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Nutrition

Nutrition Resources

The Public Health Nutrition team aims to improve the health of the Central Coast population through programs that address barriers to healthy eating for adults and children.

The team focuses on nutrition issues that affect identified community groups rather than the dietary needs of individuals. Current projects of the team include:

  • Nutrition for Aboriginal people
  • Promoting breastfeeding
  • Nutrition in early childhood services
  • Nutrition in school canteens
  • Nutrition and low income/food security
  • Nutrition for older people

Contact 02 4320 3691 or CCLHD-EatWell@health.nsw.gov.au if you require further information.

Nutrition for Aboriginal people

The Public Health Nutrition team is working with local Aboriginal organisations to improve the cooking skills and nutrition knowledge of Aboriginal families on the Central Coast.

Resources

PDF Document Quick Meals for Kooris at Home (8 MB)Quick Meals for Kooris at Home cover

A practical food and nutrition resource to encourage and support healthy family food preparation at home. It contains nutrition information, quick and easy recipes as well as ideas to help Aboriginal people eat well and cook healthy, low cost family meals. It can be a standalone resource or be given to people attending a Quick Meals for Kooris practical cookery program.

PDF Document Quick Meals for Kooris – Trainers Manual (4.4 MB)Quick Meals for Kooris - Trainers Manual cover

A leader guide for people who are running the Quick Meals for Kooris practical cookery program

External page link Quick Meals for Kooris recipe demonstration videos

You can watch how to prepare four of the quick, easy and low-cost recipes from the Quick Meals for Kooris at Home book.

Promoting breastfeeding

The Public Health Nutrition team is working to create a supportive environment for breastfeeding.

PDF Document Breastfeeding friendly business kit (240 KB)

Information booklet for establishments that would like to participate in the Breastfeeding Friendly Recognition Scheme.

External page link Starting Family Foods – Introducing your baby to solid foods

A guide to introducing your baby to solid foods. For parents of 0 to 12 month old babies.

PDF Document Grandparents can make a difference (4.34 MB)

Nutrition in early childhood services

Children may spend eight hours or more each day in care. The NSW Ministry of Health recommends that children in care for eight hours or more be provided with at least 50% of the Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) of all nutrients. This recommendation applies whether food is provided by the service or brought from home.

Resources

Caring for children: birth to 5 years (food, nutrition and learning experiences)

PDF Document Caring for children (9.2 MB)

Caring for Children – Food, Nutrition and Fun Activities  was developed by the Public Health Nutrition team and is distributed to child care centres across NSW as part of the Munch and Move program.

Central Coast Childcare Cooks Network

The Central Coast Childcare Cooks Network is a support strategy for child care services offered by the Public Health Nutrition team. Cooks from centres across the Central Coast meet and swap ideas relevant to the setting and receive nutrition updates.

Cooks from all centres across the Central Coast are encouraged to attend.

Central Coast early childcare menu reviews

We encourage ECEC services to review their own menus using the Caring for Children resource. Reviewing your own menu helps give you a better understanding of how to plan a healthy menu.

However, the Public Health Nutrition team are able to review your menu and provide formal recognition of menus that are meeting the Caring for Children guidelines. If you would like us to review your menu please complete this form:

External page link Central Coast early childcare centre menu review form

Nutrition in school canteens

The Public Health Nutrition team and Health Promotion Unit work together to support local school canteen workers to implement the NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy to provide healthy, tasty food to children.

Some of the ways support is provided:

  • arranging regular network meetings for canteen workers
  • offering the annual Central Coast Healthy Canteen Award for primary schools
  • telephone advice on products and other canteen issues
  • menu appraisal and offering ideas for improvement.

For more information:

External page link Central Coast Healthy Canteens

External page link Healthy Kids Association

Nutrition and low income

The Public Health Nutrition team aims to improve access to simple, cheap and nutritious meal ideas for people on low incomes living on the Central Coast.

Resources

PDF Document Back to Basics – tips to help you feed the family for less (626 KB)

This booklet aims to help you save money and make your food dollar go further. There are basic hints on how to spend less on items such as meat and snack foods. Simple tips on stocking your pantry and easy recipes to match will help you provide a variety of appetising meals and snacks within your budget.

Nutrition for older people

The Public Health Nutrition team aims to maintain or improve the nutritional health of community dwelling older people on the Central Coast thereby reducing the risk of malnutrition, falls, hospitalisation and readmissions to hospital and in doing so, enhancing their ability to remain independent and living in their own home for as long as possible.

The team provides written material and other resources to enable older people and their carers to receive practical and accurate nutrition information.

We can provide training to support staff from community service provider organisations on the Central Coast.

Resources

We have produced a number of leading resources for use across Australia.

PDF Document Best Practice Food and Nutrition Manual for Aged Care edition 2.2 (6.2 MB)Best Practice Food and Nutrition Cover

The manual provides appropriate, practical and helpful food and nutrition information for all staff of aged care homes especially nursing and food services, dietitians and those who have loved ones in care.

This latest edition has been updated with a chapter on swallowing and food texture that includes International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) information. Edition 2.2 is available as a download only

PDF Document Best Practice Food and Nutrition Manual for Aged Care – Chapter 21 Swallowing and Food Textures with IDDSI (1.1 MB)

Eaating well coverPDF Document Eating Well booklet – a nutrition resource for older people and their carers (3 MB)

This 58 page book has been written to provide practical food and nutrition ideas and advice for older people who have unintentionally lost weight or at risk of malnutrition, their carers and support workers.

PDF Document Eating Well brochure (440 KB)Eating well brochure cover

This brochure provides a quick summary of the longer 58 page book

 

 

PDF Document Eating for Health and Independence (1.27 MB)

A  resource with recipes designed to keep frail older people as well-nourished as possible. Suitable for those receiving Meals on Wheels and Home Care etc.

PDF Document Eat Well for Life. Nutrition for the well older person (758 KB)

Suitable for older people in good health who require who want the latest in nutrition to maintain good health.

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