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ECEC provider Young Academics pairs up with dietician to boost healthy eating
Freya Lucas
Nov 26, 2021
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Early childhood education and care (ECEC) provider Young Academics has teamed up with accredited practicing nutritionist, Michelle Theodosi from The Lifestyle Dietitian to help the children under its care to reach their full potential through the provision of good nutrition, positive mealtime experiences and empowering and educating their families on how to build happy healthy eaters.
The partnership, Young Academics Managing Director James Kazzi explained, aims to expose children to a variety of nourishing foods to promote healthy eating habits for life.“We realise how critical the first five years of life are to establishing these behaviours,” he said.
“We’re partnering with Michelle to provide the best possible fuel for the growth and development of children attending Young Academics Early Learning Centres, and to share that knowledge with their families.” As part of the partnership, Michelle will develop two new four-week rotating menus for Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter, each featuring five nutritious meals and snacks featuring vegetables, fruits, lean meat, fish, chicken, and dairy products, as well as alternative recipe card sets to cater for cultural considerations and common allergies.
While many ECEC menus meet the minimum requirements of 50 per cent of the recommended dietary intake of all nutrients to meet National Quality Standards, the curated menus being developed exclusively for Young Academics will meet almost 100 per cent of each child’s daily dietary needs, something the provider has been able to do by taking a bespoke approach and bringing external experts on board, Mr Kazzi explained. Families will have access to Ms Theodosi and The Lifestyle Dietitian team through a range of in-centre workshops, nutrition education seminars and blog articles offering practical advice for common challenges, such as managing picky eaters.
Cooks for each Young Academics service will participate in professional development opportunities, while families and children will also have the chance to take part in hands-on workshops. Ms Theodosi hopes that by creating a routine, introducing a wide range of foods, and getting children to eat in a social setting, children will leave Young Academics with a positive relationship with food to carry them through life.
“Families and educators share the responsibility for establishing good eating habits, and I can’t wait to work with Young Academics’ in-house cooks, and to run workshops and cooking classes for families and children to make healthy eating as fun and fuss-free as possible,” she said in closing.
For more information about The Lifestyle Dietitian, see here. Information on Young Academics may be found here.
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