About us

​Clean Plate was started by two friends - a chef and an early childhood teacher - who saw the need for more information, training and assistance related to healthy eating in the early childhood sector.

​Our goal is to create a space in which those working in the industry can stay connected, learn and share ways to promote healthy food and overall wellbeing for under 5s.  We believe a whole-centre approach and collaboration throughout the sector, are the best ways to achieve this.
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Susan Swolfs & Fern Pereira, founders of Clean Plate

Susan

Susan began working in ECE in New Zealand in 2010, since then she has worked as a teacher for under and over 2s, as head teacher in both age groups, as well as centre manager.  With her range of experience in the ECE setting she is able to relate to, and guide teachers and managers, to create a healthy environment and establish practices that promote healthy eating.  She also has experience working within and managing the Healthy Heart Award Programme.

​As a mother of two young girls, Susan is very familiar with the ins-and-outs of working with children under 5, both in a centre environment and at home!  Susan’s passion is getting children off to a happy, healthy start and providing them fun and exciting ways of exploring their own passions.

Fern

Fern is a Cordon Bleu chef with several years’ work experience in early childhood settings. Fern has worked in and out of the kitchen, to promote healthy eating to children, staff and parents alike. Her passion is to create healthy meals which appeal to young children’s taste buds and that are at the same time, easy to make and budget friendly. Fern has extensive knowledge in building menus that tick the Ministry of Health recommendations and the Heart Foundation’s Healthy Heart Award guidelines. She is also experienced in food safety and hygiene and how to implement systems in your ECE that are simple to follow and meet the specifications of the 2014 Food Act.
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Fern believes the ECE cook/ chef should be an integral part of the team, making the kitchen and the food prepared, just another avenue for children’s learning. Fern is currently completing her Graduate Diploma in Health Promotion at AUT.