This guide will help you meet children's nutrient needs each day. It shows how to spread food from the five food groups across snacks and main meals in a 2-week menu.
Use this guide with:
The sample menu shows the daily number of food group serves for each toddler or child in care for 8 hours. It includes example meals that will help you to meet the recommended serves each day.
For example, Week one Monday lunch suggestion:
The sample menu below shows how you can adapt the main service menu for toddlers. Toddlers can have the same meal but need smaller amounts and finger food or bite-sized pieces.
To know what a serve of a food type looks like, use:
Children (2 to 5 years)
Water should be offered at all meals and snacks. Make water available throughout the day.
Plain milk is another healthy drink option. Choose full-fat milk for children under 2 years. Full-fat and reduced-fat milk is suitable for children after 2 years. If using plant-based milks such as soy or pea, choose products with added calcium (100mg per 100mL).
The serving sizes are the amounts per child, per meal or snack.
Water should be offered at each meal and snack time and should be available throughout the day.
Services can show the vegetarian option on the menu as shown in the sample menu.
If you need more help to plan your service menu, please contact your Local Health District Munch & Move Health Promotion Officer.
Vegetables and legumes/beans. Grain (cereal) foods. Fruit Milk, yoghurt, cheese, and/or plant-based alternatives with added calcium. Lean meat and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds and legumes/beans.
Crumpet topped with ricotta (cut into finger food).
Full-fat milk to drink.
Slow-cooked lamb curry with rice and vegetables (carrots, capsicum, broccoli) roughly mashed.
Sliced vegetables (cucumbers and steamed carrot).
Berry smoothie made with full-fat milk, full-fat yoghurt and mixed berries.
1 serve 2 serves ¼ serve ¾ serve ½ serve
1 serve ½ serve
½ serve ½ serve 1 serve
½ serve ¼ serve ¼ serve
Wholemeal toast fingers with ricotta-based dip and steamed carrot sticks.
Tuna mornay pasta bake made with cut-up vegetables (zucchini, carrot and peas) with or without grated cheese.
Full-fat vanilla yoghurt with a quarter of a banana.
1 serve ½ serve ½ serve
¼ serve ¼ serve
Half a toasted English muffin with sliced cheese (cut into finger food).
Bobotie (African spice meat dish) made with beef mince and vegetables (pumpkin and sweet potato cut into bite-sized pieces).
Wholemeal toast fingers with a spread of margarine.
Bruschetta made with diced tomatoes and wholemeal toast (cut into finger food).
1 serve 2 serves ¼ serve½ serve ½ serve
½ serve ½ serve ¼ serve
½ serve ½ serve
Baked beans on wholemeal toast.
Spinach and ricotta ravioli with mixed bean side salad (roughly mashed four-bean mix and tomato).Vegetarian
Banana smoothie made with full-fat milk, full-fat yoghurt and banana.
1 serve 2 serves ¼ serve ¾ serves ½ serve
Toasted Lebanese bread fingers, sliced vegetables (cucumber and steamed carrot) and hummus.
Chicken strip stir-fry with vegetables (capsicum, broccoli, carrot and peas) and noodles (cut into bite-sized pieces).
Vegetarian alternativeTofu and lentil stir-fry with vegetables (capsicum, broccoli, carrot and peas) and noodles (chopped into bite-sized pieces).
Full-fat vanilla yoghurt with cut-up mixed berries.
1 serve 2 serves ¼ serve ¾ serves ½ serve
Wholemeal toast fingers with ricotta cheese and a drizzle of honey.
Vegetarian curry made with chickpeas and served with naan bread fingers and steamed vegetables (pumpkin, broccoli, baby spinach and capsicum) cut into bite-sized pieces. Vegetarian
Sliced vegetable and fruit platter (steamed carrot, cucumber, watermelon).
1 serve 2 serves ¼ serve ½ serve ½ serve
1 serve
½ serve ¼ serve ½ serve
Mango smoothie made with full-fat milk, full-fat yoghurt and mango.
Spaghetti bolognese made with minced beef, vegetables (onion, carrot, celery, tomato) and grated cheese.
Savoury scroll with thinly sliced vegetable sticks (cucumber and capsicum).
½ serve ½ serve 1 serve ¼ serve
Half a cheese sandwich on wholemeal bread (cut into quarters).
Quarter of an orange.
Roasted fish (flaked and de-boned) and roasted vegetables (pumpkin, cauliflower and green beans), cut into bite-sized pieces and served with quinoa.
Vegetable slice made with capsicum, baby spinach and zucchini (cut into finger food).
1 serve ½ serve ¼ serve
½ serve
Service-made vegetable muffin (made with pumpkin, wholemeal flour and margarine) cut into finger food.
Mexican-style fajitas made with beef strips, stir-fried vegetables, shredded cheese (cut into bite-sized pieces) with soft tortilla strips.
Sliced vegetable and fruit platter (watermelon, steamed capsicum and carrot).
½ serve ¼ serve
English muffin with tzatziki and grated carrot and cucumber.
Service-made pizza made with shredded chicken, cheese and vegetable toppings (mushroom/ capsicum and tomato) and herbs, cut into finger food.
Vegetarian alternative Service-made pizza made with tofu, cheese and vegetable toppings (mushroom/capsicum and tomato) and herbs, cut into finger food.
Full-fat vanilla yoghurt with fruit salad (cut up).
1½ serves 2 serves ¼ serve ¾ serve ½ serve
½ serve 1 serve 1 serve ½ serve
Crumpet topped with ricotta and pears.
Milk to drink.
Slow-cooked lamb curry with rice and vegetables (carrots, capsicum, broccoli).
Sliced vegetables (carrot and cucumber).
Berry smoothie made with milk, yoghurt and mixed berries.
2 serves 2 serves 1 serve 1 serve ¾ serve
¾ serve 1 serve 1 serve
Wholegrain crackers with vegetable sticks (carrot, cucumber, capsicum) and ricotta-based dip.
Tuna mornay pasta bake made with vegetables (zucchini, carrot and peas) with or without grated cheese.
Vanilla yoghurt with banana.
1 serve 1 serve ½ serve
½ serve 1 serve
Half a toasted English muffin with sliced cheese.
Half a pear.
Bobotie (African spice meat dish) made with beef mince and vegetables (pumpkin and sweet potato).
Wholemeal toast with a spread of margarine.
Bruschetta made with diced tomatoes and wholemeal toast.
Half an apple.
½ serve ½ serve ½ serve
½ serve 1 serve ½ serve ½ serve
Half an orange.
Spinach and ricotta ravioli with mixed bean side salad (four bean mix, tomato, capsicum, cucumber).Vegetarian
Banana smoothie made with milk, yoghurt and banana.
1 serve 1 serve ½ serve ½ serve
Toasted Lebanese bread with vegetable sticks (carrot, cucumber, capsicum) and hummus.
Chicken strip stir-fry with vegetables (capsicum, broccoli, carrot and peas) and noodles.
Vegetarian alternative Tofu and lentil stir-fry with vegetables (capsicum, broccoli, carrot and peas) and noodles.
Vanilla yoghurt with mixed berries.
Raisin toast.
Vegetarian curry made with chickpeas and served with naan bread and steamed vegetables (pumpkin, broccoli, baby spinach and capsicum). Vegetarian
Sliced vegetable and fruit platter (carrot, cucumber, watermelon).
Mango smoothie made with milk, yoghurt and mango.
Savoury scroll with vegetable sticks (cucumber and capsicum).
¾ serve 1 serve 1 serve ½ serve
Half a cheese sandwich on wholemeal bread.
Sliced orange and apple platter.
Roasted fish (flaked and de-boned) and roasted vegetables (pumpkin, cauliflower and green beans) and served with quinoa.
Vegetable slice made with capsicum, baby spinach and zucchini.
1 serve ½ serve 1 serve
Service-made vegetable muffin (made with pumpkin, wholemeal flour and margarine).
Mexican-style fajitas made with beef strips, stir-fried vegetables, shredded cheese with soft tortilla strips.
Sliced vegetable and fruit platter (capsicum, green beans, watermelon).
1 serve 1 serve
Rice and corn cakes with vegetable sticks (carrot and cucumber) and tzatziki.
Service-made pizza made with shredded chicken, cheese and vegetable toppings (mushroom/ capsicum and tomato) and herbs.
Vegetarian alternative Service-made pizza made with tofu, cheese and vegetable toppings (mushroom/capsicum and tomato) and herbs.
Vanilla yoghurt with fruit salad.
