At DS Kids Hub Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) at Noble Park Primary School, practical food changes are supporting children to finish their school day with more energy, a positive mood and connection with peers. Guided by Vic Kids Eat Well and Monash Health, program coordinator Becky Chan has embedded nutritious food into the everyday OSHC environment in ways that are affordable and fun.
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DS Kids Hub at Noble Park Primary School is a small OSHC service welcoming 5-8 children each afternoon. Becky runs the service singlehandedly, overseeing programming, care and food preparation. With limited resources and a tight budget, her focus is on making a difference with delicious food options for the children who attend.
Starting with children’s preferences
By building nutrition into the foods children already enjoy, Becky’s creative food environment supports a positive experience with food.
When homemade pizza is on the menu, thinly sliced mushrooms and chopped spinach are added beneath the cheese.
“I always look at what I can add, not what I can take away,” she says.
“The children enjoy the taste, without commenting on the extra vegetables.”
Supporting exposure to a variety of foods
Becky recognises that familiarity develops over time.
“It can take up to 10 times for kids to decide if they like something, so I keep offering variety,” she said.
Vegetables are offered regularly and prepared in different ways, helping children become more comfortable with new flavours and textures.
Guidance from Vic Kids Eat Well
These changes are supported by the free, state-wide Vic Kids Eat Well movement, which encourages OSHC services, schools and sports clubs to offer appealing and nutritious food and drink options for kids. Becky also works with Laura Fullard, a health promotion practitioner at Monash Health, who provides local support.
“Working with our health promoter Laura means that I’ve had access to resources and recipes from Vic Kids Eat Well and Monash Health. This has helped with ideas and things like selecting affordable ingredients,” Becky said.
Making food interactive and social
One popular addition to the menu is an elote-style corn dish. Becky sets up a self-serve station where children can add ingredients such as corn, beans, carrot, capsicum, cheese, avocado, coriander, lemon juice, Greek yoghurt and paprika.
“They spoon the ingredients into jars and shake! The children then enjoy talking about the ingredients with their friends while they eat,” she said.
Involving children in preparation has made food experiences more engaging and social, supporting conversation and shared enjoyment.
Supporting wellbeing after school
Afternoon tea plays an important role at DS Kids Hub.
“After a full day of learning and playing, ‘what’s for afternoon tea’ is the first thing kids ask. They look forward to their OSHC snack every single day,” Becky said.
“These foods give kids the energy they need until dinner time. Recipes like our elote corn are affordable and easy but they also lift mood and help kids relax and connect after a big day,” she said.
This OSHC recently won a ‘Feel Good Food competition’ prize allowing them to replace an old stick blender with a bench-top blender, making it easier to offer hungry kids nutritious smoothies after school.
Becky makes smoothies using milk, frozen fruit, cinnamon and only a small amount of honey when needed.
A whole-foods approach
Becky has gradually shifted the menu toward whole foods, using simple recipes and leftover vegetables where possible. A standout is the rainbow veggie frittata made with leftover vegetables such as carrot, zucchini, corn and capsicum, mixed with eggs, milk and a little flour.
“Even the name makes it appealing to kids; it’s one of their favourites,” Becky said.