Fruit & Flower has officially joined the “Farm to Preschool” movement! Our goals for implementing this program include influencing the eating habits of young children while their preferences are forming and creating healthy lifestyles through good nutrition and experiential opportunities such as gardening, cooking and sensory exploration. “Farm to Preschool” programming is a perfect way to establish and reinforce healthy eating patterns in our students and connect them to the food they eat, while supporting local food systems.
We will begin sourcing local foods for snacks and meals. Classrooms will plan nutrition and garden-based curricula (we use “Early Sprouts”). We will focus on adding to our school garden and plan for seasonal growing and harvesting activities. There will be opportunity for in-class food preparation and taste testing as well as field trips to farms, farmers’ markets and community gardens. Parent workshops will soon follow with health and nutrition topics.
Soon we will be highlighting one fruit or vegetable month that we have sourced from a local farm as a ‘harvest of the month’. Classrooms will be able to participate in a wide variety of activities focused on the particular food. There will be newsletters and flyers around the building communicating information about the harvest of the month that will include fun facts, activities for children at home, and recipes.
Please join us in celebrating healthy, local produce and be on the lookout for our first harvest of the month. For more information about the program, visit www.farmtopreschool.org.
