{"id":425,"date":"2026-08-24T11:44:55","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T01:44:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/montessoriminds.vic.edu.au\/hoppers-crossing\/about\/why-us-2\/"},"modified":"2026-08-28T13:09:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T03:09:11","slug":"food-menu","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/montessoriminds.vic.edu.au\/hoppers-crossing\/about\/food-menu\/","title":{"rendered":"Food Menu"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Image\"<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
\u2014<\/span> \u2014 Nutrition & Mealtimes \u2014<\/div>

Food Menu<\/em><\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
We aim to offer a varied and nutritionally balanced menu, prepared fresh on site and served as part of a relaxed, family-style dining experience. Below is an example of the kind of meals your child may enjoy during the week, along with how we support individual dietary needs.<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div>
<\/i><\/i><\/span>
Book a centre tour<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n

Our daily meal<\/em> schedule<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Meals and snacks are offered at consistent times each day, giving children a predictable rhythm while still allowing flexibility to meet individual needs \u2014 including for younger infants who may follow their own feeding routine.<\/p>\n\n

All food is prepared on site with reference to national nutrition guidance for early childhood settings, and drinking water is available to children throughout the day.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

\"children<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>

A typical day's meal<\/em> times <\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Times are approximate and may vary slightly day to day to suit the needs of the children in each room.<\/div>
7:00 \u2013 8:00 am\n<\/div>
Breakfast<\/div><\/div>
9:00 \u2013 9:30 am\n<\/div>
Morning tea<\/div><\/div>
11:30 am \u2013 12:00 pm\n<\/div>
Lunch<\/div><\/div>
2:30 pm\n<\/div>
Afternoon tea<\/div><\/div>
5:30 pm\n<\/div>
Late snack<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>

Sample weekly menu<\/em> <\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Our menu is planned on a rotating basis to offer variety across the fortnight. The example below shows the kind of meals typically offered \u2014 actual dishes served on any given day may differ due to seasonal availability, supplier changes or menu updates.<\/div>
\n

Example week \u2014 for illustration only<\/em> <\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Meal<\/div><\/div>
Example offerings<\/div><\/div>
Breakfast<\/div><\/div>
\tA choice of bread or cereal, offered daily alongside milk and water.<\/div><\/div>
Morning tea<\/div><\/div>
\tEnglish muffins with cheddar, cheese and tomato toasties, or raisin toast.<\/div><\/div>
Lunch<\/div><\/div>
Dishes such as Moroccan lamb mince with quinoa, Sri Lankan vegetable kottu, a fish or tofu Thai curry, beef bolognese pasta, or chicken pilaf, rotated across the fortnight.<\/div><\/div>
Afternoon tea<\/div><\/div>
Pizza squares, club sandwiches, pumpkin muffins, garlic bread, or cheese scones.<\/div><\/div>
Late snack<\/div><\/div>
Rice crisps with pear, vegetable platters, or seasonal fruit.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
This sample menu is provided as a general guide only and is not a guaranteed or fixed daily offering. Please ask us for the current menu on display at the centre, which reflects what is actually being served that week.<\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\"food<\/span><\/div>
\n

Meals for our youngest children<\/em> <\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div>

For infants, we aim to offer a variety of foods appropriate to each child's stage of development and texture needs, including iron-rich foods such as meat, fish, legumes, beans, tofu and Quorn, alongside fruit, vegetables, grains and dairy products.<\/p>\n\n