food & garden
Food is a central aspect of a child’s formative years and its lessons go far beyond nutrition and health. At Madrid Montessori we offer delicious food made with the highest quality ingredients possible. We aim to educate our children to know by taste, texture and smell what constitutes nutritious, healthy food and our kitchen is a place where the children are welcome to explore and experience this first hand.
Our nutritionally balanced, vegetarian lunches are made from scratch daily using seasonal and organic ingredients to the extent that is possible. We also make our own fresh bread daily, often with the help of the children, using natural sourdough yeast. We don’t use processed foods with extra fats or sugars and all meals are free of artificial colorings and preservatives. Fresh organic fruit, seeds and other snacks such as hard-boiled eggs, hummus and carrots, and focaccia bread with tomato are available for snacking in the classrooms every day.
The children eat in their classrooms, and everyone helps before and after the meal. Their tables have placemats, fresh flowers, dishware, and glassware. We encourage all children to try what we serve each day, even if it’s just a spoonful. If a child repeatedly refuses to eat a particular dish, we will inform the family that it will be necessary to bring something from home. Parents are invited to have lunch with the children once a year.
We believe it is important for children to understand where food comes from, how it is prepared, and how waste can be reused. For this reason, the children take care of the garden, help with the harvest, and dispose of waste in recycling or compost bins. Depending on the season, there are seeds to plant or water, herbs to cut, or leafy vegetables to harvest and add to the salads that accompany the daily meal.
