December 2014

Stonerweslestter

What is a nutrition policy?
A nutrition policy is a document that shows how a store will provide healthy, essential groceries for the community.

A policy can be driven and drafted by store managers and owners, in partnership with local reference groups, with help from the community nutritionist.

The Stores Licensing Team likes shops selling food in remote communities to have a nutrition policy as it helps people access fresh and varied foods, and can help to meet licensing requirements.

A nutrition policy helps to create a healthy store environment. Does your store have a nutrition policy? If you’re interested in creating one, talk to your local nutritionist about it.

Some of the great range of fruit and veg
available at Yirrkala IGA

Yirrkala IGA – recent improvements
By Meg Lemon, Darwin Dietitians

There’s been a recent journey on the path to change for the Yirrkala Store operated by the Independent Grocers of Australia. Under new management, and with the extra hurdle of being understaffed, the store has made a number of positive changes in order to be better providers of a healthy range of foods for the Yirrkala community.

Some major changes have included improving the variety and availability of fruit and vegetables; making sure the shelves are fully stocked with a range of dry and canned foods and household goods; improving store cleanliness and order and offering healthy takeaway options such as salads, sandwiches and stews.

Manager Karl is a big believer in education and has a policy of not serving school-aged children during school hours, because he wants to encourage kids to stay at school and learn as much as they can!

Yirrkala IGA has been working with the visiting dietitian Meg to put up shelf labels, posters and trialling ‘baby pots’ (small containers  of mashed meat and veggies appropriate for infants) for sale at the takeaway. Future plans include creating a nutrition policy for the
store and healthy food demos to promote awareness and availability to the community. Well done Yirrkala IGA!

FESTIVAL TIME
By Brittney Johnson, ALPA Nutrition

It has been a busy and exciting month for ALPA nutrition, with  both the Galiwinku Healthy Lifestyle and Milingimbi Gatjirrk Festivals being held during October. In the first week of October the Galiwinku community held its annual Healthy Lifestyle Festival with each day dedicated to a different health theme; healthy homes, yaka ngarali, safe gambling, exercise and healthy eating and healthy minds. ALPA nutrition partnered with Darwin Dietitians to set up three healthy cooking sessions. These were open to
all within the community but only those who helped prepare and cook the dishes were welcome to eat their tasty creations. The three sessions were used to educate community members about making easy, affordable and tasty meals, including kangaroo stir-fry, veggie-packed omelettes, Moroccan and lemon spiced fish, beef and veggie rissoles, veggie skewers and freshly squeezed orange juice to wash it all down. The participation rate was really good  each day, especially from males and children wanting to help out and learn about some new ingredients and recipes.

Cooking sessions at Galiwinku and Milingimbi.
Photographs supplied by ALPA.

Similarly, over the last weekend of October, Milingimbi community members were invited to learn about healthy eating during two separate cooking sessions for their annual Gatjirrk Festival. The ladies from the Milingimbi Women’s Health Centre helped ALPA nutrition set up some fantastic flour drum stoves and were eager participants of the cooking sessions, asking questions about nutrition and chronic disease as the meals were prepared and cooked. It was great to show these ladies how easy it is to make healthy and affordable meals for larger families and the benefits it can have for their health. Meals included another kangaroo stir-fry and a ‘rainbow’ curry, as well as a damper making competition which was lots of fun and drew a big crowd.

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December 2014

Stnoerweslestter

FESTIVAL TIME continued
The damper was made without adding any processed sugar, with participants being encouraged to achieve the ‘sweetness’ through the addition of dried fruit instead.

At both festivals there were plentiful supplies of water and fruit to be chopped up and it was refreshing to see the young kids getting excited as these were handed out during afternoon sporting events.
A massive thank you to our sponsors, the stores for supplying cooking utensils, the ladies from the Women’s Health Centre and others who helped on the day. Without their help the cooking sessions would not have happened. And lastly, thanks to all those who came along to help cook the dishes and learn about healthy eating.

Product Profile: Baby Foods

Babies need solid foods from about 6 months as well as continued breastmilk or formula. They grow very rapidly at this time and breastmilk alone is no longer enough and they also need to learn to eat. It is important that babies are fed a wide variety of foods to provide a range of vitamins, minerals, protein, fats and carbohydrates for healthy growth. At around 6 months of age, a baby’s iron stores also start to run low, so introducing iron-rich foods first is a great way to keep them topped up.

Packaged baby foods can be a convenient alternative when mums are busy or can’t make their own food for baby. The best choices are those varieties with meat and vegetables so it is important to have a range of savoury foods for different ages. There are guidelines available for the foods recommended to stock for babies from the nutritionists, which include the following:

Iron-fortified rice cereal is a long lasting, ideal first food to have on shelves

Stock at least 1 (but preferably more) savoury options. Ensure that there is at least one choice available for each age range from 6-12 months

Keep the baby formula clearly separate from powdered milk. Cow’s milk is NOT recommended for babies under 12 months of age.

Have a range of infant utensils like spoons, sip cups, bottles and containers available.

Iron-fortified rice cereal and savoury options are great to have on the shelves

Easy takeaway recipe:	ZUCCHINI SLICE
Makes 1 deep tray, or about 30-35 slices

Ingredients:
24 eggs,
5 large zucchini grated, 2 large carrots grated,
1 large grated sweet potato, 2 cups chopped onion,
4 cups grated cheese, 2/3 cup canola oil,
2 cups sifted self-raising flour, 2 cups chopped lean bacon
2 cups water Oil for cooking

Cooking:

Mix all ingredients except 1 cup of the cheese together in bowl/s thoroughly.

You might have to do this in 2 or more batches.

Pour into lightly oiled large deep tray and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake at 180 degrees for 1 hour,
or until golden on top and an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Recipe adapted from Flour Drum Stove Cookbook

This newsletter is produced by the Department of Health to share stories, ideas and information amongst remote stores in the Northern Territory.  Contributions are welcome.  Please email tamie.needham@nt.gov.au