Nourishment and Wellbeing Page

Setting the ChampionGold Standard for childhood nutrition

A full time enrolled child will eat more meals with us than at home. That’s a responsibility we take seriously. Our nutrition programme – developed by expert children’s Dietitians and Nutritionists – supports your child’s growth, development and helps them build confidence and enjoyment around food.

The meals that shape their future

Most education systems focus on what children should know the facts, the content, the curriculum but they rarely teach children how to learn. At the same time, fuelling the brain for optimal learning, supporting physical growth and development, and setting the foundation for healthy eating habits for life are essential to helping children thrive both in and beyond the classroom.

What makes our approach different

Active, curious, hands-on learning

What “Whole Food” means at MindChamps

Every recipe and menu is thoughtfully designed using 100% whole food ingredients. In practice, this means:

Featuring a wide variety of foods aligned with the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating
Preparing meals fresh onsite in our centres each day
Offering a diverse range of flavours, colours, textures and cuisines to nurture adventurous, confident eaters
Prioritising nutritious foods that optimise children's growth, development and learning

Our Ingredient Choices

Our menus are built around nutrient-dense, high-quality whole food ingredients, including:

A variety of Wholegrains such as oats, wholegrain pasta, rice & wholemeal breads
Lean Proteins including red meats, poultry, omega 3-rich fish, legumes & beans
Healthy Fats such as avocado, olive oil & seeds
Natural, probiotic‑rich Dairy foods
Colourful variety of fresh Fruits & Vegetables served daily

Our meals are naturally:

This isn’t a goal we’re working toward — it’s the standard we uphold daily in every centre.

Our Nutrition Team

Georgina Agius

Accredited Practising Children’s Dietitian & Nutritionist

Sandra Bendersky

Children’s Nutritionist and Recipe Developer

At MindChamps, our dedicated Nutrition Team is passionate about nourishing young minds and bodies. They bring expertise in dietetics, nutrition science, recipe development, and education to ensure every child receives the best possible start to a lifetime of nourishing their bodies.

Our mission is to nourish children’s bodies and brains for their optimal development while inspiring a lifelong love of wholesome, nutritious foods.

Sandra & Georgina

What Makes Our Programme Different

Complete daily nutrition

Our menu provides children with up to 85% of their daily energy requirements and 100% of the essential vitamins, minerals, protein and fibre they need for optimal growth and development.

Expertly designed for development

Every recipe and meal plan is carefully crafted to deliver the specific nutrients children need: iron, calcium, zinc, iodine, folate, omega-3s, vitamin A, fibre and more.

Designed for real children

Our meal plans use specific textures, flavours and ingredients chosen to encourage even the fussiest eaters to participate in mealtimes.

Zero refined sugar

Our meal plans are 100% free from refined sugars. Sweetness comes from whole fruit – not added sugar.

Low sodium, no added salt

Children’s kidneys can’t process excess salt. Our meals are naturally flavoured with herbs, spices and wholefood ingredients.

Vegetables at every opportunity

Only 1 in 16 Australian children eat the recommended servings of vegetables. We offer vegetables 4-5 times daily and actively work with children to increase variety and acceptance.

Quality ingredients, every time

Our bespoke wholefood shopping list ensures our cooks use the best possible ingredients – no shortcuts, no substitutes.

Comprehensive allergy and dietary support

We offer carefully crafted allergy meals and vegetarian meal plans that meet the same nutritional standards as our general menu. Children with special dietary needs receive a complete spectrum of vitamins and minerals.

Baby nutrition programme

We lead the way with a comprehensive introducing-solids programme for babies in our care – with specialised meal plans for 4-6 months, 6-8 months and 8+ months.

Nutrition education for everyone

Our programme includes training for cooks, educators, centre directors and families on how to build a healthy relationship with food in young children.

Fussy eating support

Our educators are trained to handle fussy eating and food refusal with patience, consistency and evidence-based strategies.

Every meal, thoughtfully planned

What’s for Breakfast

We start the day with a nutritious breakfast to fuel children’s growing brains and bodies for learning, play and movement.

Our Breakfasts include wholegrain cereals and granola, wholemeal toast with toppings, seasonal fruit porridge and homemade pancakes.

What’s for Morning Tea

Mid-morning is time to refuel with a nutritious and satisfying snack.

Our Morning Teas include bircher muesli, fresh fruit smoothies, chia puddings and homemade muesli bars and baked beans on toast. Each day Morning Tea is served with fresh fruits and vegetable sticks, adding colour, interest and crunch while helping children meet their daily nutrient and fibre needs.

What’s for Lunch

Lunch is our main meal of the day, providing carbohydrates for energy, lean protein for growth, healthy fats for the learning brain and plenty of vegetables to support development.

All meals are freshly cooked daily by our dedicated centre chefs. Favourites include seeded chicken nuggets, hidden veggie spaghetti bolognese, lamb and vegetable koftas, fish curry and tofu fried rice.

What’s for Afternoon Tea

Afternoon teas are thoughtfully designed to support sustained learning, attention and focus right through until home time.

We offer a variety of nourishing sweet and savoury options, like hidden veggie muffins, fruit slices, mezze platters, smoothies, nachos, bliss balls and wraps. All afternoon teas are served with vegetables and a homemade dip on the side, supporting ongoing exposure.

What’s for Late Snack

For our long-day champs, Late Snack provide a nutritionally balanced energy boost, ensuring children go home feeling satisfied rather than hangry.

Late snacks includes a balanced meal of wholegrain crackers, veggie sticks, fruits and served with a homemade dip like minty tzatziki or hummus for a nutritious boost.

WHAT WE BELIEVE

Building a healthy relationship with food

Good nutrition isn’t just about what children eat – it’s about how they feel about food.

Our programme goes beyond mealtimes to help children develop positive, healthy attitudes towards eating that will serve them for life.

For children

Through our Gourment Moments programme, children are involved in food preparation, explore ingredients from around the world, and learn where food comes from. They don’t just eat healthy food – they understand and appreciate it.

For educators

Our cooks and educators are trained in nutrition best practices, including supporting children in overcoming picky eating, encourage vegetable acceptance, and create positive mealtime experiences.

For families

We empower our families in supporting children’s nutritional wellbeing. We share nutrition knowledge through workshops and webinars, as well as our social media channels, from picky eating to school lunchbox readiness, we are your trusted nutrition professionals!

Taste the Difference

The best way to understand our approach to nutrition is to see it and taste it for yourself. Book a tour of your nearest centre to learn more about our ChampionGold Standard Nutrition Programme.