Childcare food and menus: what the National Regulations require
Regulations 77 to 80 in plain English, and the records that show you meet them.
Four regulations cover food in an education and care service. Regulation 77: safe food handling and hygiene. Regulation 78: safe drinking water at all times, and food suited to each child. Regulation 79: food that is nutritious, adequate and meets each child’s needs, including cultural, religious and health needs. Regulation 80: a weekly menu on display for families that accurately describes what is served.
The four food regulations
| Regulation | In plain English | Records that help |
|---|---|---|
| 77 Health, hygiene and safe food practices | Handle, prepare and store food safely, with good hygiene | Temperature, cleaning and delivery records; staff training |
| 78 Food and beverages | Safe drinking water available at all times; food and drinks suited to each child, offered regularly | Meal and snack times in your routine; dietary records |
| 79 Service providing food and beverages | Food that is nutritious, adequate in quantity, and meets each child’s growth, cultural, religious and health needs | Menus, dietary records per child, substitutions |
| 80 Weekly menu | A weekly menu on display, accessible to families, that accurately describes the food each day | The weekly menu, with changes recorded |
Summarised from ACECQA guidance. Check the current wording of the National Regulations, and confirm with your regulatory authority.
Getting the weekly menu right
- Make it accurate. Regulation 80 says the menu must describe what is actually served. If the cook swaps a dish, update the menu.
- Put it where families see it, and keep it accessible to them.
- Show what is in each dish. Listing allergens per dish helps families and your kitchen. See allergy management in childcare kitchens.
- Keep past menus. They show what was served on any day, which helps if a family or assessor asks.
Where the National Quality Standard fits
Quality Area 2 of the National Quality Standard covers children’s health and safety, including promoting healthy eating. The regulations set the minimum; the standard describes the quality your service is assessed against. Nutrition planning is a job for your team and, where you use one, a dietitian. This article covers the records side only.
Two sets of rules, one set of records
Regulation 77 overlaps with food law. If your centre is a class 1 food premises in Victoria, your food safety program already covers safe handling, storage and hygiene. The same temperature, cleaning and training records support both.
Menus and records in one place
EthicalHub keeps your weekly menus with allergens per dish, a dietary record for each child with a change log, and the temperature, cleaning and training records behind safe food handling. It keeps the records; your team plans the food.
See how it works for your centre
A free 20-minute walkthrough. Plans from $69 a month per site.
Childcare food and menus: common questions
Does a childcare service have to display a menu?
What does regulation 79 require?
Is regulation 77 about food safety?
Who checks these regulations?
Menus families trust, records you can show.
Weekly menus, dietary records and kitchen checks in one place.