It goes without saying that all children should be offered a well balanced, nutritious and interesting menu which supports the development of a healthy attitude to food. Our shared love of food is at the core of life at Foundations but runs so much deeper than the daily menus cooked from scratch by our well loved, qualified chef Anna. Mealtimes and snack times are family times, where our educators eat with the children as they model conversation, table etiquette and social skills.
More than mealtimes, food is part of our culture. It is in our soul. Our children have daily exposure to the investigation of food. Its growth from seed to harvest, gives opportunity not only for learning about how to sew and tend to growing crops but for exercising the skills of patience and care. Our polytunnel offers chance for children to consider questions such as “the importance of water” and supports children to be patient as they observe the changes in growth. Documentation of the stages of growth takes place through observational drawings, photography and mark making by the children.
Our current cooking project, led by Anna, is centred around children creating a Foundations cookery book. This is, as it should be, a family effort. Investigations, musings, observations into the safe/ alternative preparation of food and the joy it brings. Our final cookery book will be a vehicle for children to raise funds to buy litter pickers to support a parallel project concerning the care and protection of local wildlife.