Award winning
plant-based menu
Munch and Move accredited
We are inspired to offer you and your child the best in healthy eating. We have worked alongside nutrition experts and Munch and Move to create a plant-based menu that EXCEEDS daily minimum dietary requirements in early childhood settings. A result of this well researched menu found us awarded with a 5 star Munch and Move menu award in 2021- an award in which we are very humbled by.
We utilise our very own home grown fruit, veggies and herbs where possible and have full time cook’s at both our Forresters Beach and Green Point services.
We actively involve teaching children about how to grow our own food and use sustainable practices- including collecting eggs from our chooks, maintaining a compost, growing our own foods, including Aboriginal bush tucker, saving water and the importance of bees through our very own aussie bee hives. We also do a lot of cooking and meal preparation daily with children, including fire making at the service and as part of our Indigo Wild adventures program.
We actually are not a Vegetarian family and eat about 4 meat based meals per week. We were a little concerned at first that our children would not like the food at Indigo as they typically prefer the more basic plain food like sausages and pasta at home but we were reassured that our kids would be offered meal alternatives if they choose not to eat the food.
Surprisingly, they seem to love the food! We don’t know if it’s because they see all their friends eating the same meal (peer pressure helps), or if the cook has special magical powers and plenty of tricks up her sleeve but either way- we are thrilled.
This plant based menu also means we can get away with having a few cheat meals across the week without feel guilty as we know our kids have got their fruit and veggie intake at school throughout the day. A win win in our eyes.
Ash
Benefits of a plant based diet
- increased confidence, motivation and concentration
- Increased social, physical and language skills.
- Deeper conceptual understandings
- Respect for the natural environment.
- Increased educations about fauna and flora.
- Outdoor play gets children moving- great for happy, healthy bodies.
- Being outside increases happiness- research shows that as little as 5 minutes of outdoor time can improve mood.
- Increased understanding about bush safety and survival.
- Increases aware of the importance and commitment to sustainability
- Boosts immunity- Fresh air, vitamin D and physical movement has been proven to reduce illness, and it’s spread in early childhood settings.
Acknowledgement
Earth who gives to us this food,
Sun who makes it ripe and good.
Sun above, and earth below,
Our loving thanks to you we show
– Waldorf