“Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit.”  3 John 1:2  NLT

Playgroup is a perfect time to share healthy food as well as gain some new food options with other parents and carers. It is also a wonderful place to encourage healthy eating habits in children. Some ideas to consider when having food at playgroup are:

• Encourage children and parents to wash their hands before handling food. It can be done in a fun way by singing a specific song prior to the food break or as everyone washes their hands
• Encourage children sit down to eat. Also encourage parents to sit and watch their child/children when they are eating.
• Try to keep hot drinks like tea and coffee out of reach of children.
• If parents bring food to share then suggest parents avoid small hard foods eg nuts or popcorn that could cause an allergic reaction or could become a choking hazard.
• Promote the use of water as the best drink to quench children’s thirst. Tap water is cheap and should be easily accessible to children at playgroup. Use boiled cooled tap water for children under 12 months.

Here are some healthy snack ideas you may like to try:

• Fruit bread with sliced banana
• Wholemeal crumpets with hummus
• Turkish bread with baked beans
• Crackers with cheese and vegemite
• Rice cakes with tuna
• Toasted mini pizzas (English muffins cut into quarters with tomato paste, ham, pineapple and cheese) Make sure the melted cheese has cooled before serving.
• Toast with creamed corn
• Wholemeal brad with avocado and chicken
• Wholemeal garlic bread
• Fresh cut fruit