Can we still share among children?
We have been asked this question a lot lately, particularly by those working in the childcare and school environments. The short answer is yes, however there a few important topics to cover first.
Have children and educators washed their hands regularly?
Continue to encourage children and educators to wash their hands regularly (especially after using the bathroom, if you sneeze or cough and prior to touching food). Warm water with soap or hand sanitiser is best. You could try singing a song to make washing hands fun for children.
Wash all fruits and vegetables being used
Give all fresh fruit and vegetables a good rinse with water before preparing, cooking or eating them. Remember that if cooking food with heat this will kill any germs that may exist. For more food safety information and advice
Serving up safely
Mealtimes are an opportunity for children to sit down in a relaxed environment and talk to each other and with educators. Our advice is to ask children to use tongs and place items onto their individual plate or ask the children what they would like from the platter and serve up for them.
Why fruit and vegetable platters are good learning opportunity for kids
Children are more likely to be exposed to a variety of fruit and vegetables when sharing a platter, perhaps something they’ve never even tried before! This is really important to understand the different colours, textures and flavours and how they can discuss this with everyone (including what they do and don’t like)
Children are also learning about the concept of sharing and how this is an important skill throughout life to have.
| Roasted vegetable platter and beetroot dip | Fresh vegetables and dip | Fresh seasonal fruits and a yoghurt dip |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
School and early education services need to meet your existing workplace guidelines for food safety
It’s important that services follow workplace guidelines around food safety. These may have changed in the last 12 months so it’s important to know the latest practices at your service or school.
Are you an educator or teacher? Did you know if your service or school is a member of the Move Well Eat Well (MWEW) program? Visit the Move Well Eat Well (MWEW) program website You can access FREE resources and support around nutrition, food safety and physical activity? You will need a web login for access to the Early Childhood or Primary Schools section. Contact the MWEW team for support via email movewelleatwell@health.tas.gov.au