What’s on the Menu at Parkside: Meals Made with Heart (and Plenty of Veg!)
Step inside Parkside and you’ll likely be greeted by the scent of red lentil dahl, homemade beef and veggie empanadas, or freshly baked pumpkin scones. Follow the hallway’s colourful walls and you’ll find the source: our centre kitchen, led by our creative chef, Jade.
As Parkside’s in-house chef, veggie patch tender, and worm farm manager, Jade is the master of filling many a happy little tummy. Her kitchen is more than a place for meals - it’s a hub for morning hellos, exciting scents, and wonderful curiosity around what’s cooking.
At Parkside, we know how important nutrition is for growing bodies and busy minds. Here’s what a typical day of meals looks like:
Breakfast from 7:30-8:00am
Morning Tea Fruit (families are asked to drop a piece of fruit into the kitchen, which will form part of a shared morning tea experience)
Lunch
Afternoon Tea
Late Snack from 5:00pm
Our lunch and afternoon tea menu varies, and Jade’s creativity often sees the children lucky enough to taste new creations regularly. Our focus is on seasonal produce, plenty of veggies, and introducing children to new flavours from different cultures. We also happily cater to a variety of dietary requirements and always ensure that meals are tailored to suit the age and developmental stage of each child.
Some of the children’s favourites include:
Italian Beef Meatballs, served with wholegrain bread or garlic bread
Homemade Pumpkin and Ricotta Sausage Rolls, alongside hand-cut rosemary roast potatoes and salad
Pumpkin and Red Lentil Dahl, with basmati rice & papadams
Aloo Tikki (Pakistani Potato Cakes), served with fresh fattoush salad and minted yoghurt
Mac 'n' Cheese Balls (or as the Baby Room call it, ‘Hidden Pasta!’), packed with veggies including celery, mushroom, carrot, and zucchini.
And let’s not forget the afternoon tea offerings, like:
Berry and Coconut Slice, with no added sugar (sometimes we even use fresh strawberries brought in by our wonderful families)
Puerto Rican Cream Cheese Pastry Twists with caramelised pineapple
Zucchini and Sweetcorn Fritters with tzatziki (and often with fresh herbs from our garden)
Yoghurt and Berry Semifreddo
Home-made Flatbread, stuffed with potato, bacon, thyme, and cheese; and with Jade's tomato relish on the side.
Drooling yet? We don’t blame you for wishing you could bring a lunchbox of your own!
We’re incredibly proud of our wholesome, balanced menu - full of flavour, nutrition, and love. Our meals fuel growing minds, spark curiosity, and build healthy habits that last well beyond the early years.
If you have a little one and are considering childcare, we’d love to welcome you for a visit. Book a tour to see our kitchen in action.