© Michael Leunig
By PARTH Program
The aim of the cookbook
This cookbook was created as a resource for people to get acquainted with the
idea of cooking at home, as well as attaining some useful living skills.
Living skills programs for young people are encouraged to utilise this cookbook.
There has been an attempt to keep meals at around $5 per meal. Each meal will
feed at least 2 people so meal portions can be frozen if wanted or be left-overs
for the next meal.
Most meals have no more than 4 main ingredients.
The instructions are simple.
The shopping list provided has limited ingredients but will enable all recipes to be
cooked from this book.
This book is not a healthy eating guide, although diet and nutrition has been
considered.
The aim of this cookbook is inspire people to cook instead of using their money
to buy a chocolate bar or other types of junk or fast food.
It is suggested that when a person is more acquainted with the concept of
cooking at home, nutrition could then be discussed with more effectiveness.
* Note. The shopping list was priced at Safeway in 2007; prices will vary and
change with time. Please use as a guide only.
Acknowledgments
Book compiled by Philippa Cane 2008
Recipes supplied by Ballarat Community Health Centre staff and friends in the
broader community
Special thanks to the ladies in the APROTCH cooking group
Picture on front cover - Copyright Michael Leunig
Enquires 5338 4550
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
2
Recipes
- Mashed potato p.4
- Spinach and ricotta cob dip p.28
- Frozen vegies or fresh vegies p.5
- Sweet rice p.29
- Rice p.6
- Tinned fruit p.29
- Pasta or spaghetti p.7
- Bolognese sauce p.8
- Spaghetti bolognese p.9
- Lasagne p.10
- Shepherd’s pie p.11
- Chilli con carne p.12
- Tacos p.13
- Nachos p.14
- Porcupines p.15
- Apricot chicken p.16
- Baked potatoes p.17
- Macaroni cheese p.18
- Mini Hawaiian pizzas p.19
- Chicken parma p.20
- Creamy sun dried tomato pasta p.21
- Bangers and mash p.22
- Tuna pasta bake p.23
- Hamburgers p.24
- Easy quiche p.25
- Vegetable soup p.26
- Roasted vegetables p.27
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
- Basic biscuits p.29
- Baked banana p.30
- Fruit in jelly p.30
- Pikelets p.31
- Easy scones p.32
- Other meal ideas p.33
For kids
- Sweet potato p.34
- Mush p.34
- Tuna rice patties p.35
- Toasted sandwiches p.35
- Baked beans p.36
- Porridge p.36
- Snacks and entertainment p.37, 38
- Important info for parent’s p.39
- Nutrition information p. 40, 41
- Handy information about food p. 42, 43
- Handy hints for shopping p.44
- Shopping list for setting up house p. 45
- Shopping list p. 46
3
Mashed potato
Need large saucepan and potato masher
4 medium to large potatoes
¼ cup of milk
Teaspoon margarine
1)
2)
3)
4)
Fill kettle with water and boil
Peel potatoes and chop into ¼ pieces
Fill saucepan with boiled water heat on stove until boiling again
Add potatoes to boiling water, and cook until soft (about 15mins), test by
stabbing with fork or knife
5) Drain the water out of the potatoes
6) Add margarine and dash of milk and mash potatoes until not lumpy
*You can add a bit of cheese if you want
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
4
Frozen vegetables or fresh vegetables
There are a few options for cooking vegetables depending what you have
available
Frozen vegies are already prepared, fresh vegies you will need to wash and chop
1) boiled- boil water in saucepan and add vegies and cook for a few minutes
- test by stabbing with fork
2) steamed- boil water in saucepan and put steamer on top and steam them
for a few minutes - test by stabbing with fork
3) microwave- put in microwave safe container with lid and microwave for 2
minutes, give a bit of a shake or stir then microwave for another 2 minutes
4) stir-fried - put a dash of olive oil in fry pan, put on medium to high heat
and add vegies. Cook for few minutes stirring occasionally - test by
stabbing with a fork (you can add a little honey or soy sauce if you want).
*Frozen vegies keep for a lot longer and there is no waste as you take what you
need only and put the rest back in freezer
*The crunchier vegies are the better they are for you.
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
5
Rice
Need saucepan
3 cups of rice
1)
2)
3)
4)
Fill kettle with water and boil
Fill saucepan with boiled water and heat on stove until boiling again
Add rice to boiling water and cook until soft (about 15mins), test by tasting
Drain the water out of the rice
*note one cup of uncooked rice makes 3 cups of cooked rice
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
6
Pasta and spaghetti
Need large saucepan
Half a packet of pasta or spaghetti
(or a whole packet if you want leftovers)
1) Fill kettle with water and boil
2) Fill saucepan with boiled water and heat on stove until boiling again
3) Add pasta or spaghetti to boiling water and cook until soft (about 15mins),
test by tasting
4) Drain the water out of the pasta or spaghetti
*Adding a small dash of olive oil to boiling water will stop pasta sticking
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
7
Bolognese sauce
Need large frying pan
500grams beef mince
1 large onion
1 small tin of Home Brand tomato paste
1 large tin of tomatoes
Dried mixed herbs
1)
2)
3)
4)
Cut onion into small pieces
Cook mince and onion in frying pan
Add tin of tomatoes and tomato paste and a pinch of herbs
Add a tin of water and let cook on low heat for about ½ hour until smells
and looks good
*If you want your Bolognese Sauce to spread a lot further and be even healthier, add a
handful or two of red lentils when you add the tomatoes.
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
8
Spaghetti bolognese
Need large saucepan
Bolognese Sauce (see page 8)
½ packet of spaghetti pasta
1) Cook spaghetti (see page 7)
2) Heat Bolognese sauce in a frypan, saucepan or microwave
3) Serve spaghetti on plate or bowl and put sauce on top
*You can add cheese or parmesan cheese if you would like
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
9
Lasagne
Need lasagne dish or large baking dish
Bolognese Sauce (see page 8)
1 box of lasagne sheets
1 tub of cottage cheese
2 carrots
Cheese (either slices or shredded)
1) Put half a cup of water in the bottom of dish
2) Spread a layer of lasagne sheets on dish
3) Put some Bolognese sauce on top
4) Put half the cottage cheese on top
5) Put another layer of lasagne sheets
6) Put some Bolognese sauce on top
7) Grate carrots and sprinkle over the top
8) Put cottage cheese on top
9) Cover with cheese slices or shredded cheese
10) Cook in oven at 180° for about 40 mins
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
10
Shepherd’s pie
Need casserole dish, saucepan and potato masher
Bolognese Sauce (see page 8)
Handful of frozen peas
1 or 2 carrots
Mashed potato (see page 4)
Cheese
1) Put Bolognese sauce in casserole dish
2) Add peas and chopped up carrot and mix
3) Spread mashed potato over the top
4) Sprinkle with cheese
5) Put into oven for about 20 mins at 180° or until cheese golden
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
11
Chilli con carne
Need a saucepan
Bolognese Sauce (see page 8)
Large tin of kidney beans
3 cups of rice
Sour cream
Sweet chilli (if wanted)
1) Cook rice (see page 6)
2) Drain kidney beans and give them a rinse
3) Mix kidney beans with Bolognese sauce (add some sweet chilli if you
want)
4) Heat in fry pan, saucepan or microwave
5) Put rice in bowl and put chilli con carne on top and then a spoonful of sour
cream
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
12
Tacos
Need oven tray
Chilli con carne mix (see page 12)
Box of taco shells
¼ of lettuce
Sour cream
1 tomato
Cheese
1)
2)
3)
4)
Heat chilli con carne in saucepan or microwave
Heat taco shells in oven at 180° for 5 mins
Chop up lettuce and tomato
Add a spoonful of chilli con carne to taco shell, then put a bit of cheese,
sour cream, lettuce and tomato
*You can cook shells in microwave for 30seconds instead of oven (do not put on oven
try if using microwave)
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
13
Nachos
Need large baking dish
Chilli con carne mix (see page 12) or salsa
Corn chips
Sour cream
Cheese
Guacamole dip (optional)
1)
2)
3)
4)
Spread corn chips over baking dish
Sprinkle cheese over the top
Put in oven for 10 mins at 180° or until cheese melted
Heat chilli con carne mix briefly in saucepan or microwave then pour on
top of corn chips
5) Add sour cream and Guacamole dip
*There is a pretty good no name Guacamole dip
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
14
Porcupines
Need casserole dish with a lid
500gms of beef mince
1 onion
1 cup of raw rice
1 tin of Heinz Big Red tomato soup (not all soups taste ok in recipe)
1 tin of water
(¼ cup) plain flour
1) Chop onion into small pieces
2) Mix mince, onion and uncooked rice together with your hands
3) Sprinkle flour on plate
4) Make mince mix into small balls and roll in the flour on the plate
5) Put into casserole dish
6) Mix water and soup and then pour over meatballs
7) Put lid on dish cook for 1¾ hours at 180° (do NOT stir)
*Serve with mashed potato or pasta or rice and vegies
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
15
Apricot chicken
Need casserole dish with lid and frying pan
Chicken drumsticks or Maryland chicken pieces
1 packet dried French onion soup mix
1 can of apricot nectar
1)
2)
3)
4)
Cook chicken in frying pan till golden all over (about 5 mins)
Open can of apricot nectar and packet of soup and mix in casserole dish
Put chicken in casserole dish
Put lid on dish and cook for about 40 mins at 180°
*Serve with mash potato or rice and vegies
*If you use chicken fillets you do get more meat, but they are expensive and your meal
will look smaller
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
16
Baked potatoes
Large potatoes (washed)
Margarine
Cheese
Whatever else you would like to add - baked beans, coleslaw, mushrooms, sour
cream etc
1)
2)
3)
4)
Put one large potato for each person or a couple of small ones in the oven
Cook for about 1hr or until soft at 180°, check by squeezing them
Cut open and add what ever ingredients you want
If you are having baked beans heat them in saucepan first
*If you are in a hurry you can prick them with a fork and cook potato in microwave for
about 10mins first, then put in oven for about 10 mins to make skin hard
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
17
Macaroni cheese
Need casserole dish and frying pan
2 cups macaroni pasta or other pasta
1 onion
1 tin tomato soup
1-2 cups of cheese
½cup breadcrumbs
½ cup milk
Olive oil
1) Cook macaroni (see previous recipe). Drain well
2) While macaroni is cooking, dice onions and bacon and cook in frying pan
with a dash of olive oil until cooked.
3) Mix soup, milk, cooked onion & bacon, and half of the cheese in bowl
4) Place cooked macaroni into casserole dish
5) Pour mixture over macaroni and mix well
6) Cover with rest of cheese
7) Sprinkle with breadcrumbs
8) Cook in oven for 45 minutes at 180°
*You can also add some chopped cooked bacon if you wish
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
18
Mini Hawaiian pizzas
Need baking tray of any sort
English muffins
Tomato paste
Cheese
Ham
1 small tin of pineapple pieces
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
Cut open muffins
Spread with tomato paste
Put on some ham
Put on cheese
Put on pineapple pieces
Put on baking tray
Cook in oven at 180° or under grill until cheese melted
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
19
Chicken parma
Need baking tray of any sort and frying pan
Deli crumbed chicken breast or crumbed thigh fillets
1 jar pasta sauce
Cheese
Olive oil
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Fry chicken in a dash of olive oil for 8 mins in frying pan on medium heat
Put chicken on baking try
Pour some of jar of pasta sauce on top
Sprinkle with cheese
Cook in oven for about 20 mins at 180°
*Serve with mash potato and vegies or salad
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
20
Creamy sun dried tomato pasta
Need large frying pan and big saucepan
½ jar of sun dried tomato pesto
1 small container of thickened cream or small tin of condensed milk
Small handful of sun dried tomatoes from deli (about 6)
Half a packet of pasta (for a special dish use no name frozen tortellini)
1) Cook pasta (see page 7)
2) Cut sun dried tomatoes into small pieces
3) Cook sun dried tomato and pesto in frying pan for a few seconds on
medium heat
4) Add cream/condensed milk and cook for about 3 mins
5) Add cooked pasta and mix around in frying pan
*Add a handful of grated cheese if you wish
*A handful of pine nuts or some baby spinach leaves are nice but is an extra cost
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
21
Bangers and mash
Need frying pan and big saucepan
Sausages
Mashed potato
1)
2)
3)
4)
Prick sausages with a fork
Cook sausages in frying pan or under the grill
Turn sausages so they cook all over
Cut sausage open to see if cooked. It should be the same colour all the
way through
5) Cook mash potato (see page 4)
*Serve with vegies or baked beans
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
22
Tuna pasta bake
Need casserole dish
Packet of thick vegetable soup (Continental),
Cheese
1 table spoon of plain flour,
½ cup of milk,
1 cup of water,
1 large tin of tuna in brine (drained)
Half a packet of pasta.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
Add soup mix, flour, milk, water and mix all together in a casserole dish
Cook pasta (see pasta recipe) and add to casserole dish
Drain tuna (break up a bit if you want) and add to casserole dish
Mix all together
Cover top with cheese
Cook at 180° for ½ hour
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
23
Hamburgers
Need frying pan
Hamburgers
Hamburger buns or rolls
Cheese
Tomato sauce
Lettuce
Tomato
Carrot
1) Cook hamburgers in frying pan. Cut one open to make sure they are
cooked through
2) Wash and slice tomato and lettuce leaves
3) Wash and grate carrot
4) Cut hamburger bun open and put on some tomato sauce and cheese. Put
open bun in oven for a couple of mins at 180° to toast (only if you want it
toasted)
5) Put in hamburger and lettuce, tomato and carrot
*You can also add a fried egg, pineapple, mushrooms or whatever you like.
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
24
Easy quiche
Need quiche/ pie dish or medium casserole dish
4 eggs
½ cup of self raising flour
1½ cups of milk, cream or mixture of both or tinned condensed milk
1 cup of grated cheese
1 onion
2 pinches of dried mixed herbs
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon of margarine
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Chop onion into small pieces
Mix all ingredients together
Grease tray with margarine
Pour mixture into try
Cook in oven for 45 mins at 180°
*You can add some cooked bacon pieces, ham, corn or whatever you like to mixture.
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
25
Vegetable soup
Need big saucepan
4 litres of water
2 stock cubes
Half a packet of McKenzies soup mix (dried lentils, beans and rice)
3 carrots
1 onion
2 med potatoes
1 parsnip
1 handful frozen peas
Pinch of mixed herbs
Salt and pepper
Any other vegetables you have around can be added.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
Boil water in saucepan
Add stock cubes
Add soup mix cook for about 1 hour
Add a pinch of mixed herbs
Peel potatoes and chop into bite size pieces
Chop the carrots, onion, parsnip and any other vegetables into bite
size pieces
7) Add to vegies and peas to soup and cook for another ½ hour
8) Add salt and pepper to taste (add small bits at a time and keep tasting
it - remember you can always add more later in your bowl)
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
26
Spinach and ricotta cob dip
1 box of frozen spinach (thawed)
1 tub of ricotta
1 carton sour cream
1 packet of spring vegetable soup
1 round cob of bread
1) Squeeze all liquid out of spinach and discard
2) Mix spinach with sour cream and ricotta, stir well.
3) Add dried soup mix and mix well again
4) Using a serrated knife cut a 4 cm thick slice off the top of the loaf
5) Keep slice for the lid
6) Scoop out with hand the soft bread out of the middle to make a bowl
7) Spoon mixture into the loaf and put the lid on it
8) Serve immediately
*If you want to make it earlier keep the dip out of the loaf until ready to eat
This is very good if you are having friends or family over for a visit!
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
27
Roasted vegetables
Need baking dish
Onion
1 teaspoon of crushed garlic
Olive oil
Any vegetables you have really
Salt and pepper to taste
For example
Potatoes, sweet potato, pumpkin, carrots, corn, zucchini, mushrooms
1) Cut vegetables into bite sized cubes
2) Pour about 2 teaspoons of olive oil into baking dish
3) Put onion and any hard vegetables like potato, carrots, sweet potato, corn
into baking dish
4) Add garlic salt and pepper and stir around till all covered
5) Cook in oven for 30 mins at 180°
6) Add any other vegetables and stir around again
7) Cook for another 20 mins
*Really nice if eaten with a bit of sour cream, or serve with a meal
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
28
Cheap and easy dessert ideas
No Name ice cream is pretty good and much cheaper
Sweet rice
Cooked rice
Condensed milk
Sultanas or fruit (if desired)
1)
2)
3)
4)
Cook rice (see page 6) or use left overs
Mix cooked rice and condensed milk
Heat in saucepan or microwave
Add sultanas or fruit if desired
Tinned fruit
1 can of tinned fruit in natural juice
1) Open can
2) Drink juice
3) Serve fruit by itself or with ice cream
Basic biscuits
Need baking tray
1 cup self raising flour
½ cup sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon of vanilla essence
3 tablespoons melted butter
1) Pre-heat oven to 180°
2) Melt butter in microwave or saucepan
3) Mix ingredients all together
4) Rub some olive oil or butter on oven tray to stop sticking
5) Roll into little balls
6) Place on tray and flatten a little
7) Cook in oven for 10 - 15 mins.
* For variations – make a dint with your finger before cooking and put quarter
teaspoon of jam on top, or mix in some choc chips to the mixture.
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
29
Baked banana
Need tin foil
1 banana
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Put a split in the skin of the banana
Wrap banana in tin foil
Put in oven and cook for about 15 mins at 180°
Take out of foil
Open skin and serve with ice cream
Fruit in jelly
One box of jelly crystals
Fresh or tinned fruit
1)
2)
3)
4)
Make jelly to instructions on packet
Let it cool in fridge for about 10 mins
Add fruit to jelly
If you are adding tinned fruit make sure you have emptied the juice out
first
5) Put back in fridge until set (takes about 4 hours)
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
30
Pikelets
You will need a frying pan
1½ cups of self raising flour
3 tablespoons of sugar
1 egg
¾ cup of milk
1 tablespoon of margarine
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Mix flour and sugar and make a well in middle of it
Mix egg and milk together and pour into well
Mix together well
Heat frypan on low heat
Add a bit of margarine and put about 4 spoonfuls of mixture on frying pan
trying not to let them touch each other
6) When they have little bubbles turn them over and cook other side until
golden
*You can add sliced apple or banana to mixture before frying for fruit pikelets
*Serve with lemon and sugar, ice cream, butter or jam and cream.
*There is also pre made pancake mixture where you just add water home brand one
costs about $2
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
31
Easy scones
You need a baking tray and a glass
5 cups of self raising flour
1 small cream 300ml
1 can of lemonade
¼ cup of plain flour
1) Heat oven to 210°
2) Sprinkle a little plain flour on baking tray
3) Mix flour, cream and lemonade with spoon then knead gently until smooth
with hands (don't knead dough too much or scones will be tough).
4) Sprinkle a bit of plain flour on bench
5) Put mixture on floured bench.
6) Gently pat dough flat about 2cm-thick
7) Sprinkle plain flour around edges of a glass inside and out
8) Press glass into dough to make a scone shape
9) Repeat flour on glass and scone shapes
(You can cut dough into scone sized pieces and make round or leave square)
10) Put on baking tray
11) Cook in oven for 11 mins
*Serve with jam and cream or butter and whatever you like.
*You can also add sultanas or dried fruit
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
32
Other meal and snacks ideas for about $1 or $2
- Continental packet pasta you can add frozen peas
- Can of soup
- Toasted sandwiches (cheese, ham, apple, bolognese sauce, tuna and cheese
is good; or whatever you like).
- Baked beans or tinned spaghetti on toast
- Porridge
- Bread roll with ham or something from deli section
- Hot dog from deli with roll
- Baked potato with butter
- Grilled cheese on toast
- Tinned mushrooms on toast
- Wheat bix with fruit yogurt
- Wheat bix with margarine and vegemite
- Corn on the cob
- Eggs on toast
- Tinned braised steak and onion on toast
- Raisin toast
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
33
Cooking for kids
Children should always sit down when eating and drinking.
Always watch your child eating and drinking.
Never give children under 4 years small hard bits of food
such as nuts and lollies, as they can choke on them.
Sweet potato
6mth – 2 years old
1 sweet potato
1) Wrap sweet potato in foil
2) Cook in oven at 180°
3) Check by softly squeezing - when very soft it is ready.
4) Unwrap from foil
5) Scoop out from skin
6) Serve when cool enough
*Mix some frozen peas in if they can eat solids
*Freeze in small servings for future and reheat in microwave
Mush
8mth – 2 years old
Any of the recipes in this book, remove any bones or hard small bits and mash it.
Make sure it is cool enough to eat.
2 – 5 years old
See any of the recipes and don’t mash it. Kids can eat what you eat as long as it
is healthy.
Kids must have at least breakfast, lunch and dinner and a couple of healthy
snacks as well (a piece of fruit is good).
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
34
Tuna rice patties
1 - 100 year old
Need a frying pan and small saucepan
½ cup of rice
1 cup self raising flour
1 egg
½ cup milk
1 large tin tuna in brine or spring water
1 onion
Olive oil
Cook rice in saucepan (see rice recipe)
Chop onion
Drain tuna
Mix all ingredients (rice, flour, egg, milk, tuna and chopped onion) together
Make into small patties (about size of a biscuit)
Fry in sauce pan with a dash of olive oil until golden brown
Make sure they have cooled down before giving to children.
Kids like them with a little tomato sauce
*For adults these are lovely hot or cold, serve with lemon juice or with sweet chilli sauce
Toasted sandwiches
1 – 100 year old
Need sandwich toaster
Bread (wholemeal is best)
Cheese, ham, baked means, tinned spaghetti, apple,
whatever you want!
1) Toast in sandwich toaster
Make sure they are cool enough inside before giving to kids.
*Kids get constipated easily, wholemeal bread will help stop this.
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
35
Baked beans
Need saucepan or microwave
1 can of baked beans
1) Open can
2) Heat beans in saucepan or in microwave in a microwave safe dish
6mths - 1 year
You will need to mash them before feeding them to a baby
1 - 100 years old
Can be served on toast or by themselves.
If you are not using the whole can, empty into a plastic container with lid or a
bowl, do not leave in can.
Baked beans are cheap, easy and healthy.
*They will also help a child who is constipated
Porridge
6mths – 100 years old
Need one saucepan
½ cup of quick oats
1 cup of milk / water or both
1) Mix milk and oats in saucepan
2) Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes or
until the mixture comes to the boil.
*Serve with more milk if wanted
*Banana is also nice to add or a small sprinkle of sugar
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
36
Snacks and entertainment
1 - 2 years old
Peas
Half a handful of cooked peas in a plastic container with a lid.
Kids love to play taking the lid on and off and eating a healthy
cheap snack at the same time is great!
They may end up with more on the floor than in their mouth though, but they are
having fun and learning!
Carrot sticks
Cooked for younger kids (10mth – 4 years)
1 - 4 years old
Apple pieces
Kids eat fruit more when it is peeled and in hand sized pieces - not
too small so they don’t choke.
1 - 4 years old
Banana
Banana is great you just need to peel it for them, maybe cut a bit off just in case
it gets wasted - you can eat the rest yourself! Good for taking while you are out
so you don’t need to buy stuff.
For younger babies you need to mash it. 6mth -1 year old
1 - 4 years old
Sultanas
Kids love boxes of sultanas. If you can keep the box refill it from a
big cheaper packet, or put them in plastic container with a lid like the peas. Good
for taking while you are out so you don’t need to buy stuff.
1 - 4 years old
Cheese
Cheese is good for kids and a great snack. Cheese slices
are good for taking when you are out.
1 - 4 years old
Fruit yogurt
Normal adult brands of fruit yogurt are fine for kids. Stick to ones that have fruit
in them. Do not get dessert things like Snack packs and Yogos, these are not
good for kids.
6mth – 1year
Normal yogurts are ok, just don’t give them any of the fruit pieces and eat them
yourself.
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
37
Cooked pasta
1 - 2 years old
Plain or with a bit of bolognese sauce or a very little bit of margarine
Wheat bix with fruit yogurt
6mth – 4 years old
Add a little milk and a bit of fruit yogurt
Mix together to form a paste
You can also heat it and make it warm for winter
*Also a good early food for baby to feed themselves as it will stick to the spoon.
Vegemite sandwich or toast
8mth – 100 years
Use wholemeal bread
Only use a very small bit of Vegemite as babies taste everything a lot stronger.
*cutting the crusts off is often easier for babies to manage
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
38
Important information for parents
- Children’s food that has cartoon characters or kids show characters like the Wiggles
normally have more fat or sugar that the normal ones. (Look at tinned spaghetti or
yogurt as an example.)
- Adult fruit yogurt like Yoplait is just as good, healthier and cheaper than the kid’s ones
and cheaper!! (Just don’t give them the lumps if they aren’t eating proper solids yet.)
- Make junk food 'sometimes' foods. Children who eat junk food may not be getting
enough nutritious foods such as fruit, vegetables and dairy foods.
- If you don't keep junk food in the house children won't be able to pressure you to give
these foods to them.
- Desserts can be just as healthy as other parts of the meal e.g. fruit or yoghurt.
- Don't make dessert the treat or bribe for after they eat everything else. This makes it
seem as if healthy foods are not enjoyable. Dessert, if you have it, should be just part
of the meal.
- Encourage kids to try new foods, variety adds interest, but don't force them. You may
need to let them see a small piece of new food on their plate a few times before they
are ready to taste it. Don’t comment if they don't eat it, but offer it again another time.
It often takes several tries before children learn to like something new.
- Give kids mostly the foods that they like (as long as it is healthy). Battles about food
don't help children to learn to enjoy their meals.
- Show your children that you enjoy eating fruit and vegetables. They learn a lot more
from what you do than what you say.
- Fat-free or light milk is not recommended for children.
- Fruit is more likely to be eaten if it is cut into pieces
- Use cotton wool and a bowl of warm water instead of wipes when changing nappy at
home, it is cheaper and better for baby’s bum, especially if they have nappy rash.
- Never give babies and young kid’s soft drink or flavoured milk. Fruit juice is also not
good for kids, it rots their teeth and makes them cranky later on and
they may not sleep well. Water and milk are the cheapest and the best!
Start cleaning your baby’s teeth as soon as you can!
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
39
Nutrition information
Calories
Calories measure the amount of energy that the body gets from food. Normal body
functions (breathing, heart beat) and physical activity (running, playing games) use
energy. This energy comes from the food we eat and the energy stored in our bodies
from fat, protein, and carbohydrates. If we don’t have enough calories, we won’t have
enough energy, and we will get tired often. If we have too many calories, we will put on
some weight and get fatter.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are either simple (called sugars) or complex (called starches).
Carbohydrates are the most abundant source of calories on earth. The best sources of
carbohydrates are cereal, rice, potatoes, breads, spaghetti, fruits, and vegetables. Our
bodies need carbohydrates to use fats effectively. Carbohydrates are also needed for
proper brain function. Your brain uses a lot of simple carbohydrates each day, the
equivalent of 1/3 pound of sugar per day! Carbohydrates should make up about 50 55% of your daily calories.
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
40
Fats
Fats are actually divided into two groups. Unsaturated fats are fats that are liquid at
room temperature. Foods high in unsaturated fat are nuts, mayonnaise, oils, and fish
such as tuna. Saturated fats are fats that are solids at room temperature. Foods high in
saturated fats are butter, cheese, milk, sour cream, chocolate, ice cream, and some fish.
Many people think that fats are totally bad for you, but you actually need them. Fats
provide insulation and cushioning for your skin and internal organs. Fats are an
important source of energy since they contain twice as much energy per gram as
carbohydrates and proteins. Fats provide a place for the body to store vitamins A, D, E,
and K. Also fats make food taste better by absorbing other ingredients which add flavor
and smell to food. With all of these uses, you might feel like you need a lot more fat, but
you don’t. Your body has almost no requirement for saturated fat. To stay healthy and
have just enough fat, limit the amount of fat you eat down to 30% of your daily calories.
Protein
After water, protein is the most plentiful substance in our bodies. Almost 20% of our
weight is protein in our bodies! Our muscles, hair, nails, skin, and eyes are mostly
protein. Protein is important because it provides support for body cells, builds and
repairs muscles and other body tissue, and is very important for growth. When enough
fat and carbohydrates aren’t in the body, protein is often used by the body as energy.
Foods high in protein are eggs, milk, soybeans, rice, meat, fish, potatoes, corn, and
peanuts. Protein should make up about 15-20% of your daily calories.
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
41
Handy information about food
Best before and used by dates
Most packaged foods, manufactured in Australia or imported, are labelled with a date.
'Best before date' lets you know when the food will stay just as it is now as long as you
store it correctly. However, after the date the food will probably still be perfectly okay.
The date is more of a suggestion on when you should use it by.
'Use-by date' tell you the end of its shelf life. These foods should be eaten before a
certain date because they will ‘go off’ and shouldn’t be eaten, so for safety reasons must
be marked with a 'use-by' date. It is illegal for shops to sell them after this date.
If you freeze food it will last much longer than its use by date. Make sure you freeze it
while it is still in date.
Canned foods
Canned foods are foods packaged in tinplate or aluminum containers. Also included are
many other foods packaged in glass jars, plastic tubs and flexible pouches. UHT
products can also be considered as canned food. All are sterilised by heating during
manufacture.
If canned food is stored in the home for a longer period than its ‘best before date’ it will
still be quite safe to eat. However there may, after time, be changes in colour, texture
and flavour to the point where the food is no longer good to eat.
The approximate storage life of most canned foods is two to four years.
You should not buy or open canned foods if the package shows signs of swelling or
leakage or, in the case of metal cans, there is more than a small amount of external
rusting. Swollen or leaky cans and packages indicate some failure in processing and the
contents should not be tasted.
The contents of freshly opened cans and packages should be treated as though they
were freshly cooked at home.
Once cans are opened any left over food should be placed in a clean plastic or glass
container, covered and stored in the refrigerator. When canned food is stored in the
opened can, tin and iron dissolves from the can walls and the food may develop a
metallic taste and can make you sick.
Throw out the contents of any can which has an unusual colour or smell.
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
42
Freezing and frozen food
Wash up take-away containers to freeze left over meals in.
Freeze your loaf of bread so it lasts and just get out as much as you need.
When you get home from shopping divide your meat up into meal portions and freeze in
new freezer bags. (Make sure your hands are extra clean)
Frozen food does not become unsafe to eat for years if frozen at -18°C. The changes
affect the taste and nutrition of the food rather than its safety.
A good rule is to handle all frozen foods as you would ice cream. Frozen food should be
bought last, taken home immediately and then placed straight into freezer.
If only a portion of a package is to be used at one meal, the unwanted portion should be
rewrapped and returned to the freezer immediately the desired quantity has been
removed.
At least 8 hours in the refrigerator is usually needed to thaw frozen food like sausages.
Thawed food should not be refrozen unless it has been cooked and you are refreezing a
meal.
Some frozen foods, particularly vegetables, should be used direct from the frozen state.
Storing food
Make sure you put refrigerated food straight in the fridge.
If food is left out of the fridge for a while it will not keep very long and you will need to
check that it looks and smells ok before eating.
Store food in cool dark cupboards, away from heat sources such as heaters or ovens.
Store food in air-proof containers where possible so it stays fresh. (Even wrapping in a
plastic bag helps)
Use up older packets and cans before more recently purchased ones.
Make sure once you have opened something to put it in the fridge if it says to on the
label.
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
43
Handy hints for shopping
Don’t shop when you’re hungry.
Home Brand, No Name, Black and Gold label are just as good as other brands.
Make a shopping list before you shop and stick to it.
Aldi supermarkets are a good way to save on your overall shopping bill.
Make sure you check use by dates and get the one with the longest shelf life.
No Name toilet paper twin pack has the same amount of sheets as 10 rolls of most other
brands.
2 small size Black Swan dips are the same quantity and cheaper than one large tub and
will keep longer as you only have to open one at a time.
Aldi disposable nappies are as good as Huggies nappies and are less than half the
price.
Home Brand breast pads for nursing baby are great and much cheaper than the others!!
The medium sized Vegemite is about 20¢ cheaper than the small one!
Frozen vegetables are as nutritious as fresh vegetables and do not go off if stored in
freezer.
Have a look what is on sale and be a little flexible if it will save you money.
Never buy Continental packet pasta sauce if it isn’t on sale - it is on sale every few
weeks.
If something is on sale buy a few if possible and keep them in cupboard (for example
baked beans or tinned tomatoes).
Have a look and see if buying a bigger packet or tin is cheaper, make sure you will use it
all or that it keeps for a while.
Try never to buy anything from service stations or milk bars, they are always expensive.
If you really want junk food, maybe just buy some hot chips from the fish and chip shop
and make your own meat, vegetables or pasta to go with them.
Check what sort of light globes you need before you go to the supermarket
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
44
Shopping list for first shop when you
move in to new place
Toothpaste (example Colgate Triple
Action 160g $2.98)
Home Brand long grain rice $1.17
Home Brand olive oil $4.69
Hand soap (go to the Reject Shop and
get one for $2)
Home Brand tomato sauce $1.15
Home Brand domestic cleaner $2.09
Home Brand sweet chilli sauce $1.69
Ajax Spray and Wipe multipurpose
cleaner $4.28
or
Home Brand multipurpose cleaner $1.89
25g packet Mixed herbs $1.39
Spree concentrate laundry powder 1kg
$2.97
Vanilla essence 200ml (imitation) $1.45
Stock cubes (Continental 68c)
Home Brand raw sugar 95c
Home Brand household sponges 4pk
$1.60
Home Brand plain flour 89c
Home Brand scouring pads 12pk $1.10
Home Brand self raising flour 89c
Dishwashing liquid $1.96
Home Brand bread crumbs 99c
Home Brand cling wrap 6m $1.64
Vegemite 235g $3.19
Home Brand aluminium foil 10m $1.28
Milo 450g $4.49
Home Brand large freezer bags 59c
Home Brand margarine 500g 89c
2x Home Brand toilet paper 2pk $1.77
Home Brand mayonnaise $1.69
Home Brand tissues $1.06
McKenzie’s soup mix $1.21
Home Brand light globes 6pk $2.55
Home Brand frozen peas 1kg $2.48
Mirabella energy saving light globes
2pk. 15W=75w $9.98
(Lasts 10 times longer, saves money on
your bill and the environment)
Home Brand mixed frozen vegetables 1kg
$2.09
Toothbrushes 3pk $2.99
Shampoo (Fruits $1.78)
Conditioner (Fruits $1.78)
4 x Home Brand baked beans and
spaghetti 49c
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
You will need to add these items
to your fortnightly shopping list as
they run out
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
45
Shopping list for every fortnight
depending on what you’re cooking
2 x Home Brand tinned tomatoes 800g
(big tin) $1.12
Home Brand corn chips $1.73
Home Brand UHT milk 99c
Home Brand tinned corn 89c
Home Brand corn flakes $2.39 or
Home Brand wheat-bix $1.87
Home Brand red kidney beans 92c
Home Brand quick oats $1.45
Home Brand tuna in brine $1.89
Home Brand tinned pineapple pieces
$1.15
Home Brand tomato paste 500g jar
$1.40, 375g jar $1.29 or 179g tin 74c
Home Brand chunky pasta sauce 700g
$2.25 or
Raqulello pasta sauce 500g $1.98
Woolworths tinned fruit in juice $2.89
Home Brand sweetened condensed milk
$1.65
Home Brand condensed milk $ 1.65
Leggos sundried tomato pesto $3.82
Home Brand pancake mixture $2.00
Home Brand spaghetti 59c
Home Brand jelly crystals 52c
Home Brand spirals 1kg $1.17
or pasta
Zafarelli any shape 500g $1.33
Woolworths cream 300ml $1.18
Woolworths sour cream 300g $1.09
2 x Lasagne sheets $1.77
Home Brand shredded cheese 600g
Continental packet pasta sauce if it is on
sale (approx 99c - $1.50) or
Woolworths pasta and sauce packet
pasta $1.50
Home Brand ricotta cheese 500g $2.59
Home Brand milk 2litre $2.09 (always check
date)
Home Brand taco shells 20pk $2.49
Fruit yogurt (Yoplait 6pk $5.48)
Home Brand 2 minutes noodles 5pk
$1.09
Home Brand eggs 12pk $2.39
Home Brand French onion soup packet
mix 39c
Home Brand vanilla ice cream 4 litres
$3.90
Continental packet soup hearty
vegetable $1.89
Woolworths loaf of bread
wholemeal/white $1.95
Apricot nectar $1.19
Woolworths hamburger rolls 6pk $2.05
Tinned tomato soup (Heinz Big Red)
$1.83
Woolworths english muffins $2.99
Single rolls if needed 55c
2 x Tinned soup (whatever on sale) $1 - $2
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
46
From the deli
Extra stuff for baby
Hot dogs (Frankfurt thin $6.28kg) 44c
each
14-20 x jars of baby food (look for what
is on sale and avoid custards/desserts)
approx $20 ($1.40 each)
BBQ sausage ($5.68 kg) 37c each
Ham off the bone 1 slice 67c
Sandwich meat (chicken loaf and other
Processed ham) 30c each
Cheese slices Home Brand 24 slices
$2.39
Home Brand boxes of sultanas $1.88
Sun dried tomatoes small handful $1.30
Chicken schnitzel $2.69 each
*These foods are for when you are out.
Feed baby same food as you when at
home (as long as it is healthy)
From the meat section
Nursing pads Home Brand $2.40
Chicken drumsticks 13 pieces $6.42
Wipes Woolworths Select unscented
travel pack 80 wipes $4.48
(for when you are out and about)
Minced beef 500g $4.00 - $7.00
Hamburgers economy pack 10pk $4.97
(they freeze fine)
Formula (if needed)
Nappies (if needed)
Fruit and vegetable section
Bag of potatoes 5kg $3.98
3 x large onions $2.00
Tomato 50c
Carrots 1kg bag $1.50
Lettuce (price always changing) $1.50 $3.50
Fruit (whatever is cheap and in season)
$5.00
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
This price list was put together at
Safeway - prices and brands will
change depending on the store you
choose.
Aldi and Not Quite Right is a good
place to shop as it is cheaper overall.
Coles and Safeway are easy to find
and cost about the same.
Independent supermarkets like IGA
and butchers can be a bit more
expensive.
Peaches, Fruit Shack and other fruit
markets are cheaper than
supermarkets for fruit and
vegetables.
47
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
PARTH Ballarat Community Health Centre
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
48