Ingredient quantities (2 to 5 years)

The tables in this section provide a guide to the food amounts needed to:

meet children’s nutritional needs
help your service meet the NSW Menu Planning Guide
help reduce food waste.

The ingredient quantities can be multiplied or divided to match the number of children. For example, if you are cooking for 20 children, you will need to double the amounts provided for 10 children.

Each child is different. Children aged 2 and 3 may only eat small amounts of food compared to children aged 4 and 5.

Download ingredient quantities

Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds and legumes/beans

Offer ¾ of a serve of ‘Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans’ for children 2 to 5 years each day.
You may combine different foods within this food group to make a meal. For example, a meal may include fish and eggs to make up the serve size.
Example: for 20 children you need 1kg of cooked red meat to provide the required ¾ of a serve of meat for a child.

	¾ serve is equal to	4 children	10 children	30 children	50 children	80 children
Lean red meat (raw, boneless)	70 to 75g	280 to 300g	700 to 750g	2.1 to 2.25kg	3.5 to 3.75kg	5.6 to 6kg
Lean red meat (cooked)	50g	200g	500g	1.5kg	2.5kg	4kg
Poultry (raw, boneless)	75g	300g	750g	2.25kg	3.75kg	6kg
Poultry (cooked, skin off)	60g	240g	600g	1.8kg	3kg	4.8kg
Fish (raw)	85g	340g	850g	2.55kg	4.25kg	6.8kg
Fish (cooked/canned)	75g	300g	750g	2.25kg	3.75kg	6kg
Eggs (cooked)	2 large eggs	8 large eggs	20 large eggs	60 large eggs	100 large eggs	160 large eggs
Legumes (dry, yet to be cooked)	55g	220g	550g	1.65kg	2.75kg	4.4kg
Legumes/beans (cooked/canned, drained weight)	115g	460g	1.15kg	3.45kg	5.75kg	9.2kg
Tofu and tempeh	130g	520g	1.3kg	3.9kg	6.5kg	10.4kg
Nuts/seed butters and pastes	23g	92g	230g	690g	1.15kg	1.85kg

Check if your service has food allergy policies in place. Some children cannot have eggs, nuts, seeds and nut/seed butters or pastes.

Food allergies and intolerances

Vegetables and legumes/beans

Offer 2 serves of ‘Vegetables or legumes/beans’ to children 2 to 5 years each day.
Double the amount listed for 2 serves. For example, for 30 children you will need 4.5kg (2.25kg × 2) of vegetables and legumes/beans to provide 2 serves of vegetables for each child.
Vegetables may need to be offered at the main meal and at least one snack, to meet 2 serves a day.
Any 2 of the options will meet each child’s daily vegetable needs while in care for 8 hours.

	1 serve is equal to	4 children	10 children	30 children	50 children	80 children
Vegetables (fresh/frozen)	75g	300g	750g	2.25kg	3.75kg	6kg
Vegetables (cooked, canned, drained)	75g (½ cup)	300g	750g	2.25kg	3.75kg	6kg
Vegetables (green leafy or raw salad)	75g (1 cup)	300g	750g	2.25kg	3.75kg	6kg
Legumes (cooked or canned, drained weight) If using canned vegetables, choose no added salt varieties.	75g (½ cup)	300g	750g	2.25kg	3.75kg	6kg

Fruit

Offer 1 serve of fruit per child per day.
Any of the options in the table will meet each child’s daily fruit needs while in care for 8 hours.
Example: for 20 children you will need 3kg of fruit to provide 1 serve of fruit for each child.

	1 serve is equal to	4 children	10 children	30 children	50 children	80 children
Fruit (fresh/frozen)	150g (1 medium or 2 small pieces)	600g	1.5kg	4.5kg	7.5kg	12kg
Fruit (cooked, canned, drained) If using canned fruits, choose no added sugar varieties.	150g (1 cup)	600g	1.5kg	4.5kg	7.5kg	12kg
Dried fruit	30g	120g	300g	900g	1.5kg	2.4kg

Grain (cereal) foods

Choose mostly wholegrain and/or high fibre varieties.
Offer 2 serves of ‘Grain (cereal) foods’ per child per day.
Double the amount listed for 2 serves per child. For example, for 30 children you will need 30 slices of bread and 1.8kg of pasta to provide 2 serves of grains (cereal) foods for each child.
Any 2 of the options will meet each child’s daily grain (cereal) needs while in care for 8 hours.
Foods can be served across morning tea, lunch and/or afternoon tea.

	1 serve is equal to	4 children	10 children	30 children	50 children	80 children
Bread (all types)	1 slice	4 slices	10 slices (½ loaf)	30 slices (1½ loaves)	50 slices (2½ loaves)	80 slices (4 loaves)
Pita bread	½ large pocket (40g)	2 pockets (80g)	5 pockets (400g)	15 pockets (1.2kg)	25 pockets (2kg)	40 pockets (3.2kg)
Breakfast cereal flakes	30g	120g	300g	900g	1.5kg	2.4kg
Breakfast cereal (wheat biscuit)	2 biscuits	8 biscuits	20 biscuits	60 biscuits	100 biscuits	160 biscuits
Bread roll	½ medium roll	2 rolls	5 rolls	15 rolls	25 rolls	40 rolls
Pasta/noodles/rice/couscous (dry)	30g	120g	300g	900g	1.5kg	2.4kg
Pasta/noodles/rice/couscous (cooked)	½ cup	2 cups	5 cups	15 cups	25 cups	40 cups
Crispbread/plain crackers	35g (3 crispbreads)	140g (12 crispbreads)	350g (30 crispbreads)	1.05kg (90 crispbreads)	1.75kg (150 crispbreads)	2.8kg (240 crispbreads)
Crumpet/English muffin	1	4	10	30	50	80

Milk, yoghurt, cheese, and/or plant-based alternatives with added calcium

Offer 1 serve of ‘Milk, yoghurt, cheese, and/or plant-based alternatives with added calcium’ for children each day.
Foods can be served across morning tea, lunch and/or afternoon tea, or served within one meal. For example, half a cup (125mL) of milk at morning tea and 20g of cheese with lunch equal 1 serve in total.
Example: for 20 children you will need 5 litres of milk to provide 1 serve of this food group for each child.

	1 serve is equal to	4 children	10 children	30 children	50 children	80 children
Milk	250mL	1L	2.5L	7.5L	12.5L	20L
Plant-based milks (at least 100mg added calcium per 100mL)	250mL	1L	2.5L	7.5L	12.5L	20L
Milk powder	25g (1/4 cup)	100g (1 cup)	250g	750g	1.25kg	2kg
Hard cheese or plant- based alternative with added calcium	40g (2 slices)	80g (8 slices)	400g	1.2kg	2kg	3.2kg
Ricotta cheese	120g	480g	1.2kg	3.6kg	6kg	9.6kg
Yoghurt or plant-based alternative with added calcium	200g	800g	2kg	6kg	10kg	16kg
Evaporated milk Not suitable as a drink but can be used in cooking.	120mL	480mL	1.2L	3.6L	6L	9.6L