Menu Plan & Order – transforming the way ECECs plan menus for children
Woolworths at Work is excited to introduce Menu Plan & Order, a new feature set to revolutionise menu planning and ordering for Early Childhood Education & Care (ECEC) centres across Australia. This innovative online feature fills a crucial gap in the market, offering ECECs a simple, cost-effective solution to plan, order, and provide nutritious, delicious meals tailored to the unique needs of children.
A dedication to nutrition
Woolworths at Work has always focused on developing features and services tailored to the unique needs of ECECs. Understanding the crucial role early childhood nutrition plays in lifelong health and wellbeing, we’ve made it our mission to make healthier choices easier.
“When children eat nourishing food they are more alert, find it easier to learn and more likely to develop to their full potential. Our new Menu Plan & Order feature is designed to play a key role in helping ECECs create a healthier start to life for the children in their care.”
Flore Vanpoperinghe, Head of Business Proposition, Woolworths at Work
A healthy partnership
To create the Menu Plan & Order seasonal menus, Woolworths at Work has partnered with leading accredited dietitians, The Biting Truth. This collaboration stems from a shared commitment to children’s wellbeing and a deep understanding of the challenges ECEC Chefs and Cooks face in meal planning.
“Nutritional guidelines from one state to another are constantly evolving. Creating new seasonal menu plans for children that are both appealing and compliant can be challenging” says Anna Debenham, Co-founder of The Biting Truth. “We worked collaboratively with Woolworths at Work and Chefs from pilot ECEC centres to create and trial recipes catering for all needs.”
Traditionally, ECECs have relied on manual processes, such as searching for and downloading individual recipes, calculating quantities, and adding individual ingredients to online shopping carts. This approach is not only time-consuming, but also prone to errors and budget overruns.
The easier way to provide nutritionally balanced, budget-friendly meals for children
Menu Plan & Order simplifies the entire menu planning and ordering process, offering a seamless and intuitive experience where ECECs can:
- Access 119 seasonal recipes: Developed by The Biting Truth. These recipes are age-appropriate (2-5 years), meet Australian Dietary Guidelines, and cover morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea.
- Download four-week menu plans: Choose from a variety of pre-made plans or customise your own to suit specific dietary needs and preferences.
- Automatically calculate portion sizes: Simply input the number of children you are serving and our calculator will adjust ingredient quantities accordingly.
- Add all ingredients to cart with one click: Seamlessly add your chosen recipes to your Woolworths at Work online shopping cart, saving valuable time and effort.
- Manage allergies, intolerances and preferences with ease: Adapt recipes based on common allergens and dietary restrictions, ensuring every child’s needs are met.
First impressions: Easy to use. Delicious to eat.
Trials of Menu Plan & Order have been a huge hit, receiving enthusiastic feedback from both ECEC staff and the children.
“Menu Plan & Order has been a game-changer for us. We’ve seen consistency across centres, we’re meeting nutritional guidelines, and managing to stay on budget,” said Amber D’alessandro, Business Project Manager at Aspire Early Education & Kindergarten.“The children love the meals and we never have to worry about quality. It’s been super easy to use and saves us a lot of time.”
Available now for Enterprise+ by Woolworths at WorkTM customers
To celebrate the launch, we’re offering complimentary access to Menu Plan & Order to Learn and Care Enterprise+ by Woolworths at WorkTM customers, for a limited time.
How to access and use Menu Plan & Order
- Log in and click on ‘Menu Plan & Order’ to get started.
- Download our seasonal menu plan: Choose either Autumn/Winter or Spring/Summer.
- Pick your order week: Select the week you would like to place an order.
- Browse and choose recipes: For each week we’ve provided default menus with recipes for morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea daily. Each recipe has two alternative options for you to choose from. This gives you the flexibility to adjust the menu plan to suit your centre’s needs, all while meeting nutrition guidelines.
- Customise and shop: Adjust the number of serves, swap ingredients, and add everything straight to your Woolworths at Work shopping cart.
For any questions or support, speak to your dedicated Account Manager or contact our Business Support team on 1300 390 971 or support@woolworthsatwork.com.au.
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