From the Kool Kidz Kitchen: Healthy Meals for Happy Kids

At Kool Kidz Childcare, we take pride in our nutrition filled and wholesome meals. We provide breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and late snacks for your child daily.

Each of our centres has a dedicated chef that curates healthy and delicious meals keeping the children energised all day.

In this blog, we share insights from Jeamma, the Chef at our Charlemont Centre, about our approach to seasonal meal plans, and some of our kids’ favourite meals.

 

The importance of nutrition for our Kool Kidz

Our primary goal is to ensure that every child consumes a balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, protein, and grains by the end of the day.

We understand that children can be selective eaters, so we offer various options to cater to different tastes.

For instance, we separate spaghetti bolognese components so children can enjoy plain pasta. We also finely chop or grate vegetables to hide them in meals, making it easier for kids to consume veggies.

 

Seasonal menus

Our set menu changes with the seasons, offering a four-week rotation for both summer and autumn. Each recipe comes directly from Nutrition Australia to ensure we meet daily nutrition requirements.

During the colder months, we serve warming dishes like soup (chicken noodle, pumpkin, minestrone), tagine, and pasta. During the warmer months, your child enjoys pork chow mein, Mexican beef and rice, and pork san choy bau.

Our menus are published on our Kool Konnect app and posted outside the kitchen so parents can see what their child will be served.

Our meals are delivered on trollies to each room, where educators serve the food along with cutlery and water bottles.

 

Catering to dietary needs

We are committed to accommodating various dietary requirements. Our meals are egg-friendly and nut-friendly, and we offer gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian options.

Each child with specific dietary needs receives their meal in a red bowl with their name on it, ensuring they get the right food.

For babies aged 0-1, we provide purees and steamed vegetables.

 

Our most popular lunches

Some of the most popular meals at our centre include pork chow mein, spaghetti bolognese, shepherd’s pie with mashed potatoes, lamb tagine with mashed potatoes, and vegetable lasagna.

Our kids also love plain rice and vermicelli noodles. Pork san choy bau is another favourite because of the crunchy lettuce wraps!

 

Teas and snacks

While many children arrive in the morning having already eaten brekkie, our breakfast options include Weet-Bix, toast, rice bubbles, and cornflakes, often served with milk and spreads like jam or Vegemite.

Morning tea features fresh fruit, while afternoon tea might include low-sugar treats like apple and cinnamon cake or banana cake, served with yoghurt.

For a late snack, we serve more fruit, rice crackers, cheese, sandwiches, or leftovers from morning tea, such as carrot sticks and dip.

Encouraging selective eaters
Our educators eat with the children to encourage them to try new foods. This communal eating helps create a trend where kids are likelier to eat what their peers eat.

If your child dislikes a particular food, we make substitutions to ensure they still get a balanced meal. For example, if they don’t like broccoli, we might use another vegetable like corn or carrots instead.

 

The role of nutrition in development

Nutrition plays a crucial role in a child’s overall development and learning. When the food trolley arrives, some kids get excited and are ready to eat, while others may be busy playing.

Regardless, active, developing children require nutritious food, and we ensure that everyone eats.

Your child’s daily food intake is recorded in our Kool Konnect app to ensure you know exactly what they eat and how much.

Our educators also discuss the importance of eating healthy and nutritious food, helping children understand the benefits of a balanced diet.

 

We encourage exploration and discovery

Many parents are impressed by the variety and nutrition of our meals. They often ask how we get the kids to eat such a diverse range of foods!

We aim to introduce new foods early to encourage children to explore different flavours and expand their palates.

We take feedback from educators to understand the children’s preferences and make adjustments as needed.

 

Including children in meal preparation

We plan to introduce cooking classes where children can help prepare their afternoon tea. Activities will include mixing cake batter, making healthy oat cookies, and creating English muffin pizzas.

This hands-on approach will help children develop an interest in healthy eating from a young age.

 

Recipes to try at home

We love sharing our recipes with parents so they can prepare healthy meals at home. Recipes are posted on our app, where parents can see what their children are eating and how much they enjoyed it.

We’ve included three of our most popular recipes for you to share with your child at home.

At Kool Kidz Childcare, we are dedicated to providing healthy, delicious meals that support the growth and development of every child. We hope this glimpse into our kitchen inspires you to try some of our recipes at home and encourage your child to enjoy a variety of nutritious foods.

 

Recipe 1: Lamb Rogan Josh with Basmati Rice

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

120 g basmati rice, uncooked

8 mL olive oil

4 g bay leaves

4 g ground cloves

4 g cardamom seeds

4 g cinnamon, ground

4 g fennel seeds

100 g red onion, sliced

4 g ginger, grated

4 g garlic, crushed

4 g turmeric, ground

4 g chilli powder

4 g coriander, ground

80 g fresh tomatoes, diced

20 g reduced salt tomato puree

200 g lamb (from a leg or shoulder), cubed

Method:

1. Prepare rice as per packet instructions to be served with rogan josh.
2. Heat oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan until almost smoking.
3. Add bay leaves, ground cloves, cardamom seeds, cinnamon, and fennel seeds and cook for 1-2 minutes until sizzling.
4. Add the onion and fry for approximately 5 minutes or until brown.
5. Stir in ginger and garlic, followed by turmeric, chilli powder, and ground coriander.
6. Add tomato, tomato puree and stir well to combine.
7. Turn the heat up to high and add the lamb, searing all over and coating in the flavours. Add a little water. Cover with a lid and simmer for 35-40 minutes.
8. Remove from heat.
9. To serve, place curry and rice in large serving bowls.

 

Recipe 2: Pork Chow Mein

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

600 g rice noodles

100 g broccoli florets

4 mL olive oil

2 g corn flour

10 mL reduced salt soy sauce

480 g lean pork mince

4 g garlic, crushed

4 g ginger, grated

400 g carrots, shredded

400 g wombock cabbage, shredded

Method:

1. Cook the noodles according to packet instructions, drain and set aside.0
2. Heat oil in a large wok, add the pork fillets and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add garlic and ginger, and cook for another minute.
4. Pour in half the soy sauce and mix to form a paste. Cook for another minute.
5. Add broccoli to the pan with the remaining soy sauce and stir-fry with a tablespoon of water for 3-4 minutes.
6. Add the carrots and cabbage, and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until tender.
7. Combine the noodles and the remaining sauce. Toss everything together to coat in the sauce.
8. Serve in bowls.

 

Recipe 3: Homestyle Spaghetti Bolognese

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

10 mL extra virgin olive oil

100 g brown onion, finely diced

60 g carrot, finely diced

60 g celery, finely diced

4 g garlic cloves, finely chopped

300 g lean beef mince

200 g tomatoes, crushed, canned

40 mg basil

40 mg oregano

300 g penne pasta

120 g tasty cheese, grated

 

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 5-6 minutes or until the onion has softened.
3. Add beef mince, breaking up any lumps of meat with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5-6 minutes until browned.
4. Add tomatoes, basil, and oregano to the pot and stir until well combined.
5. Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for approximately 30 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Add water if required.
6. Prepare pasta as per packet instructions. Drain and set aside.
7. Serve bolognese sauce over cooked pasta and sprinkle with grated tasty cheese.