In early May, we rolled out a fantastic six-week Hot Meals pilot scheme in the crèche. Children enjoyed delicious hot meals at breakfast and dinner, with a wide selection of fresh veggies, and new fruit and savoury snacks during the day.
Eating and trying out new foods became a social, inclusive activity. The children learned a lot from the experience.
They sampled new dishes, like salmon mashed in potato with vegetables, beef stew and other recipes from the ‘101 Square Meals’ book (published by Safefood, mabs and the HSE). They were able to vote on their favourite dishes which boosted their independence. The children used all their senses to sample food. Plus, they learned new vocabulary and enjoying art sessions on food themes.
Fifty-six children benefitted from this pilot. We’re proud to report Little Treasures was the only Dublin City organization that took part in the pilot. It was also one of just nine settings chosen from across the country.
We’re also delighted that there was no food waste. Going forward we plan to compost left-over peelings for our community garden. Our thanks to the program sponsors, including Pobal. And to our crèche cooks, Sandra and Rosie, and our other staff for all their hard work.
