help them fight nasty infections that come their way.

Studies have shown that older women (69 to 80 years) with good eating habits had immune function that was just as sound as that of younger women (aged 20 to 40 years). A varied diet including a variety of fruits and vegetables and enough protein rich foods such as eggs, lean red meat and nuts is the aim, but there are some foods that are amazing sources of immune-boosting phytochemicals that should be on everyone’s shopping list.

1. Brightly coloured fruit and vegetables – these include beetroot, red cabbage, dates, prunes, figs and passion fruits. Try dried fruit compotes, avocado on toast and tomatoes with wholemeal pasta.

2. Blueberries and other berries including strawberries – rich in antioxidants, berries are being studied for their effect on improving memory and their ability to fight bacteria that cause infections. During winter, buy frozen berries, defrost and serve on cereal or mixed through warm, low fat custard.

3. Cruciferous vegetables – these include broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and bok Choy. Steam or roast or use in warming winter soups or stir fries.

4. Yellow and orange fruit and vegetables – these include pumpkin, carrot, orange varieties of sweet potato, red capsicum, rockmelon, pawpaw, pineapple, apricot and mango. These foods are rich in vitamin A and carotenoids, which are important for maintaining the health of the membranes that block bacteria from entering the body. Enjoy pumpkin soup, roast whole sweet potatoes or grate carrot on sandwiches.

5. Ginger – along with its immune boosting properties, this herb may help relieve nausea and some of the pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and muscular disorders. Add to stir-fries, curries and Thai style dishes.

6. Garlic – rich in allicin, is an antiviral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial agent which not only tastes great but is doing wonders for our health.

7. Lean red meat – a great source of iron, zinc and protein all key nutrients needed to maintain a strong immune system. Eat around 100grams 3-4 times a week. Try roasting, baking or grilling or stewing and serving with the powerhouse vegetables listed above.

Mealtimes should be relaxed and a source of enjoyment and discovery. A large meal can be so off-putting and children may refuse the food, not because they don’t like it, but because it looks too much for their tummies to handle. With this in mind, it is better to serve a smaller meal and if they are still hungry, they can then have more.

Some guidelines

Introduction of solids at six months has no set rules, although it generally starts with an iron enriched infant cereal. This is mixed with cooled boiled water, breast milk or formula.

• Week 1 consists of 1 teaspoon of rice cereal per day after a breast feed or bottle feed.
• Week 2 increase the rice cereal to 2 feeds per day after a breast or bottle feed.
• Week 3 you can add pureed vegetables or fruit to one of the meal times (this could be between 1 and 3 teaspoons of pureed potato, pumpkin, carrot or zucchini).
• Week 4 you can add some pureed fruit to the cereal (again anywhere between 1 teaspoon to one tablespoon).

After these first weeks, continue to add the blander-type vegetables and fruits such as pureed banana, pear, apple and avocado, gradually increasing the amount until you are up to ½ cup or 120g per solid meal. The solid food is in addition to four or five breast or bottle feeds (600-800ml) each day. Between 9-12 months your baby should be offered 3 meals per day (between ½ to 1 cup and 120 – 250 g) with 3-4 breast feeds or formula feeds (600mls). By 1 year of age the texture should be a lot chunkier.

Below is a guide to the serves required in the first few years of life. Remember it is just a GUIDE, as every child is different, with different metabolisms, energy levels and basic desires.

APPROXIMATE DAILY NEEDS FOR CHILDREN 1 TO 5 YEARS          

FOOD GROUP             SERVE                         1 YR     2 YR     3 YR     4 YR     5 YR

Breads and                 1 slice bread  

cereals                          ½ bread roll                      4             4             5             5             5

2 Pl biscuits

½ – 1 cup cereal

½ cup porridge

1 cereal biscuit

½ cup pasta /rice

Fruit and

vegetables                  1 piece fruit

125ml fruit juice              3             4             4             4             4

¼ cup vegetables

½ potato

½ carrot

Dairy foods                200mls milk

200mls yogurt                 3             3             3             3             3

200mls custard

40 gm cheese

Meat and

alternatives              30 gm meat, fish,

Poultry                                 1             2             2             2             2

1 egg

1 table peanut paste

½ cup baked beans

1 fish finger

Fats and oils             2 teaspoons                        1             1             2             2             2