In childcare catering, every meal counts – for nutrition and safety.
With over 1.3 million children in Australian childcare each year, food safety is a massive, sector-wide commitment and an everyday responsibility for centre owners and staff, and concern for parents.
Childcare catering specialists, The Wellbeing Food Co. is committed to the highest standards of food safety in our practices – ensuring peace of mind for early childhood educators and staff, and parents alike.
We are also dedicated to sharing our knowledge with childcare centres to support them to serve safe, nutritious, allergen-aware meals every day.
In this article, we cover the top five considerations for childcare centres when it comes to maintaining safe practices and compliance.
1. Regulatory compliance and staff training
Australian childcare centres need to meet food safety regulations for safe food preparation, handling, and serving. In some states, this includes holding a food business licence. Staying informed about the Food Act and local standards ensures that your practices align with safety expectations and helps safeguard children’s health.
Appointing a Food Safety Supervisor (FSS) is critical for centres preparing and serving meals. An FSS oversees safety practices, conducts regular staff training, and maintains standards, while additional training in allergen management helps staff handle dietary needs effectively and confidently.
2. Allergen management and inclusivity
With diverse dietary requirements in childcare, the management of special dietary requirements and allergen safety is essential. The Wellbeing Food Co. offers meals prepared, sealed and individually labelled to prevent cross-contamination. This careful approach, backed by high-tech software that analyses over 100 allergen ingredients against individual dietary needs, supports safe and inclusive mealtimes.
3. Safe kitchen setup and equipment
Preventing cross-contamination starts with thoughtful kitchen organisation. We recommend centres separate food preparation areas and use color-coded equipment to distinguish tools used for allergens (e.g. wheat), raw, and cooked foods. Clean, sanitised equipment and surfaces also minimise hazards, creating a kitchen environment where food can be handled safely, hygienically and efficiently.
4. Temperature control and storage
Maintaining proper food storage condition and serving temperatures is vital in preventing bacterial growth. To keep high-risk foods safe, childcare kitchens should keep cold items below 5°C and hot items above 60°C until served, monitoring temperatures throughout preparation and service to ensure safety for all meals served.
5. Serving meals safely
In some childcare settings, the use of traditional bain maries to serve food can pose safety risks like burns or accidental spills during mealtimes.
At The Wellbeing Food Co., we take these concerns seriously. By providing individually packaged hot meals, we eliminate the need for open heat sources, reducing the risk of burns and enhancing safety for both staff and children. These carefully sealed, clearly labelled packages not only improve portion control but also ensure that each child receives a meal that’s safely handled and allergen-aware, minimising any cross-contamination risks.
Download the Safe Food & Kitchen Guide
For a full breakdown of these five essentials and more, download our free Safe Food and Kitchen Guide that has been specially designed to help you minimise the risks and maximise compliance in childcare catering.