Healthy eating for children helps them to maintain good health, keep up their energy levels and fend off illness. Each OSHC session offers fresh fruit and vegetables and we have recently sourced from local boutique suppliers to maintain food that is of quality and freshness due to the recent panic buying resulting in a shortage of supply from our regular supplier.

Supporting your children during the COVID-19 outbreak is about understanding the most nutritious options and how to maintain good food hygiene.

### 6 tips for building healthy eating habits for children during COVID-19
Whether you want to encourage your children to eat more healthy foods or you’re concerned about food hygiene, these six tips can help.

**1. Eating together as a family**

Bringing the family together at least once a day allows you to be a role model for your children, as well as ensuring healthy food is put on the table. The [WHO (World Health Organisation)](https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/healthy-parenting) suggests allowing plenty of opportunities to educate your child about COVID-19 and being their form of guidance. If your children are old enough to make their own food choices, this is especially important right now. While they might enjoy junk food in moderation, now’s the time to make sure you’re all eating nutritious foods every single day, and as frequently as possible. Seeing you model this behaviour is important for children of all ages.

**2. Stock up on healthy snacks**

Have a variety of fruit on hand for snacks and dessert so they become the new ‘normal’ for your household. Other good options include cheese, wholegrain crackers or breads, eggs and nuts, where not allergic, of course. By providing healthy snacking options, you also ensure your children are getting some of the nutrients they need throughout the day, not just during main meal times.

**3. Disguise healthy food**s

If you’re struggling to get your children to accept some of the healthy options you’d like them to eat, try disguising it. For example, add vegetables to soups or casseroles, mash vegetables into mashed potato or blend veggies in pasta sauces. [Australia’s Best Recipes](https://www.bestrecipes.com.au/articles/5-ways-hide-veggies-food/elakxvw9) has various examples to try. With the right quantities, they’ll never guess what you’ve added but still benefit from all the extra nutritional value.

**4. Involve children in the decision-making process**

Plans to improve your family’s healthy eating works even better if everyone’s onboard. Ask your children to help you look at labels or recipes, and talk to them about the ingredients listed, and what they do or don’t contribute to a healthy diet. You could also get them to help you work out what you can substitute if you can’t get everything you want in the supermarket. Getting them excited about picking and eating s is a fun way to involve them as well. This isn’t just beneficial during COVID-19, it’s teaching them important skills for their future.

**5. Ask them to help you prepare food safely**

The CDC ([Centers for Disease Control and Prevention](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html) say that coronaviruses are typically spread from person-to-person through the air. They don’t have any evidence to suggest that the virus is transmitting through food, but they still highlight the need to practice good hygiene. Get your children involved in food preparation and explain to them why they need to take certain precautions. In particular, they should wash their hands thoroughly before preparing or eating food. It’s also important to clean the surfaces you’ll be using. Washing and rinsing fruit and vegetables is a critical habit to develop as well.

**6. Start with a healthy breakfast**

By starting the morning with a healthy breakfast, your family has an even better chance of staying away from unhealthy snacks throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can help with better energy levels and focus, avoiding those energy dips that send us reaching for unhealthy food. You can even choose meals you can prepare the night before or in batches. Good options include boiling an egg for everyone or making scrambled egg sandwiches the night before. You can also defrost frozen fruit overnight, ready to mix with yoghurt and cereals in the morning or for the week ahead, or blend into a smoothie.

 Exactly what kind of portion sizes your child needs depends on their level of physical activity.

### Child health and the importance of good nutrition

Healthy eating is about getting the right nutrients to help our bodies grow and develop. Poor dietary choices can mean children are missing essential nutrition, such as key vitamins and minerals, that help them fight disease and stay healthy.

So, what is a good diet for children? It’s about having a balanced diet, which covers a range of food groups and allows children to get all the nutrients they need to be as healthy as possible.

When children don’t eat a balanced diet that’s rich in fruits and vegetables, they can lack fibre which may lead to nutritional deficiencies. They may have difficulty maintaining a good weight, lack energy or show problems with their physical growth. Some children experience emotional, psychological and behavioural problems, may struggle to concentrate at school or have difficulty sleeping.

It’s not always obvious what you should look out for when it comes to keeping your children healthy though. Here are some key nutrients to think about:

Vitamins and minerals from a range of fruits and veggies. Go for as colourful a plate as possible and think about this at every meal. By doing so, you’ll likely make sure your children have plenty of vitamins such as A and C, both of which support the immune system. Citrus fruits and dark leafy greens are great examples of high vitamin foods.

Protein is an essential part of the body’s repair system and so helps your child recover quickly if they do get ill. Lean meats and dark leafy greens have lots of protein.
Good fats are also good for the immune system as they help the body effectively use some of the other nutrients we eat. It’s also a great source of energy for children. Be careful to provide unsaturated fats rather than saturated. Avocados, eggs, nuts and seeds are excellent sources of good fats.

Carbohydrates are another key source of energy and they also support the body in using other key nutrients in repairing and building. Sweet potatoes and whole grains are great examples of carbohydrates.
Iron helps the body produce blood and build muscles and is especially important when your children are growing. Red meats and beans are excellent sources.

There are many important nutrients that we all need, which is why a well-balanced and varied diet is so important.

 Get the right balance of nutrients to help your child develop and grow.

### Dietary choices the Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend

The Australian Dietary Guidelines, published by the Australian Government, include  specific recommendations:

- Be physically active and choose nutritious foods and drinks
- Enjoy a variety of food from five key food groups
- Limit intake of saturated fat, high salt and sugars
- Prepare and store food safely

For parents trying to build healthy eating habits for their children, the first two guidelines are key.

The five food groups the guidelines refer to are below, as well as serves per day - which depends on your child’s age.

- Vegetables, including different colours and different types (2-5 serves per day)
- Fruit (1-2 serves per day)
- Grain-based foods, particularly wholegrain or high cereal fibre options [including breads, rice, pasta and noodles] (4-7 serves per day)
- Lean meat, fish, poultry or vegetarian alternatives such as egg, legumes/beans and tofu (1-2.5 serves per day)
- Milk, cheese, yoghurt or alternative products available [children under 2 should have full-fat milk, but older children and adolescents can have reduced-fat varieties] (1.5 - 3.5 serves per day)

The guidelines also advise parents that it’s important to drink plenty of water.

The government’s ‘[Healthy eating for children](https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/healthy-eating-for-children)’ guide, which uses the same guidelines, also explains that being healthy involves choosing the right amounts of these nutritious foods to support energy needs, growth and development. Children should have a variety of nutritious foods from the five food groups every day.

A healthy diet includes options from all five food groups.

### Foods to avoid in a healthy diet
 
Guideline 3 is about understanding what foods to limit. These foods may be high in calories, or have significant sugar, saturated fat or salt levels. While these kinds of foods can be enjoyed occasionally, the guidelines refer to them as ‘discretionary choices’ because they are by no means an essential part of your child’s diet. Similarly, the Australian Department of Health refers to these choices as ‘Sometimes foods’. As well as only having these foods occasionally, it’s also advisable to limit how much your children have.

Examples of foods to limit include:

- Lollies or confectionery
- Cakes
- Biscuits
- Desserts including ice cream
- Processed foods such as meat pies or ready meals
- Sugary drinks
- Deep fried foods such as takeaway fries

Remember that highly processed and refined foods are often stripped of much of their nutritional value and don’t offer slow, long lasting energy release like complex carbohydrates do - such as brown rice and whole wheat bread.

It’s also a good idea to get into the habit of watching out for added salt and sugar in seemingly healthy foods - such as bread, prepared soups, flavoured yoghurts or drinks and ready-made meals. Producers add extra ingredients for a variety of reasons, such as taste and shelf-life, which can hamper your efforts to provide healthy food for your children.

Helping your child make good food choices is not only important while we navigate COVID-19, it’s a critical habit to develop and maintain into the future. Check our [school holiday activities article](https://www.campaustralia.com.au/blog/6-school-holiday-activities-to-entertain-the-kids) for a healthy recipe you can make today.

Staying healthy is extra important during the COVID-19 outbreak. With the children at home, it’s important you know how to support their nutrition.

Healthy Eating for Children: 6 Ways to Build Healthy Habits for Children During COVID-19

Blog

Cooking activities for kids have been the taste (pardon the pun) of the week. In Outside School Hours Care, our educators and children love to cook together, learning how ingredients combine to create wonderful tasting treats and dishes. Please enjoy some of our latest recipes from our kitchen to yours at home.

### Banana Smoothies

Delicious and easy to prepare smoothie.

Serves 3

*Ingredients*

1 banana
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon or dash of honey
1 Weetbix (optional)

*Method*

Peel banana and break into pieces
Blend all ingredients until smooth (use blender, otherwise use a fork)
Serve cold
 

### Hummingbird Cake

This cake was named after the bird because it was sweet enough to attract hummingbirds (who eat only nectar). It was invented in Jamaica in the 1960s.

Recipe makes one cake or 24 mini muffins

*Ingredients*

1 ¼ cup self-raising flour
¼ cup sugar
½ cup coconut
1 teaspoon bicarb soda
400gms tinned fruit
2 ripe bananas
¾ cup vegetable oil

*Method*

Preheat oven to 1800C
Using paper towel, lightly grease muffin tin with vegetable oil
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl
Add tinned fruit and oil. Mix until just combined.
Spoon mixture into cake tin or divide into muffin tins
Cook for approx. 30 mins
 

### Orange Muffins

Serves 12

*Ingredients*

2 cups plain flour
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
¼ cup sugar
2-3 tablespoons orange or lemon zest
2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup orange juice
¼ cup vegetable oil

*Method*

Pre-heat oven to 180oC
Sift flour and baking soda into medium sized bowl
Stir in sugar and orange or lemon zest. Make well in centre.
Combine milk, orange juice and stro into dry ingredients.
Bake for 55-60 mins or until cooked when tested then stand for 5 mins
 

### Nachos

Nachos are associated with Mexican food. It is thought this dish was first served in 1943.

*Ingredients*

1 packet of Lebanese wholemeal bread (cut up and lightly toasted)
1 tin of kidney beans (drained and rinsed with water)
1 tin of corn (drained)
¼ cup grated reduced-fat cheese
¼ cup salsa
Use any vegetable, e,g. lettuce or capsicum as topping
Method

Refrigerate the cheese for 5 mins so that it is easier to grate
Ona microwave plate, arrange Lebanese bread pieces in a single layer
Top with kidney beans and grated cheese
Microwave uncovered on High for approx.. 1 min, until heated and cheese has melted.
Top with salsa and toppings

### Hearty Soup with Noodles

This delicious soup can contain any vegetables.

Serves 10

*Ingredients*

Vegetables (e.g. carrot, celery)
Vegetable oil
1 tin corn
1 tin tomatoes
Noodles

*Method:*

Cut vegetables into small pieces
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add tomatoes.
Stir and bring to a simmer
Add vegetables and drained corn.
Add water and stir.
Cover and cook until all vegetables are soft
Serve with cooked noodles.
 

### Australian Damper

Damper is the bush-bread of Australia. Drivers baked damper in camp ovens buried in the hot ashes of their campfires in the outback. You can also make damper in your oven.

Serves 12

*Ingredients*

4 cups self-raising flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups reduced-fat milk
Extra flour

*italic text*
Pre-heat oven to 220oC
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and make a well in the middle
Pour in the milk and mix
Dust a baking tin with extra flour then place dough in the tin
Cut a cross in the top surface of the dough
Bake in oven for approx. 30 mins
 

### Orange Juice   
                          
Orange juice is easy to make, and contains nothing other than what’s found in oranges!

*Ingredients*
4 oranges

*Method*

Cut each orange in half
Use a handheld juicer to squeeze the juice from each orange
Pour in cups and enjoy!
 

The Camp Australia Healthy Eating Cookbook was created as a resource for our Outside School Hours Care services to enjoy these cooking activities for kids. Many recipes from our cookbook are cooked each day because children simply cannot get enough of cooking! If you’d like some recipe ideas, write to us at marketing@campaustralia.com.au.

In Outside School Hours Care, our educators and children love to cook together, learning how ingredients combine to create wonderful tasting treats and dishes. Please enjoy some of our latest recipes from our kitchen to yours at home.

Cooking Up a Storm in the Kitchen for Kids

Wake up. Coffee. Get the kids ready. Eat. Make sure the kids eat. Pack lunches. Tantrum #1. Kids still aren’t ready. Get in the car. Tantrum #2. School drop-off. Get to work.

Sounds familiar? Or at least a distant memory before working from home and online school became the norm.

Managing this sometimes-hectic routine can be a lot, which means eating well can easily become a low priority. When we put healthy eating low on our priority list, it can create unhealthy behaviour that impacts other elements of our lives, like sleep, activity, and mood. 

Let’s discuss why maintaining healthy eating habits is important for you and your family’s daily routine.

## What are ‘healthy eating habits?’
-	Eating enough food to meet your energy levels 
-	Incorporating nutritious and sustaining meals across the day
-	Following a routine like breakfast, lunch, and dinner 
-	Including occasional snacks in between meals 

## Why is healthy eating important?
-	Setting good routines for your children 
-	Managing hunger levels and feelings of fullness across the day 
-	Reducing overeating 
-	Reducing undereating 
-	Teaching children about the importance of nourishing our bodies

Healthy eating habits involve nourishing our bodies with food at regular and consistent times throughout the day. 
It’s different for everyone. However, it likely means eating:
-	Breakfast
-	Lunch 
-	Dinner 
-	Occasional snacks in between meals 

I have recently shared a [blog post](https://www.campaustralia.com.au/blog/quick-and-easy-ways-to-fuel-your-body-with-food) that showcases the importance of fuelling your body with food, but I wanted to discuss what it means to implement and maintain healthy eating habits to meet your energy needs. 

Our bodies require a baseline amount of energy to support our day-to-day activities. A good way to manage our energy needs is to make sure you eat in the morning, at lunchtime and in the evening. 

## Tips for following a sustainable healthy eating routine 

1.	Try to incorporate a carbohydrate, protein, and fruit/vegetable source with every meal to support macro and micronutrient intakes
2.	Choose whole grains like oats for breakfast – they help you feel fuller for longer, which means you can feel energised across the morning.
3.	Try to prep your meals ahead of time – making big batches of lunch and dinner can help with managing stress around dinner time and helps with eating within a set routine.
4.	Find snacks that you actually enjoy – muesli bars, homemade yoghurt bark, fruit and nut mix, homemade muffins, etc. this will help with setting a good routine to enjoy delicious snacks every day
5.	Planning your meals, albeit time-consuming, can help with supporting a healthy eating routine across the week

## Healthy eating routines and feeling hungry 
Eating nutritious food in a routine can help regulate our bodies feeling of hunger and satiety (feeling full).

By implementing a healthy eating routine that provides sustenance at regular times throughout the day, your body will be better able to manage hunger and feelings of fullness. Many factors impact our hunger levels and feeling of fullness, like stress, age, body type, exercise, and activity levels. In saying that, implementing a healthy eating routine is one of the best ways to support your hunger regulation.

Managing your hunger through a healthy eating routine ensures you are not undereating nor overeating across your day.

Just say you usually eat three meals a day - one day you happen to skip breakfast. Your body will likely feel depleted because you have missed a time where you would usually nourish your body with food. But you don’t notice because you are busy with work, life, school, and afterschool activities. Come lunchtime, your starving, so big lunch it is, and then later, reasonably sized dinner.

Then after dinner, you find yourself a little bit irritable, your tummy rumbles, and you wonder why. So, you reach for a snack, your tummy is saying “I’m hungry!!!, feed me!!” It’s late in the night and those magnums in the freezer are looking so good right about now. So, you have one…. or two.

Skipping meals can mean that you reach for an energy-dense snack, which over time can create a problem with overeating. Otherwise, you don't get the magnum, and you go to bed hungry. Besides the fact that it’s not a nice feeling anyway, getting up and getting going the next morning just becomes even harder, the pressure builds, you’re rushing again, breaky gets skipped, and the cycle repeats. 


The Healthy Eating, Dietitian Approved Cookbook has been prepared by Accredited Practicing Dietitian, Kelly Bramble. There are options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and snacks.

Implementing healthy eating habits, like a nourishing and sustaining breakfast, can help avoid unhelpful food choices. Don’t get me wrong, I think an after-dinner snack can be a part of your healthy eating routine. However, it is when you haven’t nourished your body across the day, that the possibility of overeating in the evening can become problematic.

## What are the barriers to creating a healthy eating routine?
1.	Stress – a huge culprit!
Experiencing stress can impact our ability to feel hungry. When we are stressed, our body can go into a fight-or-flight mode, which suppresses our appetite. Minimising stress levels is important for hunger regulation.
2.	Diet culture – another huge culprit!
How many of you have been told that intermittent fasting is the best way to lose weight? Way too many I bet. When we choose to restrict food without consulting a health professional, it can create negative behaviours that can affect you long term. Don’t ditch breaky because someone’s uncle’s sister told you it was a good idea.
3.	Lack of inspiration
Not feeling inspired to make a nutritious meal can be a significant barrier to eating in a healthy routine. Especially when you are required to meet your own and everyone in your family likes and dislikes with food. Finding inspiration can be difficult. When exploring new recipes, it’s a good idea to get the family involved to see what everyone likes. Including your kids in this routine supports their autonomy and control over what they're eating.
 
## The Healthy, Easy, Dietitian Approved Cookbook
I’ve created a family-friendly recipe book to have under your wing that includes nutritious and delicious recipes that don’t cost you an arm or a leg. They are simple, dietitian-approved recipes so you know they can support your family’s needs. [Download the Healthy Eating, Dietitian Approved Cookbook now.](https://caprdstdlrs.blob.core.windows.net/public-cms/assets/The_Healthy_Easy_Dietitian_Approved_Cookbook_e7d8462f47.pdf)

![Recipe Book.jpg](https://caprdstdlrs.blob.core.windows.net/public-cms/assets/Recipe_Book_93e299eb42.jpg)
 
Implementing a healthy eating routine filled with good habits can help show your children what it means to nourish your body. Eating good food consistently supports you and your family’s ability to live healthy and sustaining lives.


If you would like to get creative in the kitchen with your own recipe, enter [The Experimental Cookbook competition](https://campaustralia.com.au/cooking-comp). Entries close 30th August 2021 so get your cooking hats on now!

![Kelly.jpg](https://caprdstdlrs.blob.core.windows.net/public-cms/assets/Kelly_7f07aa6052.jpg)

*Kelly Bramble is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian who is passionate about providing realistic, meaningful, and personalised nutrition advice to her clients, whilst maintaining a non-diet approach. She encourages a lifestyle free from fad-diets and conflicting health information. She believes that sharing knowledge and education is one of the most important factors in achieving healthy eating and lifestyle outcomes for people.*


The Healthy Eating, Dietitian Approved Cookbook has been prepared by Accredited Practicing Dietitian, Kelly Bramble. 

The Healthy Eating, Dietitian Approved Cookbook

Based on the ongoing feedback from families through Camp Australia’s Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey, there has been a demand for more nutritional food options and the improvement in the quality of food served in services. Whether your children are participating in our [Rocketeers Vacation Care](https://campaustralia.com.au/rocketeers) program or our [Your OSHC Before and After School Care](https://campaustralia.com.au/your-oshc), you can be sure they will eat well at Camp Australia.

Creating fresh, healthy food for kids is our priority, so in response to this outcome, Camp Australia has undergone a major menu enhancement, working with nutritionist [Claire Bucek](https://www.nutritiongeelong.com.au/) to create 50 new recipes, along with the addition of more fresh ingredients such as butter, garlic and herbs. 

Catering to different dietary needs of the children in services, there are tasty and nutritional food options for vegetarians, as well as recipes that are gluten and egg-free, whilst all of the current and new recipes are nut-free. Some of the new recipes created include Sweet Potato Pancakes, Vegetarian Penne Bolognaise, Simple Pan-Fried Bananas with Yoghurt, and Veggie Power Slice.

The service teams will also have access to tools that will enhance their ordering process, where each service can tailor the ingredients as per their weekly program or the number of children in attendance, to better utilise their resources and reduce food wastage. Allowing the team to create delicious, healthy food menus for all kids participating in that week’s events. 

One of the key benefits for service Coordinators will be getting their ingredients delivered through the Woolworths at Work program, where they will be able to place their order online and have them delivered straight to their service, which will streamline the process for more efficiency.

There will be training workshops provided for all teams to fully utilise and access this new process, with plans to integrate the inclusion of the new menu into [Camp Australia’s framework](https://campaustralia.com.au/blog/ca-way-framework).

The menu enhancement is set to roll out in Term 3 2023, with all services to be actively accessing new food options and recipes by Term 4. Camp Australia is confident that this new change will benefit both services and families by offering high quality nutritional food and consistent menu options for children, whilst leading a change in the industry by promoting healthier eating habits and improved menu offerings.

Interested in incorporating some of these nutritional food changes at home? Discover our [healthy snack ideas for hungry children](https://campaustralia.com.au/blog/healthy-snack-ideas-for-hungry-children) blog and see what snacks you can make from whatever you have in the kitchen! Or, if you have kids at home who are picky with food, see how you can help with our blog on [how to help fussy eaters](https://campaustralia.com.au/blog/why-kids-are-fussy-eaters-and-how-to-help)! 

Updated Nutritional Food Options at Camp Australia

News

Embarking on culinary adventures with your child is a great way to create lasting memories and grow a stronger bond. While it’s a journey that is undeniably rewarding, it can be quite challenging when cooking with children. Fear not, for here are some top tips to transform cooking with little ones into an enjoyable and sanity-preserving experience for all!

Before we delve into the tips, it’s important to discuss the benefits of involving children in cooking:
- **Creates a lasting connection:** Engaging in culinary activities with your child offers a unique bonding experience. By working together to achieve something that you’ll both enjoy, you can grow the connection and bond between you and your child, as well as create cherished memories that will never forget.
- **Promotes a sense of responsibility:** Allowing your child to assist or take charge of certain aspects of cooking will help to encourage their independence, as well as build their confidence in the kitchen. Entrusting them with tasks gives them a sense of control and accountability, resulting in a positive experience (i.e. growing their love for food, getting to do a hands-on activity, enhancing social skills).
- **May help fussy eaters:** Children are more likely to try new foods if they take part in making them. By involving your child in food preparation, you might inspire them to explore and taste new flavours, and potentially address the issues of picky eating habits. You can read more about [why kids are fussy eaters and how to help](https://campaustralia.com.au/blog/why-kids-are-fussy-eaters-and-how-to-help).


Alongside the benefits, there can be challenges when cooking and baking with children. Here are some tips you may want to consider the next time you plan to have your little one join you in the kitchen!

##### **1. Pick a good time**
Timing is everything when it comes to doing any activity with children. Choose a time in a day when they feel the most energetic and eager to engage in a new activity. Cooking with a cranky, hungry, or tired child is destined for a disaster, so ensure they are well-rested, fed, and happy to help!

##### **2. Embrace the mess**
It’s inevitable. If you can’t avoid it, then embrace it! From sprinkles all over the counter to eggshells in batter, and even some flour in hair (or hair in the flour), tell yourself that messes happen and it’s okay. You wouldn’t want to focus so much on being squeaky clean during cooking, but more on the process and the preparation. But that’s not to let them get away with the mess they created – involve them in the clean-up process after, so they learn to understand cleaning up is part of the experience.  
Making the cooking and cleaning process fun will help kids develop a positive association with cooking, which is often seen as a difficult chore by many.  

##### **3. Encourage tasting**
Children of all ages are naturally curious. Getting children to explore different tastes and textures of food engages them in the process and allows them to enjoy cooking even more. Children are more likely to be open to trying new foods (or flavours) when they are involved in the process of creating them. And of course, tasting the final creation together will make the experience much more enjoyable and memorable for them.

##### **4. Empower them to lead**
While you may be tempted to take control of the full recipe, it’s also helpful for your child to take charge wherever possible. If you’re cooking with a small child, easier tasks like beating an egg or adding milk to the batter will make them feel involved. Remember, no task is too small or meaningless. This is where you need your patience. Instead of saying, “I’ll just do it myself because you’ll spill it,” or “Watch mummy do it this time,” let your child have a go and only provide guidance. It’ll help develop a greater sense of independence and responsibility for them.

##### **5. Have fun**
Creating these memories with your child will be cherished forever – sure, it may look like your kitchen was bombed after, or you both might have lost your patience at times, or even the recipe may not have turned out exactly right – but, nothing compares to the joy your child will have had spending time with you. It’s not worth it if they don’t enjoy it. So, have fun and make the most of your time together!






In collaboration with leading nutritionist [Claire Bucek](https://www.nutritiongeelong.com.au/about1), Camp Australia has recently completed a pilot program, launching our upgraded menu options in Your OSHC and Rocketeers, with 50 new recipes created along with a variety of fresh ingredients added to our grocery list! 

Each service will have access to tailored ingredients that cater to the dietary requirements of the children, as well as what they would love to make and eat. Ask your Coordinator about the weekly menu options and [book into Your OSHC](https://pp.campaustralia.com.au/) for more exciting culinary experiences to come!

Cooking with children: Top tips for making the kitchen fun

A nutritionist, qualified GAPS practitioner, and a mother of four children, Claire Bucek plans nutritional advice that is evidence-based and individually tailored to the specific needs of each individual. Her journey to nutrition for good health and disease prevention began when she couldn’t find answers for her children, who all had various health challenges such as asthma, eczema, sinusitis, behavioural issues, allergies and intolerances. 

Claire practises [Nutritional Medicine in Geelong](https://www.nutritiongeelong.com.au/) (VIC) where she tailors individual treatment plans that utilise the science of food with a focus on gut health. 

**Camp Australia have partnered with Claire in our recent menu enhancement in Your OSHC, developing 50 new food options to provide a healthier, more nutritious range of recipes for our services**. We appreciate Claire’s contribution to this meaningful initiative and will continue to provide our families with more information on children’s nutrition. 

Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, helping to kickstart your morning by boosting energy levels and establishing a healthy routine. Read on to discover the importance and benefits of having breakfast, especially for growing children.



### Why eat breakfast?
- Refuels energy stores
- Your brain relies on glucose (energy) to function and breakfast supplies this fuel
- Provides essential vitamins, mineral and nutrients to your body
- It fills you up - healthy fats and proteins provide a feeling of fullness
- Establishes a healthy routine for young children


### Benefits of breakfast
- Boosts alertness and energy levels to put a skip into your step!
- Improves concentration and memory
- Contributes to meeting your recommended daily intake of vitamins and nutrients for good health
- Helps control appetite which then reduces the likelihood of over-consuming unleahty, high kilojoule foods later in the day
- Lays the foundation for a pattern in later life


### What to eat for breakfast
##### Proteins:
- Eggs - on toast or in a smoothie
- Nuts or nut butter - in a smoothie or as a spread on sourdough toast
- Chickpeas - as hummus on toast topped with sliced tomato
- Yoghurt - on granola or with fruit

##### Wholegrains:
- Oats in porridge or granola
- Wholegrain sourdough toast with eggs and tomato
- Buckwheat pancakes

##### Vegetables:
- Vegetables added to an omelette or frittata
- Vegetable muffins

##### Healthy fats:
- Avocado on wholegrain toast
- Nuts/almond bread or muffins
- Nuts and seeds on yoghurt

##### Seasonal fruit:
- Fruit in yoghurt or in a smoothie
- Add fruit to porridge
- Add fruit compote into chia pudding or on pancakes



_For more on nutrition facts, head to [Nutrition Australia](https://nutritionaustralia.org/fact-sheets/) for more information._


Breakfast: A healthy start to the day

Tailored activities in Your OSHC engage children, allowing them to follow their interests and try new experiences before and after school. Every activity is designed for children to develop their confidence and curiosity

Your OSHC

Escape the ordinary and experience the extraordinary with Rocketeers. Our open and inclusive crew truly understands that the school holidays are for children and are meant to be fun. Every school holiday break is a new Mission for children to embark upon, and every day is a new adventure.

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