Eating and drinking: Health, nutrition and food safety policy and procedure

This policy outlines the commitment of Early Learning Victoria to safe food handling and the offering of healthy food and drink options to children.

On this page

Early Learning Victoria is dedicated to safe food handling and offering healthy food and drink options that support children’s health, wellbeing, learning and development.

In consultation with families, Early Learning Victoria is committed to supporting children with food allergies, dietary requirements or restrictions, and specific cultural or religious practices.

1. Scope

This policy and its procedures apply to all those involved in handling, preparing, storing and serving food at Early Learning Victoria.

This policy also applies to families, staff, management and visitors of Early Learning Victoria centres. This includes volunteers, students on placement and contractors or labour hire employees of Early Learning Victoria.

2. Policy statement

This policy describes procedures to be implemented at Early Learning Victoria centres to ensure the provision of healthy foods and drinks for children, according to the Australian Dietary Guidelines.

2.1 Requirements

In Victoria, all food businesses, including Early Learning Victoria centres, must comply with the Food Act 1984 (the Act), which dictates requirements for food safety. The Act requires food premises to comply with the Australian and New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code).

Early Learning Victoria centres are classified as a class 1 food premises and must comply with the Act and the Code in kitchen design and operations. All class 1 premises must have a Food Safety Supervisor.

In Early Learning Victoria centres, the Food Safety Supervisor is the centre director and/or the cook.

Under the Code (Standard 3.2.2A) an Early Learning Victoria Food Safety Supervisor must:

  • be able to address food handling hazards
  • have a Statement of Attainment from a Registered Training Organisation (RTO)
  • have the authority and be available to supervise food handlers at the Early Learning Victoria centre
  • ensure that food safety practices and regulations are properly followed in a food establishment
  • ensure records are maintained relating to receiving, storage, processing, display and transportation of food (see the Records management policy).

The Early Learning Victoria Food Safety Supervisor and all food handlers are required to attend food safety training to ensure safe food practices and minimise the risk of foodborne illnesses.

2.2 Background and information

Early Learning Victoria centres serve meals at various times throughout the day to meet children’s nutritional needs. Early Learning Victoria prioritises a relaxed and engaging mealtime environment that allows educators and children to engage in meaningful interactions and have a positive eating experience.

Food at Early Learning Victoria centres will typically be prepared onsite and will provide children with at least 50% of their recommended daily intake for essential nutrients. There may be some circumstances where food is prepared offsite and transported to Early Learning Victoria centres. When this occurs, Early Learning Victoria will ensure compliance at all times with all relevant legislation, regulation and this policy, including when using any third parties.

Food will be prepared following the Early Learning Victoria Food Safety Program, with all kitchens and food preparation areas adhering to Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) and relevant local regulations, including council registrations and inspections. Early Learning Victoria staff are trained and knowledgeable in food handling to prioritise food safety at every stage, and all Early Learning Victoria staff have completed the DoFoodSafely food safety course by the Department of Health Victoria.

3. Actions and procedures

3.1 Responsibilities of families

Early Learning Victoria encourages families to be actively involved in children’s healthy eating and educating children about the importance of food in supporting their long-term health and wellbeing. Early Learning Victoria staff collaborate with families to support children to build healthy, positive eating habits.

Families are responsible for:

  • informing the centre of their child’s dietary needs on their enrolment form. This includes cultural or religious dietary restrictions, strong dislikes and health-related dietary restrictions
  • ensuring the information remains accurate during their child’s enrolment by communicating any changes to their child’s dietary needs as required
  • working with the centre director to develop risk-minimisation plans if their child has a medical condition that is affected by food (see the Medical conditions: Anaphylaxis and allergies policy and procedure)
  • reading the centre’s weekly menu and providing any feedback to Early Learning Victoria centre staff.

Families with young children who are bottle-feeding

Families with bottle-fed children are responsible for:

  • providing the appropriate daily requirement of bottles for their child (breast milk or formula) and ensuring the bottles are sterilised and filled with cooled boiled water (for powdered formula)
  • if a child is on formula, supplying their daily requirement of formula in containers labelled with the child’s name and the date supplied
  • if a child is on expressed breast milk, supplying their daily requirement in multiple small quantities to prevent waste. Containers or bottles must be clearly labelled with the child’s name and the date the breast milk was expressed
  • if a child is bottle-feeding with cow’s milk or soy milk, providing a sterilised, labelled, empty bottle (noting that Early Learning Victoria centres provide these milk options)
  • placing their child’s bottles into the room fridge upon arrival in the morning and collecting any unused bottles from the fridge in the evening.

Used bottles will be washed and placed in the child’s locker ready for sterilisation at home.

3.2 Responsibilities of staff

The following procedures must be followed for feeding and for food/menu catering to all ages at Early Learning Victoria centres.

Procedures to support babies and young children at mealtimes, including bottle safety and storage

General
  • Ensure safe bottle-feeding and eating practices for babies, including by holding babies in a semi-upright position during bottle-feeding and following bottle safety and storage procedures (outlined below) for handling, storing and preparing breast milk and formula.
  • In consultation with families, begin offering children appropriate solid foods from around the age of 6 months.
  • In consultation with families, provide cooled, pre-boiled water from around the age of 6 months.
  • Assist mothers who choose to breastfeed by offering a comfortable, private area for breastfeeding or expressing milk.
  • Provide healthy food and drink choices based on Australian Dietary Guidelines.
Steps for heating and preparing formula
  1. Follow handwashing procedure before bottle preparation.
  2. Prepare bottles in the preparation area of the room and ensure benches in the in-bottle preparation area have been sterilised.
  3. Warm the water in the bottle, using bottle warmer on low to medium and following manufacturer’s instructions.
  4. Unscrew the bottle collar and place on the bench in a clean preparation space.
  5. Empty the correct amount of powdered formula into the bottle.
  6. Shake bottle well to mix the formula and water.
  7. Test temperature of the warmed formula on the back of your wrist before feeding.
  8. Discard any unused prepared formula.
Steps for heating and preparing breast milk
  1. Follow handwashing procedure before preparing breast milk.
  2. Warm breast milk by using a bottle warmer on the low setting, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Prepare frozen breast milk in a bottle warmer, noting it will take longer and that it is recommended to thaw first in refrigerator or in a cool bowl of water. (Do not warm breast milk for longer than 10 minutes as bacteria can start to grow once the milk is warm).
  3. Always shake the bottle, container or pouch gently and test the temperature of the warm breast milk on the back of your wrist before feeding.
  4. Discard any prepared unused breast milk.
Cleaning bottles
  • Used bottles should never be re-refrigerated or reheated. They should be emptied of any remaining milk/formula, rinsed with water, air-dried and put in the child’s bag to be sterilised at home.
Safe storage of breast milk
  • Store breast milk in refrigerators that are kept at 5°C or below. Containers or bottles must be stored on a shelf of the refrigerator, not in the door.
  • Keep breast milk refrigerated or frozen if not being immediately consumed.
  • Thaw frozen breast milk in the refrigerator: breast milk must be used that day or discarded.

4. Resources

Legislation and standards

  • Australian and New Zealand Food Standards Code
  • Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010
  • Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011
  • Education and Training Reform Act 2006
  • Food Act 1984
  • Labour Hire Licensing Act 2018
  • National Quality Standard, Quality area 2: Children’s health and safety
  • Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004
  • Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017
  • Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008
  • Administration of first aid policy and procedure
  • Anti-bias approach policy
  • Excursions, incursions and regular outings policy and procedure
  • Hygiene and cleaning policy
  • Incident, injury, trauma and illness policy
  • Infection control and immunisation policy
  • Management of medical conditions policy and procedure
  • Medical conditions: Anaphylaxis and allergies policy and procedure
  • Medical conditions: Asthma policy and procedure
  • Supervision of children policy

Attachments

Definitions

Allergen: A substance that can cause an allergic reaction.

Allergy: An immune system response to something in the environment; for example, food, pollen or dust mites. These can be ingested, inhaled, injected or absorbed. Almost always, food needs to be ingested to cause a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). However, measures should be in place so children avoid touching food they are allergic to.

Allergic reaction: A reaction to an allergen. Common signs and symptoms include one or more of the following:

  • mild to moderate signs and symptoms:
    • hives or welts
    • tingling mouth
    • swelling of the face, lips and eyes
    • abdominal pain, vomiting or diarrhoea (while these can be mild to moderate symptoms, they are considered severe reactions to insects)
  • anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction) signs and symptoms:
    • difficult or noisy breathing
    • swelling of the tongue
    • swelling or tightness in the throat
    • difficulty talking or hoarse voice
    • wheeze or persistent cough
    • persistent dizziness or collapse
    • pale or floppy child (young children)
    • abdominal pain or vomiting (as noted above, these are signs of a severe allergic reaction to insects).

Anaphylaxis: A severe, rapid and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that affects normal functioning of the major body systems, particularly the respiratory or circulation systems.

Dietary needs: A child’s needs related to growth, development and allergies, to any specific cultural, religious or health requirements, and to personal preferences.

Food handler: (In relation to this policy) A person who directly engages in the handling of food, or who handles surfaces likely to be in contact with food (such as crockery, utensils, cooking equipment and surfaces) for a food business. Anyone who is working or volunteering in a food business (that is, all Early Learning Victoria centres), even ad hoc, is considered a food handler. Early Learning Victoria centres must ensure all food handlers have adequate skills and knowledge of food safety and hygiene, in line with the work that they do.

Food safety: (In relation to this policy) Ensuring food provided by the centre is fit for human consumption.

Food safety program: A written plan that details what an individual Early Learning Victoria centre does to ensure that the food it produces is safe for human consumption. A food safety program is an important tool for centres that handle, process or sell potentially hazardous foods, as it helps to maintain safe food handling practices and protect public health. It should identify potential hazards in all aspects of food handling, describe how such hazards can be controlled and/or monitored, and define appropriate corrective action to be taken when a hazard is found to be under-managed. A food safety program must also include the requirements for appropriate record-keeping.

Food safety supervisor: A person who:

  • has the ability and authority to supervise others who handle food at the premises to ensure safe food handling at all times
  • can recognise, prevent and alleviate food handling hazards at a premises
  • has a Statement of Attainment from an RTO that confirms competency in the required food safety standards.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ): A bi-national government agency responsible for developing and administering the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. This details standards and requirements in areas such as food additives, food safety, labelling and genetically modified foods. Enforcement and interpretation of the Code is the responsibility of state and territory departments and food agencies in Australia and New Zealand.

Intolerance: Often confused with ‘allergy’, an intolerance is an adverse reaction to ingested foods or chemicals by the body that does not involve the immune system.

Risk management plan: A risk management plan helps to identify areas of risk and possible strategies to reduce these risks.

Sterilised: Free from bacteria or other living microorganisms.

Education

Updated

Back to top