New healthy eating program developed by HORT Innovation and the HEAS

The Healthy Eating Advisory Service (HEAS) and HORT Innovation have teamed up to deliver a new evidence-based module to support early childhood professionals to teach children about the importance of eating healthy food. 

Working in conjunction with Nutrition Australia, the CSIRO and Flinders University, the developers built the module in response to statistics showing that only 5 per cent of Australian children are meeting their daily vegetable needs – something that early childhood educators are well positioned to combat. 

Research has shown that role modelling healthy eating behaviour to young children encourages them to eat more healthy food and develop life long habits in relation to more nutritionally balanced choices. 

The module has been designed to help educators to: 

• Introduce food in fun, engaging ways to combat fussy eating 
• Role model healthy eating 
• Reflect on what their centre does to promote healthy eating
• Engage families in fostering healthy eating habits.

Through participation in the module, educators will learn how role modelling healthy eating can assist in addressing fussy eating, the reasons why children often refuse healthy foods, and how to implement ideas to address these barriers. 

The module has direct application to early childhood services and has been designed for educators to easily implement the learning into their work. 

For more information, phone HEAS on 1300 22 52 88 or visit the website, here.