If you think trying to get healthy food into your preschooler is nigh on impossible, Friends on Fraser Educare Centre in Greerton has proven it can be done.

The centre has been awarded the Heart Foundation's Pā-Harakeke Gold Healthy Heart Award for creating an environment that promotes healthy eating and physical activity for under-fives and their families.

The award is open to all early childhood services throughout New Zealand and includes three strands, with the gold award being the pinnacle.

Children at Friends on Fraser bring their own lunches and for the past four years have been encouraged to bring healthy food choices.

'We have a lot of discussion on a daily basis about healthy kai, especially eating our fruit and vegetables first,” says co-director Moira Parry.

'We also have a display on the wall with resources for our whanau and children's learning stories about healthy eating, which then get added to their portfolio.”

Moira says for some families it is new learning. 'Many of them haven't delved into it too much so it's about encouraging them to slow down and look at what they are giving to their children, without trying to dictate to them.”

The centre has a compost bin, worm farm and water tank, which it uses to feed its vegetable garden and fruit trees.

Koby Stowe, 17 months, enjoys a healthy lunch at Friends on Fraser Educare Centre.

It also regularly contributes food to Kai Aroha, a local organisation that provides free meals for those in need in Greerton on a Friday night.

'We often put something together with the children on a Friday and one of our families brings in a lot of fruit so if there is anything left over we take it down to them as well,” says Moira.

The award presentation coincided with the centre's annual Matariki lunch where families are encouraged to bring a plate of healthy food to share.

'And that can be food from any culture because we all have something healthy to bring to the table ­– ­­it doesn't have to be a wholemeal sandwich,” says co-director Vanessa Kururangi.

Among the healthy items on the menu today was pumpkin soup, sandwiches, pasta salad, sushi, fruit, and vegetables with hummus. There was also a few sweet treats – it was a special occasion after all.

Vanessa says the heart award is 'an amazing achievement” for the centre.

'We've worked really hard to get to this stage. It's about showing our children that if it's grown on a tree or dug out of the garden it's going to be good for you. The crinkle of a packet shouldn't be an indicator that it's time to eat.”

Hmm, what to eat next? AliJahn August-Marsh, 4, and Amelia Rutland, 3, enjoy their healthy lunch to celebrate Matariki.

Dietician Jane Johnsson from the Health Foundation presents Friends on Fraser Educare Centre directors Vanessa Kururangi and Moira Parry with their Pā-Harakeke Gold Healthy Heart Award.