Our seasonally-inspired, four-week rotating menu is designed in partnership with Nutrition Australia to provide delicious, fresh, and healthy meals that children love.
At Choklits we believe that nutritious food is the fuel for a happy and healthy childhood. We offer a delightful and yummy menu that caters to every part of the day, from a wholesome breakfast for our early birds to morning tea, a hot cooked lunch, and a nourishing afternoon tea. All our meals are lovingly prepared by our experienced chef, and we are always happy to accommodate special dietary requirements and allergies.
A Partnership with Nutrition Australia
Our menu is developed in close collaboration with Nutrition Australia, the nation’s leading independent, member-based, non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting the health and wellbeing of all Australians. This partnership ensures that every meal we serve is not only delicious but also perfectly balanced to meet the nutritional needs of growing children. We focus on fresh, seasonal produce and whole foods, providing the essential nutrients your child needs to learn, play, and thrive.
Our Commitment to Dietary Needs and Allergies
Catering to Every Child
We understand that for families of children with allergies or specific dietary requirements, trust and safety are everything. At Choklits, the health and wellbeing of every child is our highest priority, and we have rigorous systems in place to manage a wide range of dietary needs, from allergies and intolerances to cultural and religious preferences.
Our process begins with you. During enrolment, we work closely with you to create a detailed and individualised dietary plan for your child. This plan is communicated clearly to our chef and all educators, ensuring every person who cares for your child is aware of their specific needs. Our award-winning kitchen is equipped to prevent cross-contamination, and our experienced chef lovingly prepares safe, delicious, and nutritious alternative meals so that no child ever feels left out.
We see dietary management as a partnership. We maintain open communication with you, ensuring we are always up-to-date with your child’s needs and providing you with complete peace of mind.
An Award-Winning Kitchen
Our Commitment to Excellence
We are incredibly proud to share that our Choklits Surrey Hills kitchen was awarded the Food Premises of the Year for the City of Whitehorse in 2023. There are 874 eligible businesses in the City of Whitehorse so to be selected number one is a bit exciting for us all. This prestigious award places our kitchen in the same top-tier ‘Class A’ category as hospitals, a testament to our unwavering commitment to the highest standards of food safety and hygiene. When your child eats with us, you can be confident that their meals are prepared in an environment that meets the most rigorous health and safety standards.
A Healthy Choice for a Brighter Future
No Added Sugar
In the best interests of our little learners’ health and wellbeing, we have a simple but powerful rule in our Choklits kitchens: we don’t buy sugar! We believe in the natural sweetness of fresh fruits and vegetables and avoid adding any sugar to our meals. This approach helps to establish healthy eating habits from a young age, giving your child the best possible start in life.
From Our Garden to Their Plate
We Grow Our Own Food
At Choklits, we believe in connecting children with their food from the very beginning. That’s why you’ll find thriving vegetable gardens at our centres, which are a core part of our learning program. Children get their hands dirty planting seeds, nurturing the growing plants, and harvesting the fresh produce themselves. This hands-on experience with the full food cycle—from seed to plate—is where the magic happens.
We’ve discovered a simple truth: when children plant vegetables, they eat vegetables. For many young eaters, the look, taste, or feel of a new vegetable can be a barrier. However, by taking part in the journey of their food, that initial disinterest or even resentment transforms into curiosity. They become eager to try the carrots they pulled from the ground or the lettuce they helped to water. It’s a powerful way to introduce new textures and flavours and get them excited about healthy eating.
This love for gardening doesn’t stop at our front doors. We’re incredibly proud that numerous Choklits families have been inspired to start their own vegetable patches at home, creating a wonderful ripple effect that helps the whole family embrace healthier eating habits.
A Menu for Everyone
For our youngest learners, we provide a range of pureed vegetables, as well as vegetables with chicken, rice, or pasta. Yoghurt and pureed fruits are also on the menu, ensuring a gentle and nutritious introduction to solid foods. Water is served with all meals and is readily available to all children throughout the day, and we encourage self-serve for our older children.
Join Our Foodie Family
We believe that food is a wonderful way to bring people together, and we encourage our parents to be a part of our menu planning process. Our menu is proudly displayed in our foyer, in each classroom, and on our blog. We welcome your suggestions and feedback, and we love to hear about your family’s favourite healthy recipes.
A Message from Our Chef at Choklits Surrey Hills, Boon Lai
“It’s a real privilege to share some of our most loved meals and dishes from the kitchen here at Choklits. I may cook the meals, but it’s the children whom I adore and love that give me feedback, tell me what they enjoy and how my food makes them feel that has helped me learn and grow as a chef, so this really is a team effort. These recipes may seem surprisingly simple to some and they are, but they are also very practical and easy to make, even at home.
Food is about feeling so when I’m cooking, I’m always thinking about that. I’m trying to help the children feel good and not to get caught up in overcomplicating things. In my experience, young children aren’t too interested in those fancy dishes and cooking techniques you see on TV. They just want yummy food that provides plenty of energy to run, to learn, to play and to share with their friends. I take care of the nutrition so they can focus on their education.”
What Parents Ask Us Most About Child Care Meals
Everything you need to know about child care nutrition
Are meals included at Choklits?
Yes. Choklits provides meals across the day, including breakfast, morning tea, a hot cooked lunch and afternoon tea. Everything is prepared by our chefs onsite at our centres.
This helps make mornings easier for families. It also means children have fresh food and steady energy for play, learning and rest.
What kind of food do children eat at Choklits?
Children enjoy fresh, healthy and child-friendly meals from our four-week rotating menu.
Our meals use seasonal produce and whole foods. They are made to help children feel full, happy and ready to learn, play and grow. Our menu is approved by Nutrition Australia.
Who designs the Choklits menu?
Our menu is designed in partnership with Nutrition Australia.
This helps us plan meals that are balanced, healthy and right for growing children. We want food to be yummy, but we also want it to support strong bodies and busy minds.
Does Choklits cater for allergies and dietary needs?
Yes. We support allergies, intolerances, cultural food needs and religious food needs.
During enrolment, we work with you to create a clear dietary plan for your child. This plan is shared with our chef and educators, so everyone knows what your child needs.
How does Choklits help prevent cross-contamination?
We take food safety very seriously. Our kitchen systems are set up to help prevent cross-contamination.
Our chef and educators follow each child’s dietary plan. Safe, healthy alternative meals are prepared so children with allergies or food needs can still feel included.
What food safety standards does Choklits follow?
We are proud that the Choklits Surrey Hills kitchen was named Food Premises of the Year for the City of Whitehorse in 2023 in the top-tier Class A category.
This gives families extra trust that meals are prepared with care, safety and high hygiene standards.
Does Choklits use added sugar?
No. Choklits kitchens do not buy sugar.
We use the natural sweetness of fruit and vegetables instead. This helps children enjoy real food and build healthy habits from a young age.
How does Choklits help children try vegetables?
Children are more likely to try food when they help grow it.
At Choklits, children plant seeds, care for vegetables and harvest fresh produce from our gardens. This helps them feel proud, curious and more willing to taste new foods.
What food is offered to babies starting solids?
For our youngest children, we offer gentle first foods. This can include pureed vegetables, vegetables with chicken, rice or pasta, yoghurt and pureed fruit.
We work with families so each baby’s food routine feels safe, calm and right for their stage.
Is water available throughout the day?
Yes. Water is served with all meals and is available to children during the day.
Older children are also encouraged to self-serve. This helps them build simple, useful skills and learn to listen to their body.
Can parents give feedback on the menu?
Yes. We welcome parent ideas, feedback and healthy family recipes.
Our menu is displayed in the foyer, in classrooms and on our blog. Food is part of our Choklits community, and we love hearing what families enjoy at home.
Can I see the menu before enrolling?
Yes. You can ask to see the menu when you visit Choklits or on our blog at any time.
A tour is a great time to ask about meals, allergies, baby food, fussy eating, the kitchen and how we help children enjoy healthy food each day.
