Welcome to the Australian Local Food System Policy Database. This is a collection of policies from New South Wales (NSW) and Victorian local governments that relate to healthy, sustainable, and equitable food systems.
For further information about using the database and how it was created see How to use the database. You can search the database by using the fields below. Domain refers to eight broad categories under which various topics are situated. The domains and topics are based on a framework of recommendations for local government action on creating a healthy, sustainable, and equitable food system (also located on the ‘How to use the database’ page linked above).
To cite the database: Reeve B, Carrad A, Rose N, Charlton K & Aguirre-Bielschowsky I (2021) Australian Local Food System Policy Database. Available at: https://law-food-systems.sydney.edu.au/policy-database (access date).
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Hold Ctrl to select multiple terms. Using ‘any words’ functions as an “OR” search. Using ‘all words’ functions as and “AND” search.
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| Document title | Relevant text in the policy | Domain | Topic | State | Local Government name | Council type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Day Care | PROCEDURE The way in which meals are presented is as important as eating. It is a very social activity where conversation and table manners can be encouraged, for example making sure everyone is sitting down and waiting until everyone is ready to start and finish their meal. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Family Day Care | PROCEDURE The Coordination Unit is responsible for – • Providing information and resources to Educators and families on healthy choices for eating and active play, food preparation and storage. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Family Day Care | Providing advice and support to Educators and families on matters relating to food and nutrition. • Including Nutrition Professional Development and a food safety component into new Educator’s induction. • Providing nutrition and food safety professional development on a regular basis through emails, newsletters, Facebook etc. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Family Day Care | • Educators must ensure all food and drinks provided are consistent with the recommendations of the Australian Government’s Healthy Eating Guidelines for Early Childhood settings. That is, they are adequate in quantity and take into account dietary requirements of each child’s growth and developmental needs, any specific cultural, religious or health requirements. | Health and Wellbeing | Traditional food cultures | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Family Day Care | Be aware of and accommodate the special needs of culturally and linguistically diverse families in relation to their special rules for storing, preparing and serving food. | Health and Wellbeing | Traditional food cultures | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Family Day Care | Consulting and working collaboratively with families in regard to their child’s nutrition and dietary requirements, including responding appropriately to food allergies and recognising cultural and religious practices, and lifestyle choices as well as individual children’s needs eg through observation of what the children bring from home – not enough food/too much/suggestions for healthier options. | Health and Wellbeing | Traditional food cultures | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Family Day Care | Endeavouring to take into account the culture, religion and overall health status of individual children. | Health and Wellbeing | Traditional food cultures | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Family Day Care | Ensuring that the Service environment and the educational program support children and families to make healthy choices for eating and food awareness activities. Including exploring and discussing diverse cultural, religious, social and family lifestyles. | Health and Wellbeing | Traditional food cultures | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Family Day Care | Encouraging mothers to continue breastfeeding, if possible, or families are to provide infant formula. | Health and Wellbeing | Breastfeeding | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Family Day Care | For babies – Use only sterilised bottles and teat assemblies to store expressed breast milk and made-up formula. Refrigerate all made-up formula at the back of the fridge at a temperature of 4 degrees Celsius or less for no longer than 24 hours. Refrigerate breast milk at the back of the fridge at a temperature of 4 degrees Celsius for 3-4 days. Expressed breast milk can be frozen for up to 3 months. | Health and Wellbeing | Breastfeeding | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Family Day Care | Educators will – • Offer only water to drink as the preferred option at all times (except in the instances of providing milk for babies). | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Family Day Care | Ensuring that fresh drinking water is readily available at all times, and reminding children to drink regularly throughout the day. Ensuring that children can readily access their own clearly labelled drink containers. | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Family Day Care | • Keeping lunchboxes and drink bottles clean and hygienic. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Family Day Care | Educators are responsible for – • Implementing adequate health and hygiene procedures, and safe practices for handling, preparing and storing food, to minimise risks to children. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Family Day Care | FOOD Educators Parents / Guardians are to follow the Safe Food Handling Policy / Procedures, and the Nutrition and Active Play Policy. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Family Day Care | FOOD HANDLING BACKGROUND Food handling and safety is very important in early childhood services. Young children are often more susceptible to the effects of foodborne illness than other members of the community. Foodborne illness can be caused by bacteria, parasites, viruses, chemicals or foreign objects that are present in food. Safe food practices can also assist in reducing the risk of allergic reactions by preventing cross-contamination of food provided. POLICY • To reflect the Australian Food Safety Standards in relation to safe food handling, preparation and storage within an early childhood care service, which will help to reduce the risk of potential food borne illnesses in children. PROCEDURE Educators will have a basic knowledge of food handling from their early childhood qualification. If they are to provide a cooked lunch to the children in their care, they are to obtain a food handling qualification that is recognised by a relevant health authority. To ensure safe handling of food, the following practices are recommended – • Have facilities that include a stove and/or microwave oven, sink, refrigerator, hot water supply and suitable waste disposal. • Ensure all food or bottle preparation and storage areas are separate from toileting/ nappy change areas. • Refrigerate children’s food as soon as possible after the child arrives until needed. • Food should be refrigerated at a temperature of less than 5 degrees Celsius. • Food should be reheated to 70 degrees Celsius then allowed to cool for 2 minutes before serving. • The danger zone for food is 5-60 degrees Celsius. • Be aware of and accommodate the special needs of culturally and linguistically diverse families in relation to their special rules for storing, preparing and serving food. • Ensure children with special dietary needs eat only the foods that they are allowed. • Educators and children are to wash their hands (following the Hand Washing Procedure) before handling food, eating meals, fruit and snacks and after disposing of any food waste. • When transporting food (play sessions, excursions etc), educators will use an insulated cooler bag with frozen drinks or ’ice bricks’. • There is no need to wear gloves when preparing food if your hands are clean and dry. PAGE 91 OF 215 MID-WESTERN REGIONAL COUNCIL POLICY: FAMILY DAY CARE VERSION 2 MIN NO. 172/19 • Educators are to supervise children while they are eating and discourage direct sharing of food between children. Children will be seated in appropriate seating for their age and developmental needs when eating. • Use separate wash cloths for floor, dishes, benches, play areas etc. • Keep all kitchen surfaces and utensils clean and ensure regular cleaning routines for all food preparation. • Throw out all leftovers. Tell parents what food their child left, but do not return leftover food to the parent (unless these are sealed snacks). For babies – Use only sterilised bottles and teat assemblies to store expressed breast milk and made-up formula. Refrigerate all made-up formula at the back of the fridge at a temperature of 4 degrees Celsius or less for no longer than 24 hours. Refrigerate breast milk at the back of the fridge at a temperature of 4 degrees Celsius for 3-4 days. Expressed breast milk can be frozen for up to 3 months. Warm bottles using bottle warmer or hot (not boiling) water in a container for no more than 15 minutes. Do not warm bottles in the microwave. Warm bottles only once. Never reheat or re-refrigerate bottles that have already been warmed up once. Throw out any milk that is left over, rinse bottle. Babies should not be left in a cot or any other place unsupervised with a bottle. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Family Day Care | For Educators who choose to provide food for the children in their care: • Educators must undertake a Food Handling Course that is recognised by a relevant health authority, and ACECQA, in accordance with the Food Act 2003. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Family Day Care | Providing nutrition and food safety professional development on a regular basis through emails, newsletters, Facebook etc. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Family Day Care Policy Manual 2016 | • Encourage the introduction of solid food to an infant by 6 months of age. Recommended first solid food includes gluten free cereal (eg. rice cereal) and pureed fruit and vegetables. • Encourage the introduction of iron rich foods as soon as possible after the infant is 6 months old by giving them meat, poultry, fish, legumes (eg. baked beans, lentils, dhal, tofu) nut pastes (eg. peanut butter*) and wholegrain cereals. For a non- allergic infant encourage the introduction of all the basic food groups after they are 6 months old. • Encourage the provision of a suitable range of food textures and finger food according to the age and development of the infant. Start teaching an infant to drink from a cup (with a spout or straw) by 12 months old. | Health and Wellbeing | Healthy/sustainable LG food procurement policies | Victoria | Moreland | Metropolitan |
| Family Day Care Policy Manual 2016 | 6.0 NUTRITION 6.1 NUTRITION AND FOOD Policy The aim of this policy is to ensure that all children in care with Moreland Family Day Care are offered a nutritious and healthy diet by: • Ensuring children are offered a nutritious diet appropriate for their age while in care. • Ensuring all food and drink offered to each child in care is safe and hygienic. • Providing an environment that helps to encourage family and culturally diverse values. • Including opportunities for a child to learn about food and its preparation as part of the normal activities while in care. • Supporting further nutrition and food safety training and learning opportunities for all Educators and staff. Food and eating are part of the way people live their lives. Good nutrition is not only important for physical health, but it is also extremely important for the development of motor skills, children’s social and emotional health and wellbeing, energy levels, and cognitive development. Establishing healthy eating habits is important wellbeing and encourages good, lifelong eating habits. The FDC home must have safe, hygienic facilities for the preparation, storage, heating and cooking of food for children including a sink, refrigerator, suitable waste disposal and hot water. Strategies The following strategies have been designed to meet the needs of a child in care for eight (8) hours or more a day and will need to be adapted to meet the needs of a child in care for shorter periods. Strategy 1: Offer a child a nutritious diet appropriate for their age whilst in care. For an Infant • Support a mother to continue breastfeeding as long as possible. • Encourage breast milk or infant formula to be continued as the main drink until the infant is 12 months old. • Provide cooled, boiled water if extra fluids are needed. • Discourage fruit juice and all other drinks, other than boiled water and breast milk and infant formula. | Health and Wellbeing | Healthy/sustainable LG food procurement policies | Victoria | Moreland | Metropolitan |
| Family Day Care Policy Manual 2016 | Discourage the use of fruit juice. Encourage a child to eat fruit instead. If fruit juice is to be given, encourage the use of 100% juice, diluted (1/2 water, 1/2 juice) and served only once a day. Teach children to drink from a cup (with a spout or straw) and encourage the use of a cup for a child older than 12 months). • Serve meals and snacks on a regular schedule whilst allowing for a child who has specific requirements. For all children • Accommodate specific needs for any child who has food allergy reactions or requires a special diet. • Ensure appropriate extra food, such as bread or fruit, is available for children when they are hungry. • Discourage the regular provision of “party” occasions (eg. birthday parties). food. Limit their use to special social | Health and Wellbeing | Healthy/sustainable LG food procurement policies | Victoria | Moreland | Metropolitan |
| Family Day Care Policy Manual 2016 | For a child aged 1 to 5 • Encourage food to be provided from each of the basic food groups every day (bread and cereal, dairy alternatives). food or dairy • Offer a variety of foods daily. • Ensure any vegetarian meal provided contains eggs, cheese, legumes or nut pastes (eg peanut butter*). • Encourage the use of full cream dairy food. • Encourage dairy food to be served at least three times while the child is in care. • If cow’s milk is not used, encourage the use of an appropriate full cream soy drink with added 100 mg calcium per 100 ml of drink | Health and Wellbeing | Healthy/sustainable LG food procurement policies | Victoria | Moreland | Metropolitan |
| Family Day Care Policy Manual 2016 | • Including opportunities for a child to learn about food and its preparation as part of the normal activities while in care. • Supporting further nutrition and food safety training and learning opportunities for all Educators and staff. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Moreland | Metropolitan |
| Family Day Care Policy Manual 2016 | nutrition information to families about healthy eating habits. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Moreland | Metropolitan |
| Family Day Care Policy Manual 2016 | Provide • nutrition information to families about healthy eating habits | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Moreland | Metropolitan |
| Family Day Care Policy Manual 2016 | Start teaching an infant to drink from a cup (with a spout or straw) by 12 months old. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Moreland | Metropolitan |
| Family Day Care Policy Manual 2016 | Teach children to drink from a cup (with a spout or straw) and encourage the use of a cup for a child older than 12 months). | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Moreland | Metropolitan |
| Family Day Care Policy Manual 2016 | • Providing an environment that helps to encourage family and culturally diverse values. | Health and Wellbeing | Traditional food cultures | Victoria | Moreland | Metropolitan |
| Family Day Care Policy Manual 2016 | Be aware of, and accommodate, the special needs of culturally and linguistically diverse families (CALD) in relation to special rules for storing, preparing and serving foods such as Halal and Kosher food (refer to Halal Helpline T: 1300 307 337). | Health and Wellbeing | Traditional food cultures | Victoria | Moreland | Metropolitan |
| Family Day Care Policy Manual 2016 | • Only store breast milk in the refrigerator for a maximum of 48 hours, or in a deep freezer for a maximum of 3 months. • Thaw frozen breast milk in either cool or warm water. Shake the bottle if the fats and milk have separated. • Test the temperature of the milk on the wrist before giving it to the baby. • Discard any unused breast milk. | Health and Wellbeing | Breastfeeding | Victoria | Moreland | Metropolitan |