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.

An Interview with Cook Sarah Bogden:

1. How do you plan meals for 2-5 year olds?

   "I follow the U.S.D.A. guidelines for preschoolers to insure they get the required proportions and variety of food groups as required by law. After that I take into consideration what the children have liked of the meals that I have cooked in the past. We currently have the teachers make comments weekly about each menu giving me some insite into what is or is not working for the kids. I do my best to give the children a wide variety of foods from different cultures.

2. Which meals do the kids like best? Which meals do you enjoy preparing the most?

   "I've found that the kids really love their sandwiches, but they also like Spaghetti, Chili Con Carne, Beef Stroganoff, Mexican Pizza, and some of the other different recipes I've tried like German Bierocks. Personally my favorite dish to make is either Spaghetti or Beef Stroganoff because they are easy and delicious."

3. What skills do you bring to your job as UADC cook?

   "My mother raised my sisters and I to be able to cook and that has certainly helped in this position. Outside of that I will be taking some workshops to better my skills."

4. Can you accomodate special diets?

   "We can accomodate any type of diet."

5. Honestly; do preschoolers ever really eat their vegetables?

   "Yes, some kids actually love vegetables. It is important for them to be exposed to different vegetables and I give them a variety to try."

Menus are posted each week outside the classrooms.
Here's a sample menu from June, 2002 at UADC:

University Avenue Discovery Center Menu Week of June 17-21*
	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Breakfast	Yogurt Applesauce 2% Milk	Granola Bars Fresh Oranges 2% Milk	Hard-Boiled Eggs Fresh Pears 2% Milk	Muffins Fresh Grapes 2% Milk	Nutri-Grain Bars Fresh Fruit 2% Milk
Lunch	Mac & Cheese Hot Dogs Green Beans Fresh Strawberries 2% Milk	Tuna & Pasta Salad with Peas Bread Sticks Mixed Fruit 2% Milk	Pizza Cauliflower Fresh Fruit 2% Milk	Chic Nuggets Veg Manicotti Baked Potato w/Sour Cream Carrot stickes 2% Milk	Fish Shapes Au Gratin Potatoes Mixed Veggies Fresh Apples/Cinnamon 2% Milk
Afternoon Snack	Oreos 2% Milk	Chips Salsa Juice	Graham Crackers 2% Milk	Cheese & Crackers 2% Milk	Animal Crackers 2% Milk

*Note: Substitutions are made according to the U.S.D.A. and UADC

UADC is a participant in the Child Care Food Program (CCFP) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction audits UADC annually for compliance with CCFP standards. UADC adheres to the Wisc. Dept of Health and Family Services requirements for day care food programs.

	© Copyright 2001, 2002, University Avenue Discovery Center