Warming Up for Winter: Introducing Our New Seasonal Menu and Plant to Plate Program

As the cooler weather settles in, we’re excited to share our brand new Winter Menu for 2025. Designed to nourish growing bodies and warm little tummies, this season’s menu is filled with hearty, wholesome meals that celebrate fresh, seasonal ingredients.

As always, our menu is approved by Nutrition Australia’s Healthy Eating Achievement Program and carefully aligned with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). That means every dish your child enjoys at Choklits supports not just their health, but their learning and development too.

Warming Winter Dishes

From Mondays to Fridays, your child will enjoy a variety of warm, flavourful meals that are both comforting and packed with goodness. Highlights from this season’s offering include:

• Slow-cooked stews and curries, like Jamaican Stew and Sri Lankan Fiesta, which are full of flavour and winter vegetables.
• Global favourites, like Oodles of Noodles and Taco Tuesday, introducing children to new cultures and ingredients in a fun, age-appropriate way.
• Nutrient-rich vegetarian meals, such as Lentil SURPRISE and Tangy Tofu Stir-Fry, that promote variety and plant-based eating.
• Balanced combinations of grains, proteins, and vegetables featured throughout every week to meet dietary guidelines and keep your child energised throughout their day.

Every lunch is complemented by a morning and afternoon tea offering, including seasonal fresh fruit, wholesome snacks like homemade oat bars, and nourishing options such as yoghurt, muffins, and vegetable dips. Our team also ensures that gluten-free, dairy-free, and other dietary needs are always accommodated.

A Menu That Supports Learning and Wellbeing

Our food program goes beyond nutrition. The EYLF highlights the importance of healthy eating in shaping children’s sense of wellbeing, identity, and belonging. At Choklits, mealtimes are a chance to build independence, try new things, and enjoy shared experiences with peers.

By engaging with a menu rich in colour, texture, and cultural variety, children also develop healthy habits and a positive relationship with food—skills that will benefit them for life.

From Garden to Kitchen: Our Plant to Plate Program Returns

This winter, we’re also delighted to share that Chefs Jordan, Lai, and Tayani will once again be leading our much-loved Plant to Plate programme at Choklits.

This hands-on initiative helps children build a direct connection with the food they eat by involving them in every step of the process—from planting and nurturing to harvesting and preparing vegetables straight from our centre gardens.

For our younger children, the experience is all about exploration and building foundational skills. They’ll practise how to safely hold and use child-friendly utensils, and engage all five senses as they feel soil, smell fresh leaves, and observe how plants grow.

For older children, the programme becomes a full seasonal cycle. They’ll help to plant seeds, care for the garden, pick the produce, and finally, prepare and taste the meals they’ve helped bring to life. It’s an empowering process that supports both practical life skills and a sense of accomplishment.

Importantly, children who are involved in growing and preparing their own food are much more likely to try new vegetables and dishes. For many parents, getting children to try new or unfamiliar foods at home can be a daily challenge. The Plant to Plate programme helps to break down these barriers—children are far more open to tasting something they’ve grown or helped to cook themselves. That sense of pride and ownership can turn “I don’t like that” into “I made that!”

This programme supports the EYLF’s focus on learning through play, developing autonomy, and building a strong sense of identity and connection with the world around us—all while having a whole lot of fun.

A Season of Nourishment

We’re proud of the thoughtful work that goes into every plate of food served at Choklits, and we’re even prouder to see how much the children enjoy it. The Winter Menu 2025 reflects our continued commitment to health, sustainability, and joyful mealtimes.

Thank you for trusting us to provide not only safe and delicious meals, but experiences that help your children learn, grow, and thrive.

If you have any questions on our new menu please head to our Facebook and Instagram pages or pop in and see us when you’re next at the service.

Here’s to our Winter Menu,

Deb, Jade & Matt