Børnehuset Lillekilde has a meal arrangement – we have that because a meal arrangement to us is much more than just healthy food – it contributes with a lot of other things in the daily life.
A meal changes in terms of atmosphere when everybody eats the same food. It is cosy, as we taste and experience through our senses together: we see, smell, taste and talk about the food on the plate. Children are curious and courageous, when they eat the same kind of food. And then it is just wonderful with a hot meal! We have a weekly day with fish, chicken, meat and vegetarian, so that there is a kind of recognizability in the menu and the favourite meals repeat themselves. The cook makes sure that the children get a varied, nutritious food and gradually get introduced to new recipes and taste experiences.
A lot of food is made for the children in Lillekilde, so they can eat until they are saturated. All meals come with vegetables with a lot of fresh, ecological vegetables as broccoli, cucumber, carrots, pepper, tomatoes etc. Furthermore, fresh fruit is available during the day for both children and staff. All in all the food arrangement is helping in creating a great food culture, where we (as part of the pedagogical work) can learn new competences as laying the table, cleaning, sharing, pass on, ask for more food etc.
Mao’s fantastic kitchen
In Lillekilde we focus on healthy, ecological food with reduced amount of sucker and salt. Mao, our Italian cook, makes sure that the shopping and the cooking and everything that we eat is minimum 80% ecological. Mao loves to make food and he know a lot about it – so our food is not only larded with love, but also with the quite right amount of nutrition for children in the growing age.
Hot food is served with vegetables Tuesday – Friday for lunch (10:30 in the nurseries and 11:00 in the middle group and the kindergarten) from Mao’s kitchen. The menu for the week is hanging in Sneglehuset to the right of the entrance. Mondays or the first day after closing days/holidays the children always bring their own lunch pack, as the refrigerators are empty and the cook Mao is out shopping for the food for the week. Here the children can show their lunch pack, grab the rye bread favorites and talk about all the exciting things which took place during the weekend. All the fruit and vegetables are bought at the vegetable market and the fish is bought fresh from the fishmonger.
Mao’s kitchen has an ‘elite smiley’
Breakfast and Afternoon Snacks
Until 9:00, it is possible to get some breakfast, if you have not eaten enough from home. In the nurseries, the children get some porridge if needed at 9:30 before they are put out to get their first nap.
In the afternoon between 14 and 15, we serve bread with liver pâté, meat, cheese etc. or some other afternoon food and various fruit. At 16:00 o’clock, you can get some crispbread and fruit, if you are hungry.
We drink water to all our meals.
Friday Special
Every Friday the children can in turn bring something for a Friday get-together, with low-sugar contents or made with fruit sugar. The Friday cosines is served in connection with the 14 o’clock-food. A list is hanging on the information board where you can sign up and get inspired regarding what to bring.