CHCECE004
Promote and provide healthy food and drinks


Application

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to promote healthy eating and ensure that food and drinks provided are nutritious, appropriate for each child and prepared in a safe and hygienic manner.

This unit applies to educators working in a range of education and care services.

The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.


Elements and Performance Criteria

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Elements define the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria specify the level of performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Promote healthy eating

1.1 Engage children in experiences, conversations and routines that promote relaxed and enjoyable mealtimes and promote healthy lifestyles and good nutrition

1.2 Model, reinforce and implement healthy eating and nutrition practices with children during mealtimes

1.3 Support and guide children to eat healthy food

1.4 Check that children have ready access to water and are offered healthy food and drinks regularly throughout the day

1.5 Assist in ensuring that furniture and utensils are suitable to encourage children to be positively involved in and enjoy mealtimes

2. Plan food and drinks that are nutritious and appropriate for each child

2.1 Within scope of own work, ensure children are provided with food and drink consistent with the guidelines for healthy eating

2.2 Assist in ensuring children’s individual needs are consistent with advice provided by families about their child’s dietary requirements, likes, dislikes and any cultural or other requirements families have regarding their child’s nutrition

2.3 Read and interpret food labels and other information about food contents

2.4 Assist in providing education and support to families around healthy eating

2.5 Assist to develop and display a cycle of written menus detailing the food that is provided to children

3. Maintain food safety while carrying out food-handling activities

3.1 Assist in developing and maintaining food safety procedures according to relevant guidelines

3.2 Within scope of own work role, carry out food-handling, preparation and storage according to service policies and procedures and regulatory requirements.

3.3 Follow food safety procedures when preparing food

Foundation Skills

The Foundation Skills describe those required skills (language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills) that are essential to performance.

Reading – in order to accurately read and interpret food labels and dietary requirements.

The remaining foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit.


Range Statement

Specifies different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included.

Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment.

Guidelines for healthy eating must include:

Australian Dietary Guidelines and Infant Feeding Guidelines.