Promoting Healthy Lifestyles
At HazelGrove, promoting healthy lifestyles is a priority and aligns with Element 2.1.3: Healthy Lifestyle of the National Quality Standard. We are proud to foster healthy eating habits and physical activity as part of our daily program.
Catering to Unique Dietary Needs
Our services are Nut Free and Allergy Aware; we cater to a range of dietary needs including allergies, intolerances, and religious or cultural requirements. We also provide age-appropriate purees for our infants.
All meals are freshly prepared on-site in our commercial-grade kitchens by dedicated chefs. We partner with Kids Gourmet Food (KGF), a trusted children’s catering company that supplies seasonal ingredients and fresh cooked meals through a thoughtfully designed menu. These menus are reviewed by qualified nutritionist Kelly Richardson (BSc., MSc.), to ensure they meet the Australian Dietary Guidelines for young children.
Families can view the daily menu through the OWNA App, so you’ll always know what your child is enjoying at HazelGrove.
“Working with Kids Gourmet Food menus has been so personal to me. Knowing that together we are helping to provide the best nutritional start for these young children, as well as giving parents the reassurance that your little ones are enjoying delicious, home-style cooked meals that will grow your child’s love of healthy food. These menus are both healthy and varied, using seasonal ingredients which provide an abundance of nutrients and fresh produce at each meal and snack.”
— Kelly Richardson, Nutritionist
Munch & Move Program
We also proudly implement the Munch & Move program — a NSW Health initiative that supports early childhood educators to embed healthy eating and active living through fun, play-based learning.
This initiative aligns with the Early Years Learning Framework and complements our holistic approach to wellbeing.
Garden to Plate
At HazelGrove, sustainability is more than a lesson, it’s a way of life. Our garden-to-plate experiences teach children the value of caring for the Earth, while hands-on learning promotes environmental responsibility. Together, we are raising mindful, eco-conscious leaders for a better tomorrow.
Our Garden to Plate program nurtures children’s connection to nature, food, and community. Through planting, harvesting, and cooking, children discover where food comes from and learn the importance of caring for our planet.
Starting with simple, hands-on experiences like seed sprouting, watering herbs, and sensory cooking, children explore the cycle from soil to plate in fun and meaningful ways. They touch soil, smell fresh herbs, and taste ingredients they helped grow—building healthy eating habits and an early love for nature.
Why It Matters
- Identity & Confidence – Children develop independence and a sense of belonging through teamwork in the garden and kitchen.
- Connection to the World – They learn that food comes from the Earth and explore cultural recipes shared by families.
- Wellbeing – Fresh produce encourages healthy eating, while activities strengthen fine and gross motor skills.
- Curiosity & Learning – Sensory play inspires problem-solving, creativity, and decision-making.
- Communication & Social Skills – Cooking together teaches turn-taking, patience, and new vocabulary.
How We Learn
- Gardening Fun – Watering, touching soil, and watching plants grow.
- Cooking – Making own pizzas, by using tomatoes and fresh herbs like oregano, basil and rosemary from our gardens.
- Cognitive Awareness – That food is grown and then cooked and learning the whole process
- Family Involvement – Families share recipes to celebrate cultural traditions.
- Music & Storytelling – Songs and books about gardens bring learning to life.
Together, we are raising mindful, eco-conscious leaders who understand that every seed planted is a step toward a healthier planet!