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Sometimes it’s a struggle to find the time during your busy week to ensure that your kids eat their brussel sprouts, or are receiving a proper nutritionally balanced diet. However, being aware of their nutritional intake is definitely worth the extra effort, as it’s essential to ensure that their bodies receive the required nutrients to thrive, now and later in life.
The effects of nutrition on child development is widely researched and evidence suggests that what you are feeding your child will affect how they develop mentally, physically, and even emotionally. Sanctuary Early Learning believe in the importance of nourishing children with the healthiest, most nutritionally balanced food possible during their early childhood learning and development.
Importance of Nutrition for Young Children
We all know that nutrition is important. But how important is it really for young children? Sanctuary say, it is imperative! Research and studies show that nutrition in a child’s early years is directly linked to their health and academic performance later in life.
It is well established that nutrition for a child begins in the womb; a child absorbs all their nutrients from their mother, so if their mother is not getting enough vitamin b, the child will probably be deficient too. This illustrates that even during pregnancy a mother should be conscious of nutrition and take care to ensure they have a varied diet that provides sufficient nutrients for the unborn child. This concept continues post birth and into breast feeding. Research suggests that children who breast feed are healthier than those who do not, as the quality of milk produced by a mother is directly correlated to their nutrient intake.
When children begin to walk and talk, and start to establish foods that they like or dislike, it is extra important to keep on top of their nutrient intake. Especially as a lot of kids don’t like their vegetables. Research suggests that providing young children with a good balanced, fresh, and healthy diet will help to reduce injuries, improve healing, stimulate growth, and improve cognitive performance.
Academics and Nutrition
Statistics show that improved academic performance is related to better nutrition. For example, a study that compared children’s test results between those who ate a nutritious breakfast and those that did not, showed that the children who ate breakfast before the test to have better scores. Eating a proper nutritious breakfast is not only shown to improve concentration but to ensure that the brain has sufficient fuel to reach its full potential.
Sports and Nutrition
At Sanctuary Early Learning Adventure, we focus on improving gross motor skills, hand eye co-ordination, and balance for all ages. We also focus on achieving different physical milestones. We believe that ensuring our children receive nutritious, nourishing meals can assist in improving motor skills, improved focus, and physical milestones. This will give our children the best possible chance for sporting success in their later school years.
At Sanctuary, we consult with expert nutritionists to bring your children a healthy and nourishing seasonal menu all year round.
Sanctuary’s Nutritional Menu
Healthy bodies create healthy minds. At Sanctuary, we provide all meals cooked onsite by our qualified cook, who plans a nutritional menu and prepares meals daily. All meals provided are included as part of our fees. Our menus are guided by the Nutritional Guidelines Australia, and are in line with Eat Well Australia.
Our menus are displayed in each Sanctuary early learning centre and also on our online platform Storypark in the community noticeboard tab. This means that at all times, families can see what their children are eating, and also if any changes were made throughout the day.
We all know that at kindergarten age, children have started to develop individual tastes and likes and dislikes. This is very common, and we provide many options just in case the menu is not to a child’s specific taste. Children thrive when they are allowed to make choices and mealtime is no exception at Sanctuary. We work closely with families to introduce or change food as required and can assist with any special dietary requirements your child may have.
Sanctuary believe that the more we can introduce and teach kids about food, nutrition and fresh produce the more our children will associate food and nutrition as a vital connection in life. Sanctuary also grow different garden items for the qualified cook to use in the meals to encourage children to eat what we grow. Children can sample these and assist in cooking recipes to connect the relativity.
Allergies and intolerances are quite common in our fast paced world and Sanctuary are aware of the importance of ensuring that the chef is aware of these prior to your child starting with Sanctuary Early Learning. We will invite you to sit down with our Centre Director and our qualified cook to ensure that we can put together a detailed plan of your child’s specific requirements.
Save Time
If you are reading this article, it probably means that you are interested in providing your child the right nutrition in their early years. If you enrol your children with Sanctuary Early Learning, nutrition is one less thing you will need to worry about throughout your busy week. Leave the nutritional research, ingredient selection, cooking and food education to Sanctuary and our in-house cooks.
Sanctuary Early Learning can offer your kids better mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing through our great nutritionally balanced menu combined with our stimulating and interactive curriculum. Sanctuary Early Learning Adventure, have beautiful purpose built centres in Buderim, Mermaid Waters and Bentley Park.
