Playcentre Aotearoa’s
Food and Drink Procedure
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008,
46 (1a) Licensing Criteria for Centre-based Education and Care Services 2008:
HS19 Food/drink is served at appropriate times to meet the nutritional needs of each child while they are attending. Where food is provided by the service, it is of sufficient variety, quantity, and quality to meet these needs. Where food/drink is provided by parents, the service encourages and promotes healthy eating guidelines.
HS20 Food/drink is prepared, served, and stored hygienically.
HS21 An ample supply of water that is fit to drink is available to children at all times, and older children are able to access this water independently.
HS22 Children are supervised while eating/drinking.
HS23 APPLIES ONLY TO SERVICES LICENSED FOR UNDER 2-YEAR-OLDS: Infants under the age of 6 months and other children unable to drink independently are held semi-upright when being fed. Any infant milk food given to a child under the age of 12 months is of a type approved by the child’s parent.
| Item | Procedure | Who |
| 1.0 | Preparing and serving kai/food and drink | |
| 1.1 | Any kai/food and drink prepared at Centre is prepared, served and stored hygienically. | Any adult working with food |
| 1.2 | Everyone is required to wash hands before eating or handling kai/food. | Everyone touching food |
| 1.3 | Kai/food can be supplied in accordance with standard good hygiene practices and the following measures: • Tamariki and adults should eat their kai/food from their own food containers. • Centre food containers can be used, but it must have gone through the dishwasher so that it is sterilised and ready to use. • Drinks can be served using the centre cups that have gone through the dishwasher so that it is sterilised and ready to use. • Sharing kai/food/drinks at the eating tables is not encouraged because of the risk of allergens. • If kai/food (including drinks) is prepared at the Centre and this is to be shared, it must be done in a safe manner. If a child with known allergies is present during the shared kai/food/drink sharing, then a parent/caregiver must give approval by signing the Food Record |
|
| 1.4 | Consider the risk of choking hazards (e.g.: hard foods, big pieces of food that may be swallowed whole) ensure any kai/food prepared at Centre is prepared in a way to minimise any choking hazard possibilities. | Any adult preparing food and supervising food/drinks being eaten by tamariki |
| 1.5 | Consider and apply bicultural practices when preparing and sharing kai/food (including drinks) at Centre. | Any adult working with food/drinks |
| 1.6 |
Keep items used for preparing, eating and storing kai/food separate from other activities: |
All at Centre |
| 1.7 |
A record must be kept of all kai/food and drink prepared at Centre. (Any kai/food bought to Centre by parents/whānau for their child only does not need to be recorded.) These records should be retained for at least 3 months from the date the kai/food/drinks was served. |
Any adult preparing food at Centre is responsible for recording this information. |
| 1.8 | Adults will consider healthy eating guidelines when choosing kai/food to be eaten at the centre. |
| 2.0 | Supporting children while eating/drinking | |
| 2.1 | An ample supply of drinking water is always available to tamariki at Centre, through Ensure older tamariki can access this water independently. |
Adults responsible on session |
| 2.2 | Ensure tamariki are actively supervised and seated while eating. At least one adult will be present and monitoring tamariki at all times while they are eating. – Adults may like to sit at the same level as the children/tamariki to encourage social interaction. The development of self-help skills is encouraged during this time. – Children/tamariki with special needs who may not be able to eat or drink independently will need one-on-one supervision. |
Any adult supervising food being eaten by tamariki |
| 2.3 | All children/tamariki not able to eat or drink independently (especially those under 6 months old) should be held semi upright while being fed for comfort and to avoid choking | Supervising adult |
| 2.4 | Centres should support whānau to breast or bottle feed their infants/tamariki on demand or at times chosen by whānau. | All at Centre |
| 2.5 | No child should have access to any food or drink while in bed or in any other sleeping or resting place. | Supervising adult |
| 3.0 | Cleaning Up | |
| 3.1 | All cups, plates, dishes need to be hygienically washed after use. | All at the centre |
| 3.2 | Dishes should be left to air dry, teatowels should not be used to dry them | All at the centre |
| 3.3 | Kai/food table must be cleaned after use. Cloths used for kai/food areas will not be used in other areas of the centre. | All at the centre |
| 4.0 | Allergies | |
| 4.1 | Capture information about allergies on a child’s enrolment form. Update the child’s enrolment record with any new allergies that develop after enrolment | Parent to complete. |
| 4.2 | Appropriate steps will be taken to manage allergies. Display and maintain a list of tamariki and adults with food allergies or dietary requirements with any action required in the event of contact with the allergen. | entre Member Responsible for Health and Safety |
| 4.3 | Keep an allergy action plan on display (with photos of the child or adult if parent/whānau permission is granted) for those with severe allergies. | Centre Member Responsible for Health and Safety |
| 4.4 | In the event of severe allergies at Centre, the Centre may want to exclude specific foods from being brought into Centre. Make this clear to all Centre members at the time, and on enrolment of new Centre members. | All Centre Members |
| 4.5 | Everyone should be required to wash hands after handling food if it is an appropriate measure to ensure effective allergy management at Centre. | All at Centre |
| 406 | Parent/Caregiver/Whanua is to sign the Food Register each time their children/tamariki is being given kai/food/drinks prepared at the Centre. | Parent to consent/approve |
RESOURCES
Healthy Eating – Healthy Action (www.moh.govt.nz) Under Fives Nutrition (www.nhf.org.nz)
Under Fives Nutrition (www.nhf.org.nz)
Food Safety (www.foodsafe.org.nz)
Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Healthy Infants and Toddlers (aged 0-2yrs): A background paper (MoH2008/limited update 2012)
https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/food-and-nutrition-guidelines-healthy-infants-and-toddlers-aged-0- 2-background-paper-partially
Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Healthy Children and Young People (aged 2-18yrs): A background paper (MoH 2012)
https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/food-and-nutrition-guidelines-healthy-children-and-young-people- aged-2-18-years-background-paper
Eating for Healthy Babies and Toddlers/Ngā kai tōtika mō te hunga
kōhungahungahttps://www.healthed.govt.nz/resource/eating-healthy-babies-and-toddlersng%C4%81-kait%C5%8Dtika-m%C5%8D-te-hunga-k%C5%8Dhungahunga
Eating for Healthy Children aged 2 to 12/Ngā Kai Tōtika mō te Hunga
Kōhungahungahttps://www.healthed.govt.nz/resource/eating-healthy-children-aged-2-12ng%C4%81-kait%C5%8Dtika-m%C5%8D-te-hunga-k%C5%8Dhungahunga
REFERENCES
Playcentre Aotearoa’s Health and Safety Policy
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008
Licensing Criteria for Centre-based Education and Care Services 2008