UADC's Approach to Food

In the lunchroom.

*Note that parents are always encouraged to drop by to share lunch with their child. Please let staff know in advance if you plan to join us for a meal.

Learning to share a meal with others is an important part of a child's social education. At UADC, children enjoy a hot noon meal in the lunch room prepared from scratch by our center's cook. There are no bag lunches for parents to pack (and forget) and no problems with children making unfavorable comparisons between their lunch and those of others. Parents know that whatever the rest of the day brings, children have had a complete and nutritious noon meal. Special diets, such as a vegetarian diet, are happily accomodated.

Lunches are served family-style, with dishes passed from one child to another. More helpings of preferred foods are available. We believe eating should be enjoyable and relaxed for children. They are encouraged to try new foods on a regular basis. Children are given as much time as they need to finish eating; a staff member is always available to stay with a child after others have finished. There are no punishments, rewards or bribes involving food.

Nutrition education and cooking projects are presented as a regular component of the classroom curriculum. An effort is made to expose children to the foods of different cultures and parents are encouraged to share ethnic dishes with their child's class if desired.

	© Copyright 2001, 2002, University Avenue Discovery Center