Over the week Monday 23 July to Tuesday 31 July, children across our Shire participated in an innovative food education initiative known as Veggie-licious Week.
Over 170 children from the Bannockburn Children's Service, kindergartens and Family Day Care services took part in various fun activities designed to create exposure to different vegetables and provide hands-on opportunities to increase confidence and knowledge around vegetables.
Based on the Victorian Population Health Survey, we know that only 7.8% of people living in Golden Plains Shire are eating enough vegetables, and Council have identified children, parents and carers as a key population group in our Shire which we can work with to improve this concerning figure.
There were five participating groups including Meredith Kindergarten, Bannockburn Children’s Service, Rokewood Kindergarten, Teesdale Kindergarten and our Family Day Care Services.
Activities during the week included cooking sessions making vegetable soup, slices, and mini pizzas; garden planting activities and seedling pot plants to take home; vegetable story time, education and exposure sessions; dress up days and vegetable themed arts and craft activities.
Parents were provided with take-home resources and vegetable packs to continue the conversation around eating vegetables in the family home.
Well done our Early Years Educators for their work in embracing this children’s initiative and for their creativity in participating in a range of different activities.