Health Promotion Action 2020-2021 Interactive Year in Review
How healthy is your childcare menu?
If you’ve ever wondered if your early childhood education and care service menu is nutritionally adequate, or worry about having your service’s menu checked by others for accreditation, then worry no more.
12-step tutorial video
We’ve made it easy for you with our 12-step menu assessment video. In 10 minutes you’ll learn how to tell if your menu complies with the nutrition checklist found in NSW Health’s Caring for Children: Birth to 5 years – giving you peace of mind that children are getting the required 50% of their everyday nutritional needs while in your care.
The video provides a helpful tutorial not just for cooks, but all educators wanting to provide the best nutrition for the children at their centre. Additionally, if you’re a health promotion officer wishing to assess the menu of an early childhood service you work with, you’ll be able to use the video to help guide you through the process and award it a star rating.
By the end of the video, you’ll know what it takes for a menu to achieve a 4.5 or 5-star rating and thereby comply with the nutrition checklist found in Caring for Children.
What you’ll need
The video uses a case study to walk you through the process. You can download the case study sample menu and sample menu information sheet here to follow during the video. Together, we’ll check whether the menu provides enough iron, fruit and vegetables, breads and cereals, dairy and protein foods.
To review your own service’s menu, you’ll need a copy of the two-week menu cycle planning tool, found on page 93 in Caring for Children. Either photocopy the planning tool from your book, or simply download the planning tool and print it off. In order to make your service’s menu assessment easier and more accurate, you should also complete your own menu information cover sheet*. Now you’re ready to watch the video and follow the 12 easy steps.
*The menu information cover sheet provides important information that doesn’t normally appear on the menu itself, such as the quantities of the various food groups purchased each week, and types of flour and crackers being used.
Watch the video
Watch the video, How to access the nutritional value of a childcare menu in 12 easy steps, below.
Further support
Please note, while we encourage ECEC services to assess their own menu, on the Central Coast we also welcome services to send their menu and menu information cover sheet to the Central Coast Local Health District (CCLHD) Nutrition Services team for review. Completing your own review is a great exercise in developing an understanding of how to plan a healthy menu. We are here to assist you though, and also want to recognise services with menus that do comply with the nutrition checklist found in Caring for Children.
If you would like CCLHD Nutrition Services to review your menu, please send your menu and menu information cover sheet to [email protected]
Related links
Breastfeeding
World Breastfeeding Week 2021 art competition postponed until 2022
Due to COVID restrictions being in place on the Central Coast since June and for the duration of the art competition’s planned promotion period, the competition has unfortunately had to be postponed until next year. New entry forms and dates will be promoted in early 2022. We look forward to seeing all the creative breastfeeding-related artworks in the new year.
Below you can view the virtual gallery presentation of the selected entries from 2020 competition, complete with comments from the artists and judges.
Why breastfeed?
Breastfeeding is important for mother and baby health. Any amount of breast milk offered to your baby is good.
In Australia, it is recommended that infants are exclusively* breastfed until around six months of age when solid foods are introduced, and that breastfeeding is continued until 12 months of age and beyond, for as long as the mother and child desire.1
*Infant receives only breast milk. No other liquids or solids are given, not even water, with the exception of oral rehydration solution, or drops/syrups of vitamins, minerals or medicines.
Breastmilk is the ideal food for infants. It is safe, clean and contains antibodies which help protect against many common childhood illnesses. Breastmilk provides all the energy and nutrients that infants need for around the first six months of life. From six to 12 months breastmilk continues to provide up to half or more of a child’s nutritional needs and up to one third of a child’s nutritional needs between 12 months and two years.
Breastfed children are less likely to be overweight or obese and less prone to diabetes later in life. Women who breastfeed also have a reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancers.
Need help with breastfeeding?
Breastfeeding is a learned skill, which needs practice. The more you feed your baby, the easier it will get. More information and support is available from the following:
Breastfeeding Education Live – online sessions
Interactive breastfeeding education webinar sessions for expectant parents. Learn and practice how breastfeeding works. Click here for more information
CCLHD breastfeeding support clinics
These breastfeeding support sessions for Central Coast residents are run by child and family health nurses to support, protect and promote breastfeeding. Click here for community health centre locations and times.
Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA)
Call the Breastfeeding Helpline on 1800 686 268. This helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and staffed by trained, volunteer counsellors.
The ABA website provides a range of resources to support, educate and advocate for a breastfeeding inclusive society. You can hire a breast pump through ABA.
The mum2mum app provides breastfeeding information and support based on your baby or child’s age.
Raising Children Network
An Australian parenting website that provides articles, videos and interactive resources tailored to different ages and stages. Breastfeeding information can be found in the ‘newborn’ and ‘babies’ tabs.
MotherSafe
For women and healthcare providers concerned about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding. more information, click here or call 1800 647 848.
Other support for breastfeeding
Five ways family and friends can support a mother to breastfeed
- Offer encouragement.
- Help with the baby between feeds, and older children in the family, to allow the mother to rest or nap.
- Make nutritious meals and snacks to help increase her energy.
- Help with cleaning and other jobs around the house to decrease these responsibilities.
- Find breastfeeding friendly meeting places.
Dads can sign up to SMS4dads and receive free text messages sent straight to their phone containing tips, information and links to other services to help fathers understand and connect with their baby and support their partner.
Grandparents play an important part in the encouragement and support of breastfeeding. More information for grandparents can be found here.
There are no benefits to starting solid foods before around six months. Starting too early can contribute to a decrease in breast milk production. Starting Family Foods provides current advice on introducing your baby to solid foods.
Support for breastfeeding in public
Look for the ‘We Are Breastfeeding Friendly’ sticker in Central Coast businesses and facilities that are supportive of mothers’ breastfeeding on their premises. There are more than 300 on the Central Coast helping to promote a positive attitude towards breastfeeding in the community.
If you have a business or know of a business that is breastfeeding friendly and would like to participate, contact Nutrition Services, Central Coast Local Health District for free breastfeeding friendly stickers and kit. Call 4320 2251.
References
1National health and Medical Research Council 2012, Infant Feeding Guidelines, Canberra. National Health and Medical Research Council.
Quick Meals for Kooris
Quick Meals for Kooris is a ‘hands-on’ cooking program, developed to assist Aboriginal people prepare easy, low-cost family meals using available ingredients. Allowing time to cook, eat and share ideas and knowledge is an important part of this program.
Check out this short video to find out more about the Quick Meals for Kooris program and how it can be adopted in your organisation.
“I’ve used the training to show other people how to cook inexpensive meals.”
Lynne Clarke, volunteer, San Remo Neighbourhood Centre.
“What I love about Quick Meals for Kooris is the recipes are simple and easy to make in your home, the ingredients are available in all shops, and honestly, some of the standard ingredients are in your cupboard today, right now.”
Kerry Groves, volunteer, San Remo Neighbourhood Centre
Quick Meals for Kooris is designed to be run by Aboriginal health workers or Aboriginal community members. This versatile program can be adapted to suit participant needs, resources and capacity of leaders. Program ‘leaders’ will not need extensive nutrition knowledge or food preparation skills as the Quick Meals for Kooris – Trainers Manual provides detailed guidance. Recipes included in the program are in the Quick Meals for Kooris – At Home book. It is intended that all group participants are given a copy of this book. This book is also a stand-alone resource and can be provided to people who do not attend a program.
*NEW* Quick Meals for Kooris recipe videos
You can watch how to prepare four of the quick, easy and low-cost recipes from the Quick Meals for Kooris at Home book.
Watch the videos below and download the recipes and methods.
Hawaiian Chicken Pasta | Quick Meals for Kooris
Vegetable Slice | Quick Meals for Kooris
Fruit Crumble | Quick Meals for Kooris
Family Mince | Quick Meals for Kooris
Thank you to Mitch Ella, Steve Ella, Tyra McEwen and Jenni McEwen for featuring in the videos.
Tell us what you think of these videos here!
Download the video recipes below:
Family Mince
Chicken Pasta
Vegetable Slice
Fruit Crumble
For more information, hard copy resources or support with nutrition training contact Lesley Marshall on (02) 4320 3691 or email [email protected].
School Gardens
Welcome to 2022!
Harvest for Health Grant applications open
The Central Coast Health Promotion Service, in partnership with Rumbalara Environmental Education Centre is offering five $1000 grants for primary schools in Central Coast Local Health District. This is to support the creation of supportive school environments for healthy eating, physical activity and environmental sustainability via school produce gardens and/or kitchens. Contact [email protected] to enquire.
School Gardens
Having a garden can help your school to promote environmental and sustainable learning as well as encourage healthy eating and physical activity. It is a fun way to learn outside and provides students with a hands-on opportunity to prepare, eat and share the food they have grown.
Participation in a school garden program has been shown to help improve knowledge and confidence in relation to growing, preparing, cooking and eating a diverse range of fresh foods among Australian children.1
Can my school have a kitchen garden?
Any school can have some sort of garden or kitchen, regardless of their site, size, resources, gardening experience or classroom space.
How to start a kitchen garden
Kitchen gardening for sustainability
You can also watch and share how to prepare four of our delicious recipes from the Patch to Plate book in the videos below!
Watch the videos below and download the recipes and methods.
Pea & Haloumi Fritters | Patch to Plate
Spinach & Feta Gozleme | Patch to Plate
Beetroot Hummus | Patch to Plate
Rice Paper Rolls | Patch to Plate
Central Coast School Garden Interest Group
The Central Coast School Garden Interest Group (CCSGIG) aims to share ideas and connect Central Coast schools with an interest in school gardens and cooking. Healthy eating, encouraging physical activity and providing an interest for students rather than using small screen technology underpins the group’s philosophy.
The group meets twice each year, with a different school hosting the meeting and sharing its experiences. This year, we are considering new ways to connect as a group – if you have any suggestions, get in touch!
Join the School Garden Interest Group for information on workshops, events and new resources.
You can also join our Facebook group.
If you have a question contact Nina Kingon at 4320 9715 or [email protected] or for updates from the Central Coast School Garden Interest Group join the mailing list here.
References
1Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation www.kitchengardenfoundation.org.au
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Introducing Refresh @ Home
The novel coronavirus COVID-19 has changed our daily lives and routines. With large numbers working as best as they can from home and many parents having to navigate educating their children from home, Australians are learning to adapt to a unique new landscape.
To help you during this time, we’ve relaunched our Refresh – Kids & Families page to become Refresh @ Home. Here you’ll find a collection of our resources, as well as information and advice on a number of topics, from exercising at home, to cooking healthy meals, activities and games.
Please continue to check this page for further updates.
Last updated: 3 April 2020
Activities and games
Home exercise
Healthy eating
Home safety
The novel coronavirus COVID-19 has changed our daily lives and routines. With large numbers working as best as they can from home and many parents having to navigate educating their children from home, Australians are learning to adapt to a unique new landscape.
To help you during this time, we’ve relaunched our Refresh – Kids & Families page to become Refresh @ Home. Here you’ll find a collection of our resources, as well as information and advice on a number of topics, from exercising at home, to cooking healthy meals, activities and games.
Please continue to check this page for further updates.
Activities and games
With kids at home, families will need plenty of games and activities to keep them occupied. Fear not, we’ve got you covered with a number of resources to help keep you and your family both active and entertained.
- Our Q4 Family ACTIVation Pack has fun, quick and easy games to play at home with 5–12-year-olds.
- Our Get Active Today tool has some ideas on simple games and activities you can play to support the development of children ages four to eight.
- The Healthy Kids website has some great backyard physical activities for under-fives.
- Click on our Healthy Graphic below for instructions on how to build a fort. Feel free to download the image and share on your social media channels, in your newsletter or on your website.
- While it might not be possible to cut out screen time while learning and working from home, it’s important to take a break and cut back while you can. Click on our Healthy Graphic below for a simple yet fun drawing activity. Feel free to download the image and share on your social media channels, in your newsletter or on your website.
Home exercise
Exercise is more important now than ever before – both to support our physical health and mental health.
With gymnasiums closed under current restrictions, many of us will be looking at converting our living rooms and gardens into exercise spaces. Here are some great exercise routines to ensure we continue to give our body and mind the work out it needs.
- NSW Health’s Make Healthy Normal website has some simple exercises to do from home or outdoors. You can view and download a range of workouts, from beginner, low-intensity and high-intensity workouts. Check out its TV Workout below.
- Exercise & Sports Science Australia has developed an Exercise Right at Home landing page with links to various home workouts and advice.
- For those who wish to cycle for exercise or transport (if necessary), Bicycle NSW has provided updates and resources to support its community during the COVID-19 situation.
Healthy eating
Planning your shop to ensure you have an adequate supply of healthy foods is top of everyone’s minds right now. Preparing and cooking meals as a family is also a great way to spend time in the house. Below you’ll find recipes and information on nutritious meals so you can be prepared when you need to grab some supplies.
- The Dietitians Association of Australia’s advice on planning your pantry during the COVID-19 pandemic has a handy list of foods you should consider buying in the event of needing to self-isolate, as well as some helpful recipes.
- Click on our Healthy Graphic below – which promotes cooking and eating together as a family – for instructions on how to make gozleme. Feel free to download the image and share on your social media channels, in your newsletter or on your website.
- The LiveLighter program has a number of healthy recipes and meal plans to download, including 12-week plans and family meal plans.
- NSW Health’s Get Healthy in Pregnancy program has loads of great advice and information to help you eat healthy and remain active during pregnancy. Click on the image below to take you through to its web page.
- Our Patch to Plate recipe book contains a collection of tasty and healthy recipes from high schools on the Central Coast, curated by our Central Coast School Garden Interest Group.
- If you’re stuck inside, the good news is you won’t be short of the only drink you need to keep you and your children hydrated and healthy – water. Check out this infographic that includes information on sugary drinks and tips to help your child drink more water.
- Our Thirsty? Choose Water! research program is all about promoting the benefits of making water your drink of choice. Naturally then, we love this hard-hitting advertising campaign from the Rethink Sugary Drink initiative. The ad demonstrates just how much sugar you consume when you drink sugar-sweetened beverages such as soft drinks and sports drinks. Watch the ad below and see for yourself.
Home safety
While we spend much more time in the home than usual, home safety awareness becomes even more important.
Sunday 5 April is April Falls Day. Originally initiated by Northern Sydney Central Coast Area Health Service to promote falls prevention and to raise awareness with community members, patients, carers and staff, the day has become a fixture in the NSW health calendar and now includes all of April (Falls Month).
The following resources contain advice and information on how you can stay safe in the home this April Falls, along with some fun games too.
- Download our Falls prevention checklist to help reduce your risk of falling.
- Download our Home safety checklist, which includes suggestions on how to make your home environment safer.
- Play our Falls are preventable wordsearch. Can you find all the words?
- Play Spot the Falls Risk. Can you spot all 21 hazards?
- Take a look at out our informative poster on what to do if you fall at home. Feel free to print and keep around the house as a reference.
- The Clinical Excellence Commission has developed a number of April Falls resources including posters, flyers and videos for families, carers and healthcare professionals to reduce the risk of falls.
