HS212 Food, drink and nutrition

There is sufficient water that is safe to drink available to children at all times. Older children can access this water independently.

Food is available at appropriate times while children are attending.

Where food is provided by the educator, it is safe, of sufficient variety, quantity and quality to meet the nutritional and developmental needs of each child.

Where food is provided by parents, the service encourages and promotes healthy eating guidelines.

Documentation required (written or digital)

A record of all food provided by the educator (not including food provided by parents for their own children).

Records show the type of food provided and are kept for at least 3 months.

How to show you are complying

You must make sure children always have safe drinking water available.

Offer drinking water regularly, especially in warm weather. Older children should be able to access drinking water themselves.

Methods of providing drinking water

The method of providing water may vary depending on the age and needs of the children. Options include:

• individually marked water bottles or sipper cups, which must be emptied and washed daily

• a water jug with individual cups, allowing children to pour their own water, both jug and cups must be cleaned daily

• an indoor water cooler

• commercially bottled drinking water.

Safe drinking water

Taumata Arowai is the national water services regulator and set the water standards to be met. Water is safe to drink and use as normal if you are connected to the town water supply, unless there is a boil water notice in place. Any requirement to boil water will be clearly communicated by your local council or water supplier.

If the educator is in a rural or isolated area and relies on bore water, rainwater tank, or other non-reticulated source of drinking water the drinking water supply you are using complies with the 'Standards, Rules, and Aesthetic Values – Taumata Arowai' or an acceptable solution.

Serving food when needed

Food must be served at appropriate times to meet the needs of children while they are attending the service.

Educators may have set mealtimes or allow children to eat whenever they are hungry. Regardless of the approach, educators must make sure food is available when children are hungry, and food is offered regularly.

Be aware of infant’s cues to show they are hungry. Infant milk (bottle) feeding guidance including Ministry of Health recommended fluid intakes can be found in the tools section.

Food provided by the educator

When providing food for children, the educator must make sure it is safe and offers sufficient variety, quantity, and quality to meet each child’s nutritional and developmental needs.

This includes preparing food safely and reducing choking risk such as the size and texture of food.

One way the educator can show they are complying with providing a sufficient variety, quantity, and quality of food to support each child’s nutritional and developmental needs is by following the Ministry of Health’s colour-coded classification system in the Healthy Food and Drink Guidance for Early Learning Services.

Healthy food and drink guidance: Early learning services – Ministry of Health

Engaging with parents to decide what food is served helps make sure it reflects the needs and values of the children and their families, while also taking into account each child’s individual allergies, intolerances, and special dietary requirements to ensure the food is safe and appropriate.

Documentation requirements (written or digital)

Food provided by parents specifically for their child are not required to be recorded. 

If the educator provides the food, they must keep a record of everything served during operating hours, except for food brought by parents specifically for their own child. This includes any food brought in for shared meals.

The educator must keep a detailed record of all food served, including specific ingredients to meet this requirement. For example, noting the type of fruit or the exact contents of a sandwich.  These records are essential in the event of an unexpected allergic reaction.

The educator must keep food records for three months after the food is served. Records can be written or digital.

Food provided by parents and whānau

Parents can provide the food for their child.

When parents provide food, you must encourage and promote the Ministry of Health’s healthy eating guidelines. At the time of enrolment, you must tell parents how they can access the guidelines. You could do this by providing information in your welcome pack or provide them with a printed copy of the guidelines or share an electronic link with them.

Healthy food and drink guidance for early learning services – Ministry of Health

Educators are not required to keep a record of food provided by a child’s parents or whānau.