Are Meals Included at Long Day Care in Melbourne?
Quick summary
Yes, most Melbourne long day care centres, including Meraki ELC, provide all meals and snacks in the daily fee. This typically covers morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, and a late snack. It simplifies your mornings and ensures your child receives balanced, professionally prepared food.
Key takeaways
- Expect most quality Melbourne long day care centres to include meals.
- Save significant time and stress by not packing a daily lunchbox.
- Ensure your child eats a wide variety of professionally planned foods.
- Know that included meals are covered by the Child Care Subsidy (CCS).
- Understand that shared mealtimes support crucial social skills and food education.
Do Long Day Care Centres Usually Include Meals?
When you're searching for the right care for your child, one of the biggest questions is about daily logistics. You might wonder, "Are meals included at long day care in Melbourne?" The simple answer is yes, in most cases, they are. High-quality long day care centres recognise that providing nutritious food is a core part of caring for a child.
Unlike sessional kindergarten or other part-time programmes where you might pack a lunchbox, long day care is designed to support working families. The hours are longer, often covering breakfast through to the late afternoon. Including meals means your child is well-fed with balanced food throughout their busy day of playing and learning, and it’s one less thing for you to worry about.
At Meraki Early Learning Centre, we believe that providing delicious, healthy meals is fundamental to our service. At both our childcare centre in Mooroolbark and our Bayswater learning centre, all meals and snacks are prepared on-site by our qualified chefs and are included in the daily fee.
What Types of Meals Can You Expect?
A day in long day care is full of activity, and growing bodies need plenty of fuel. A centre with included meals will typically provide a rolling menu that covers the entire day. This usually looks something like this:
- Morning Tea: A light and healthy snack to start the day, such as fruit platters, yoghurt with berries, or whole-grain crackers.
- Lunch: A substantial, hot meal cooked on-site. This is the main meal of the day. Examples might include shepherd's pie with hidden vegetables, mild chicken curry with rice, or a hearty pasta bolognese.
- Afternoon Tea: Another nutritious snack to recharge children for the afternoon. This could be homemade banana bread, vegetable sticks with dip, or cheese slices.
- Late Snack: For children who are picked up later in the day, a small, simple snack like fresh fruit or crackers is often available to tide them over until dinner.
Our menus are designed on a four-week rotation to ensure variety. This means children get to experience a wide range of flavours, textures, and food types. Our chefs work hard to create meals that are not only nutritious but also appealing to young children.
The Benefits of Included Meals for Families
For busy parents, the convenience of included meals is a significant advantage. The mental load of planning, shopping for, and packing a lunchbox every single day is completely removed. It can save you precious time in the morning rush and reduce stress levels.
Think about the daily challenge of creating a lunchbox that is varied, healthy, stays fresh, and that your child will actually eat. When your childcare centre handles this, you gain peace of mind. You know your child is receiving meals that are nutritionally balanced and prepared to strict food safety standards.
While the cost is factored into the daily fee, many families find it provides great value. It removes the separate grocery expense and food waste associated with packed lunches. Most importantly, it frees up your energy to focus on what matters most: connecting with your child at the start and end of each day.
How Included Meals Support Your Child's Development
The benefits of centre-provided meals go far beyond just convenience. Mealtimes in a group setting are a rich learning experience. For children, eating together is a chance to develop crucial life skills.
Socially, they learn to sit and share a meal, practise table manners, and engage in conversation. Emotionally, it builds a positive relationship with food. When children see their friends and educators trying new things, even a fussy eater might be tempted to take a bite. Our educators provide gentle encouragement, creating a relaxed, positive atmosphere around food exploration.
Mealtimes are also part of our curriculum. In our three-year-old kinder and four-year-old kinder rooms, children might help set the table or serve themselves, building independence and fine motor skills. Our chefs sometimes involve the children in simple food preparation activities, connecting them to what they eat and teaching them about healthy ingredients, often sourced from our own centre gardens.
How Centres Handle Allergies and Dietary Needs
For parents of children with allergies, food intolerances, or specific cultural or religious dietary needs, food safety is a top priority. A professional long day care centre will have robust systems in place to manage this safely and respectfully.
At Meraki, our enrolment process includes a detailed section for you to list any and all dietary requirements. This information is then communicated to our on-site chef and all educators. We maintain clear, visible allergy charts in the kitchen and in each playroom. All our staff are trained in first aid, anaphylaxis, and asthma management.
Our chefs are experienced in adapting menus to be free from common allergens like nuts, dairy, eggs, or gluten. They prepare separate, safe meals for children who need them, ensuring they still receive a delicious and balanced option that looks similar to what their friends are eating. We maintain a completely nut-aware environment to minimise risk for everyone.
Are Included Meals Factored into the Daily Fee?
Yes, the cost of providing fresh, high-quality meals is built into the total daily fee. This covers not only the ingredients but also the wages of our professional chefs and the cost of running a commercial-grade kitchen. It is part of the all-inclusive service a long day care centre provides, alongside educational programmes, nappies, and other resources.
The great news is that because meals are part of the approved service, the cost is included when calculating your Child Care Subsidy (CCS). The subsidy is applied to your total fee, which helps reduce your out-of-pocket costs. It’s important to remember that this makes a comprehensive service with included meals very accessible for many families.
For personalised information on your entitlements, we always recommend speaking directly with Services Australia, as they can assess your individual circumstances.
What to Ask When You Tour a Centre
When you visit a potential childcare centre, the topic of food is a great one to explore. It tells you a lot about the quality and philosophy of the service. Don't be shy to ask detailed questions. Here are a few important ones to get you started:
- May I see a copy of your current menu?
- How often do the menus rotate to provide variety?
- Do you have a qualified chef who cooks on-site?
- What is your process for managing allergies and dietary needs?
- How do you encourage fussy eaters to try new foods?
- Where do the children eat their meals?
- Do you incorporate food education or cooking into your programme?
We welcome these questions and are proud to show families our kitchens and introduce them to our chefs. If you’d like to see how we approach nutrition and mealtimes at Meraki, we invite you to book a tour of our Mooroolbark or Bayswater centres. We would love to show you around.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay extra for meals if my child has an allergy?
No. Reputable centres like Meraki ELC do not charge extra. Managing dietary needs is a standard part of our quality care. Our chefs are trained to safely prepare delicious alternative meals for children with allergies, intolerances, or cultural preferences at no additional cost to you.
What if my child is a very fussy eater?
This is a common concern. Our educators work patiently with fussy eaters, using positive encouragement. Seeing friends enjoy a meal often inspires a child to try new things. We never force a child to eat, but we create a supportive, positive environment where they can explore food at their own pace.
Can I pack my own food for my child instead?
For safety reasons, especially concerning severe allergies, most centres with on-site kitchens do not allow outside food, except for formula or breastmilk. This policy helps us maintain a controlled food environment and prevent accidental exposure to allergens, ensuring all children are kept safe while in our care.
Are the meals healthy and balanced?
Absolutely. Our menus are carefully designed by our chefs to meet the nutritional guidelines for young children. We focus on whole foods, including a variety of fresh vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and whole grains. We also limit added salt and sugar, ensuring every meal supports healthy growth and brain development.
Does the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) cover the cost of meals?
Yes, the Child Care Subsidy is applied to your total daily fee, which includes all meals, snacks, nappies, and educational programmes. The subsidy reduces your out-of-pocket expenses for the entire service. For specific details on your eligibility and subsidy percentage, it's best to speak with Services Australia.
Do babies get the same food as the older children?
Not exactly. Our centre chefs prepare age-appropriate meals for every stage. For babies starting solids, we offer smooth purées of fruits and vegetables. As they grow and develop, we introduce different textures, soft lumps, and finger foods. We work closely with families to follow each baby’s individual journey with food.
Book a tour of Meraki ELC
Want to see how we'd answer this for your family? Book a tour at our Mooroolbark or Bayswater centre — or use the contact form and we'll come back to you within one business day.