2020 marks the 4th year the Big Vegie Crunch

has been offered to Early Childhood

Education (ECE) services.

Based on feedback from ECE services we have decided to

continue to offer a Vegie Month in the lead up to the Big

Vegie Crunch. This will help achieve some more sustainable

changes to increase the number of vegetables in

lunchboxes!

The aim of Vegie month is to integrate vegetables into your

daily or weekly programs – whether that be songs, stories,

art, discussions, nutrition learning experiences or gardening

activities. We have included a range of ideas to get you

started including a new focus on Becoming a Veg Explorer –

exploring vegetables with the 5 sense!

DID YOU KNOW?

Only 1 in 20 Australian kids are eating enough vegetables.

Healthy habits are established early in life so we want to

get more kids eating vegetables more often!

This resource is designed as a guide only… feel free to

modify our suggestions to suit your service. You may want

to try all of the activities included, or just choose a couple.

We hope you enjoy Vegie Month!

Happy Crunching

Northern NSW Health Promotion

CONTENTS

Vegie Month Family Challenges ................... 4

The Big Vegie Crunch .................................. 5

Becoming A Veg Explorer ............................ 6

Songs ......................................................... 7

Books ......................................................... 8

Tablet / Smart Board Activities .................. 10

Nutrition Learning Experiences ................. 11

Recipes..................................................... 22

Just For Fun! ............................................. 33

Vegie Month Is Over… What Next?............. 35

VEGIE MONTH

FAMILY

CHALLENGES

Here are some new fun family challenges to include in your newsletters or on

social media to encourage families to get involved at home. Many services

reported that they shared these on their Facebook pages last year which

created a lot of awareness and interest for the month. To share the tiles

directly, search for our Kids Eat Move Play Facebook page or click here to

access a downloadable copy of them from our website.

There are also some at home activities and flyers in the Be a Veg Explorer resource. These focus

on sensory exploration of vegetables. Research shows that the most effective way to get

children to eat more vegetables is repeat exposure, so there is also an evidence based tasting

game that can be undertaken at home to support this.

THE BIG VEGIE

CRUNCH

Vegie Month will culminate in the 2020 Big Vegie Crunch on the 5th March at

10am (although as usual we invite you to host your own CRUNCH daily or at any

time during that week). Your service will join school aged children all over NSW

CRUNCHING along.

This event can be run at your discretion. In the past some services have asked

parents send in whole vegetables that can be cut up as a platter. Other services

have been fortunate enough to secure sponsorship from local grocers for

produce. You may wish to select a vegetable themed song from the list to crunch

along to, use the countdown timer available or make some vegie dips to be tried

as well.

We have been asked by a few services what others are doing to make the Big

Vegie Crunch more exciting. Some ideas that we have heard include:

Measuring the sound of your “Crunch” using apps or

websites such as Decibel X (available on Apple and

Android devices, free), or Sound Meter (available on

Apple and Android devices, free)

Inviting the community and / or local media in to

Crunch. The children love to see themselves in the

paper and it raises more awareness for the great

work your service does to promote healthy eating to

kids

Getting into the theme and dressing up with

costumes. Here is a picture of a couple of our

Northern NSW teachers. There are also some DIY

ideas on the Healthy Kids Association website found

here http://healthy-kids.com.au/wp-

content/uploads/2014/03/FVCostumes.pdf

BECOMING A VEG

EXPLORER

Children are natural explorers, and enjoy asking questions and

learning about the world around them. Using a vegetable theme can

be a fun and exciting way to help children start to understand looking,

listening, touching, tasting and smelling. There are so many chances

to explore vegetables using the 5 senses.

Using non-taste sensory exploration through structured activities in

the child care setting can translate to subsequent vegetable tasting

and can also support children to actually eat more vegetables.

Evidence suggests that the greatest benefits have been seen when

services create vegetable learning experiences for at least 4

consecutive weeks – so the focus on exploring vegetables during Veg

Month is a perfect match! That said, finding ways to embed these

experiences into regular routines is optimal.

Because the opportunities are endless, we have developed a stand-

alone resource that is all about becoming a veg explorer. It is filled

with loads of ideas and activities that can be used again and again so

children can practice their growing knowledge and skills.

Be sure to use our new Be a Veg Explorer

resource for unlimited inspiration! You can

download a copy here.

SONGS

Music is a great way to enhance a child’s development. It allows them

to have fun, be creative and supports social development. It can help

develop fine and gross motor skills, improve balance and co-

ordination and help children express emotion. It is also a great way to

help children learn. Here are a few vegetable themed songs you can

try throughout Vegie Month. Let us know if you have a favourite!

This website has several fun options children will love! http://www.childfun.com/themes/food/vegetables/

The Big Vegie Crunch theme song - The Vegetable Plot https://healthy-kids.com.au/the-big-vegie-crunch-song/

Vegetables - The Beach Boys https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRSrrFOTlDY

Vegetable Song - the Singing Walrus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE5tvaveVak

Hot Potato - the Wiggles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v4-eAefurY

Vegetable Plot Mini Movie (Spanish Onion) – the Vegetable Plot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPLBLzL4sAQ

"Breakin” Brussels Sprouts - Veggie Boogie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhc6-InBRAg

Root for Radish – Healthy Kids Music Factory https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzCFaBXiWfg

Dreaming Vegetables – Johnny and the Raindrops https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CS2zL8cl4U

Carrot Song - National Carrot Day https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWTd0BMdtvg

Five Little Pumpkins - Super Simple Songs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trDl36m9pgA

The Farmers Plants the Seeds - The Kiboomers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRhGOdqWIIo

BOOKS

Books can be used in a number of ways to engage children. Here are some of our

favourite vegetable related books, with some questions you can use to create

discussion. Many of these can be streamed online if you can’t find a copy of the book.

The Great Big Enormous Turnip by Alexei Tolstoy

Has anyone tasted a turnip before? Have you grown vegetables before?

How many people did it take to harvest the turnip?

What does this story tell us about team work?

Growing vegetable soup by Lois Ehlert

What type of tools do you use in the garden?

What vegetables would you plant for your very own soup?

Do you help grow vegetables at home / at preschool?

What is your favourite part of growing vegetables - planting, watering, harvesting, or tasting etc?

Eating the Alphabet: Fruits & Vegetables from A to Z by Lois Ehlert

Have you tasted XXX before? Did you like it?

Can we taste our own alphabet of vegetables and fruit?

What does XXX feel like / smell like / look like? Can we draw it?

Rah, Rah Radishes! A Vegetable Chant by April Pulley Sayre

Looking at the front cover, what do you think the story will be about?

Has anyone tried a radish before?

How many different types of vegetables can we count in this book?

Are there any that you would like to try?

Kindy Kitchen Series by Jessica Rosman

(The Cucumber Frog, Tomato Santa, The Capsicum Hand Puppet,

The Little Bean Baby, The Seaweed Whiskers, The Capsicum Boat)

Each of these books include a recipe and fun facts to discuss with the children.

A Few Bites by Cybele Young

Who has tasted “Dinosaur Food” (Broccoli) before?

How about “Orange Power Sticks” (Carrot)?

Do you know of a vegetable that gives you super powers?

Can you name some Everyday and Sometimes foods in this story?

Sylvia’s Spinach by Katherine Pryor

What is your favourite vegetable?

What did you learn about growing vegetables from this book?

What types of vegetables should we grow in our garden?

Some other titles you may want to try include:

Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Veggies with Wedgies by Todd Doodler

Vegetables in Underwear by Jared Chapman

I’m Having a Rainbow for Dinner by NAQ Nutrition

Avocado Baby by John Burningham

I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child

Potato Joe by Keith Baker

The Enormous Potato by Aubery Davis

Tops & Bottoms by Janet Stevens

Rainbow food by Denise Greenaway

Oliver’s Vegetables by Vivian French

Carrot Soup by John Segal

What I do with Vegetable Glue by Susan Chandler

TABLET / SMART BOARD

ACTIVITIES

Tablet and smart board devices can be used in a variety of ways to engage children in

vegetable related activities and learning. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:

Plant some sprouting vegetables and use the 1 second Everyday App to record its

growth across the month. This may also be used to take pictures or short clips of

children trying new vegetables each day, or record activities undertaken during

Vegie Month to share with your service community. Create a Veg Themed photo booth in a corner at your service. Include real vegies

and vegetable toys and encourage kids to pose. There are many photo booth

apps that you can download on tables to create pictures you can then display for

parents. Fruit and Veg Power E-Book, created by Healthy Kids Association https://healthy-

kids.com.au/fruit-veg-power-es1/ Vegetable Science Quiz, from Healthy Kids Association https://healthy-

kids.com.au/early-stage-1/ Interactive plant growing experience https://tvokids.com/preschool/games/get-

growing

Download a taste testing app such as Taste with Tiny. This is a free app that

allows you take pictures of foods the children are tasting and upload them to the

app so that “Tiny”, and animated animal can eat with the children as well.

Explore the app before using with a group to see whether it can complement

one or your activities. http://tastewithtiny.com/

Youtube clips from pages such as Dirt Girl. Her page includes videos on

gardening, composting, vegetables and many other environmental themes that

can be used to support learning and any gardening activities you may be

undertaking.

Remember to monitor children’s screen time and be sure it is used for learning purposes

only!

NUTRITION LEARNING

EXPERIENCES

The following pages include a collection of Nutrition Learning Experiences from the

Munch & Move manual and website, as well as Local Health Districts from across the

state. Each experience has a focus on vegetables. Let us know if you have any other

great ideas that we can share with services.

1. Eat a Rainbow

2. Celebrity Vegetable Heads

3. Vegetable Memory Game (or SNAP)

4. Garden Learning

5. Composting

6. Growing Carrot Plants from Carrot Tops

7. Food For Thought

8. Researching a Vegetable

9. Vegetable Tally Chart

10. Matching Games

This template can also be used for a “SNAP” game

Researching a Vegetable

Choose a vegetable with the children to explore. It may be something growing in the

garden, a vegetable you wish to plant in the garden, a familiar vegetable or one that the

children have never heard of before. You may wish to pick a vegetable from one of the

books you have recently read.

Alternatively, you could use a “Vegetable Mystery Bag” to choose the vegetable and

have the children feel and guess what is inside the bag before you research it together.

Find out:

- Where does it grow? (on a plant or in the ground?)

- What season does it grow in?

- Does it have seeds?

- Does the outside of the vegetable look different from the inside?

- Make sequence cards for the children to learn about the cycle of the vegetable

from planting, growing, harvesting and cooking

- Explore the types of recipes you could cook using the vegetable

- Taste the vegetable raw and cooked (if safe)

- Explore different vegetables from around the world

Vegetable Tally Chart

1. Download the Vegetable Tally Chart or ask your Munch & Move contact to

deliver one to your service. Of course you could develop your own by starting

with a blank chart and adding vegetables as they appear in lunchboxes.

2. Tally the amount of vegetables featuring in lunchboxes each day, asking children

to put their hand up if they have a certain type of vegetable as you go through

the list (Remember some children may have more than one type!)

3. Challenge the group to beat their vegetable scores each day across the whole

month.

Matching Games

Create your own vegetable matching game using our templates or cut outs from

magazines.

For younger age groups:

- Match identical vegetable pictures with each other

- Match vegetables to colours

For older age groups:

- Match the inside (cut) of vegetables to the outside (whole) vegetable

- Match how a vegetable grows (plant) to a picture of the vegetable harvested

- Match vegetables to describing words e.g. crunchy, small, sweet, long etc

RECIPES

The following pages include 10 recipes that you can use throughout Vegie Month. These

are only a small selection of what is available on our website. Feel free to visit

https://nnswlhd.health.nsw.gov.au/health-promotion/healthy-eating-recipes/ for more

ideas, or to modify these ones based on ingredients you have available and child

preferences. You could make a “Vegie Month” recipe pamphlet for your families if you

have a few favourites. These recipes have been tried and tested in our kitchens!

1. Pumpkin Dip

2. Beetroot Dip

3. Sandwich Sushi

4. Hummus

5. Rice Paper Rolls

6. Aloha Rice

7. Bread Based Quiche

8. Pizza Muffins

9. Hulk Fritters

10. Cheesy Scones

Pumpkin Dip

Serves: 15 tasters Difficulty: Medium

Equipment: 1 oven tray, oven, 1 knife, cup measures, 1 bowl, 1 blender / stick blender

INGREDIENTS

1/2 butternut pumpkin (cubed and peeled)

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 cup natural yoghurt

Optional: coriander

METHOD

Roast pumpkin in oven

until soft – this should take approximately 30min. Pumpkin

could also be steamed; however, the dip isn’t as tasty this

way.

Allow pumpkin to cool

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

This recipe also works with a stick blender if pumpkin is soft.

Beetroot Dip

Serves: 15 tasters Difficulty: Easy

Equipment: 1 chopping board, 1 knife, 1 large bowl, 1 colander, 1 spoon, cup measures

INGREDIENTS

1 can of baby beetroot (approx 400g)

200g Greek or natural yoghurt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

Salt and Pepper to taste

METHOD

Drain and roughly chop beetroot.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.

Serve with veggie sticks or crackers

Tuna and Avocado Sushi Sandwiches

Serves: 5-6 children, or 20-24 as a taster Difficulty: Easy

Equipment: 3 chopping boards, 3 knives, 3 spreading knives, 1 grater, 1 can opener, 2 rolling pins

INGREDIENTS

1 loaf wholemeal bread

1 small tub reduced fat cream cheese

Medium (approx. 400 g) can tuna in spring water,

drained

1 medium avocado, thinly sliced

2 medium carrots

(Any combination of ingredients and vegetables could

be used such as capsicum, cucumber, lettuce, ham,

chicken)

METHOD

1. Place bread slices on

chopping board. Remove

crusts and flatten with a rolling pin.

2. Spread 1 side of each slice of bread with cream

cheese.

3. Thinly slice avocado

4. Peel and grate carrots

5. Arrange tuna, avocado and carrot in rows next to

each other on the bread leaving a 1cm border along 1

edge.

6. Roll up bread from opposite edge to enclose filling.

Cut into bite size pieces and place on serving platter

Hummus

Serves: 25 Difficulty: Easy

Equipment: 1 can opener, 1 food processor, 1 medium

bowl to serve, 2 chopping boards, 2 knives

INGREDIENTS 2 400g tins chickpeas

½ cup tahini

2 cloves garlic

Juice 1-2 lemons

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

Vegetables and flat bread cut into strips for

dipping (such as carrots, snow peas, capsicum,

beans, cucumber).

METHOD

1. Drain chickpeas and place

into blender and process

briefly

2. Add tahini, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and salt

and pepper and process again

3. Add a small amount of water to achieve a soft

creamy paste

4. Cut up vegetables into long sticks and flat breads

to dip into hummus

5. Serve a small amount of hummus to each person

either on a small saucer or in a small cupcake

case, with a selection of cut vegetable sticks or

bread strips

Rice Paper Rolls

Serves: 20 rolls Difficulty: Medium

Equipment: 2 graters, 3 chopping boards, 3 knives, 2 large bowls, 1 colander, 1

large dish (to wet rice paper) , plates / tea towels (to roll on)

INGREDIENTS

1 cup rice noodles

2 cups grated carrot

2 cups julienne cucumber

2 cups bean shoots

Small piece of ginger

Coriander \ Vietnamese mint

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Lime juice (1-2 limes)

20 rice paper roll sheets

Sweet chilli sauce

METHOD

1. Soak rice noodles in boiling water for 5-10 minutes or until soft

2. Grate or julienne (slice thinly) carrot and cucumber. Grate ginger and chop

mint

3. Mix carrot, cucumber, ginger and mint together with bean shoots

4. Add fish sauce, soy sauce and lime juice to the salad mix

5. Place one rice paper sheet in a medium bowl of lukewarm water for 15

seconds or until soft. Place on a clean tea towel or plate

6. Place small amount of rice noodles and filling down the middle of the

softened rice paper sheet. Fold in both sides and roll to enclose the filling

7. Repeat with remaining rice paper rounds and filling. Store in airtight

container until ready to use. Can be stored in refrigerator

8. Serve with sweet chilli sauce to dip

Aloha Rice

Serves: 5-6 children, or 20-24 as a taster (1/4 cup each) Difficulty: Easy

Equipment: 1 grater, 3 chopping boards, 3 knives, 1 large bowl, 1 can opener, large spoon to mix

and serve, microwave to cook rice, plastic cup or bowls to serve

INGREDIENTS

½ carrot

½ celery stick

½ small red or green capsicum

2 spring onions

1 can pineapple rings in natural juice

2 slices reduced fat \ salt ham (optional)

4 cups cooked rice (brown rice is the best option)

4 tablespoons sweet corn kernels

Pepper to season

2 tablespoons reduced fat salad dressing (purchase

already made or make up using olive oil, balsamic

vinegar, lemon juice)

METHOD

1. Grate the carrot and put into a mixing bowl

2. Slice the celery finely and add to the bowl

3. Remove the seeds from the capsicum. Cut into small

squares and add to the bowl

4. Cut the root end off the spring onion. Slice finely, then

add to the bowl

5. Drain the pineapple. Cut rings into small pieces and

add to the bowl

6. Slice the ham into small squares and add to the bowl

with the cooked rice, sweet corn, pepper and dressing

7. Using a spoon, mix thoroughly

8. If not using at once, cover with cling wrap (or transfer

to a storage container) and refrigerate until needed

Pumpkin Bread Based Quiche

Serves: 12 quiches Difficulty: Medium

Equipment: 1 bowl, 1 12 hole muffin tin, 1 knife, 1 chopping board, 1 rolling pin

INGREDIENTS

2 cups mashed pumpkin (dry as

possible)

125 g frozen (or fresh) spinach,

diced

125g cottage cheese

½ onion, finely diced

2 eggs

2 tsp mild curry powder

1 salt reduced chicken stock

cube

12 slices wholemeal bread

Oil Spray

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and spray a 12 whole muffin tin with oil

2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, except bread

3. Cut crusts off bread and then flatten them. Line each muffin hole with one

slice

4. Fill each bread cup with pumpkin mixture

5. Bake for 60min or until mixture is set

Pizza Muffins

Serves: 10, or cut in half and 20 as a taster Difficulty: Medium

Equipment: 4 chopping boards, 4 knives, 4 spoons, 2 oven trays, oven or a sandwich toaster

INGREDIENTS

1 packet English muffins (halved)

½ cup tomato paste

2 tablespoons of oregano

1 capsicum

5 mushrooms

2 tomatoes

1 onion

1 small can of pineapple

Reduced fat cheese (grated)

METHOD

1. Chop up all vegetables

and pineapple into small pieces.

2. Lay halved English muffins on oven trays. Spread with

tomato paste.

3. Cover each muffin with vegetables, cheese and

sprinkle with oregano.

4. Cook in sandwich toaster with lid half open, or in oven

for 100 degrees Celsius until cheese has melted.

Cheesy Scones

Serves: 15 scones Difficulty: Medium

Equipment: 2 baking trays, 1 chopping board, 1 knife, 1 grater, measuring cups, 1 large bowl, 1

wooden spoon

INGREDIENTS

3 cups wholemeal self-raising flour

60g margarine

1 cup milk

¾ cup chopped chives / shallots

2 large carrots (grated)

¾ cup finely chopped spinach leaves

1 ½ cups grated cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive Oil spray

METHOD

1. Heat oven to 200 degrees (180-degree fan forced) and

line an oven tray with baking paper

2. Add flour, salt, pepper and margarine to a large bowl and

mix with your hands until it resembled a bread crumb

consistency

3. Stir through chives, carrot, spinach and 1 cup of cheese,

gradually add milk; mixing together to form a stiff dough

4. Gently knead a few times and flatten into discs

approximately 2cm think

5. Place small discs on oven trays, brush tops with

remaining milk and sprinkle with remaining cheese

6. Bake for approximately 20min or until the tops are lightly

golden

Hulk Fritters

Serves: 25 fritters Difficulty: Medium

Equipment: 1 small bowl, 1 fork, 1 grater, 1 chopping board, 1 knife, 1 wooden spoon, 1 large

bowl, 1 electronic fry pan, 1 egg flip

INGREDIENTS

750g green peas

3 tablespoons parsley (chopped)

5 eggs

350g ricotta

1 cup wholemeal flour

1-2 large zucchinis

Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Smash peas and grate zucchini

2. Combine in a bowl with parsley, flour and eggs

3. Add salt and pepper to paste

4. Mix through ricotta

5. Spoon into a frypan and cook on medium / high for

approximately 2 minutes each side, or until golden

brown

JUST FOR FUN!

Sometimes work isn’t always about the children. Just for fun, we have a whole lot of

riddles and jokes for the staff to laugh with each other about. Enjoy!

VEGIE MONTH IS

OVER… WHAT NEXT?

Keep the momentum rolling with all things veg throughout 2020. Save all of the ideas in

this resource and use them when you get a chance. Think outside the box… use

vegetables such as corn, stems of broccoli or celery, for art as a chance to re-engage

children with vegetables, or use garden produce to continually encourage children to try

different foods.

Encourage parents to pack a vegetable snack in lunchboxes each day, or if you are a

service that provides food, include lots of vegetable options throughout your menu.

Look at implementing a version of “Crunch Time” (a specific time that children eat their

vegetable snack) at your service. You may even do this by reminding children to have

their vegetable snacks first at morning tea. This not only normalises snacking on

vegetables to children and families, but it is a great way to support transition to primary

school and the Crunch & Sip program commonly adopted there.

Continue to use the Becoming a Veg Explorer theme through the whole year and have

fun with the children as they learn about the 5 senses through veg exploration.

Unlimited ideas and activities can be found in that specific resource.

We would also love to hear from you! If you have any comments, feedback, ideas or

would just love to share your story about Vegie Month please email

kate.collins@health.nsw.gov.au. We will use this feedback to create bigger and better

ideas into the future.