ECE Food for Kids Programme

The ECE Food For Kids Programme.

The KidsCan ECE Food for Kids Programme is a free food programme offered to 2 to 5-year-olds attending eligible early childhood education (ECE) centres around Aotearoa, starting in early 2025, for two years. The programme is funded by the New Zealand Government and delivered by the KidsCan Charitable Trust. Up to 10,000 preschoolers will benefit.

How does the programme work?

KidsCan’s suppliers deliver fresh, healthy ingredients to centres every week, so staff can put together easy-to-prepare lunches for tamariki – like a meal kit.

Centres select from a range of recipes that children love - including mac and cheese, shepherd's pie, fresh sandwiches, and chop suey.

We also provide fruit and yoghurt to complement lunches

The serving sizes are from Ministry of Health guidelines for 5-year-olds – given this could be the main meal of the day for some children

The meals are designed in collaboration with the Heart Foundation, and include a balanced mix of protein, carbohydrates and vegetables.

Centres can order vegetarian, dairy-free and halal-friendly food

All our recipes meet the Heart Foundation’s guide to reducing food-related choking in children aged 2-5.

Our suppliers include The Produce Company, Woolworths, New World, Pak n Save, Bell’s Produce and Four Square

Centre staff involved in preparing the meals have undergone compulsory food safety training

KidsCan has provided kitchen equipment to centres who need it, to ensure there are no barriers to participation

Who is eligible and when does it start?

The Government identified eligible centres and kōhanga reo using the new ECE Equity Index.

The first group of 105 centres involving 3,656 tamariki will start receiving food from Monday 31 March.

The second wave, involving more than 5,000 tamariki in kōhanga reo, has been invited to join the programme, with food provision starting in May.

A third wave will follow in June.

Recipes Include.

Beef ravioli with vegetables

Lasagne with vegetables

Tuna pasta salad

Egg fried rice

Sapasui Moa - Chicken chop suey

Fresh egg sandwiches

Mac and cheese with vegetables

Fruit and yoghurt will be provided with every meal

Our experience.

This is an extension of a food programme that KidsCan has been delivering to preschoolers since 2018. We already fed more than 6,000 children in more than 200 early childhood centres nationwide every day.

The Government funding to feed up to 10,000 more preschoolers is for our food programme only – so unlike our current partner centres, children will not receive jackets, shoes and socks and health products at this stage. KidsCan hopes to be able to raise enough money from public donations to offer our full suite of clothing and health products to all centres in the future.