Each break may be greeted with pure joy and a little trepidation. As a mother of an eight year old, I often have to give myself a pep talk just before each break starts. It sounds a little something like this:
- Remember to keep the meal rhythm from school – eat at the same time daily.
- Make sure he gets outside
- Remember to give him time to rest – ie don’t over plan his days
- When he still napped I made sure our at home nap schedule synced with the schedule at school
Without fail, if he has a hard day I can look to the rhythms and see that either we had a meal a little too late or we had too many activities in one day. When he was small if he missed his normal nap time watch out – I think you have all experienced that!
The rhythms of our Early Childhood classes create the foundation for a successful and harmonious day. They create a way for the children to rest, to know what is coming, to allow them to play.
These rhythms create in-breaths and out-breaths so to speak so that the child can experience quiet and introspective times (such as painting) as well as big and loud times (such as playing outside).
Our snack rhythms are the ones you likely hear about the most: “Green Day is Oatmeal day and it is my
favorite!” or “Boo, today is quinoa day and I do not prefer quinoa”.
Each day of the week has a color associated with it. For the young child names like Monday or Saturday hold little meaning but they can embrace the colors of the day and the associated grains.
Monday is Purple Day
Tuesday is Red Day
Wednesday is Yellow Day
Thursday is Orange Day
Friday is Green Day
Saturday is Blue Day
Sunday is White Day
Each teacher in our school has a slightly different snack rhythm but it is based on a very simple concept. Rotating the grains a child eats thus brings diversity to their diet and gut biome. Like many things we do in the Early Childhood we are setting the foundation for life-long wellness.
We are quite excited to share our snack recipes with you just in case you would like to try a few.
Growing Together Beans and Rice
Oak Preschool Sweet Porridge
Birch Kindergarten Soup
Maple Kindergarten Golden Porridge (Millet)
Willow Tree Preschool Quinoa
We wish you all a wonderful Winter Break full of love, family and good food!
So much love from the EC department – Miss Parvati
Download & Print Recipes
Oak Preschool Sweet Porridge
7 cups water (Or water ratio of 2 to 1)
3 1/2 cups oats (old fashioned. Not sure of water ratio for steel cut or quick cook)
Two tablespoons butter (or to taste if making less)
Serve with raisins, organic sugar, and cinnamon
Growing Together Rice and Beans
Ingredients:
3 cups of rice to 7 cups of water
One can of black beans
Dollop of of coconut oil
Serve with Tamari
Maple Kindergarten Golden Porridge (Millet)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups millet
1 onion chopped
2 carrots chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
9 cups water
Sauté onion, carrots and then add millet to sauté as well. Add salt, pepper and herbs. Add water, stir, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer until water is absorbed. Enjoy!
Birch Tree Soup
Ingredients:
Butter
Olive oil
Onion
Several vegetables of any choice ( roots, cruciferous, aerial plants – seriously anything!)
Your favorite herbs , or whatever you have
Better than Bullion veggie paste
Water
Instructions:
Dice onion and vegetables.
Sauté onion in butter and olive oil until translucent.
Add diced vegetables and about a half stick of butter diced up. simmer with lid on pot for about 15 minutes , stir often.
While veggies are simmering boil enough enough separately that will end up completely covering the vegetables once added. ( I just fill our teapot 1.5 times)
Pour boiling water over the steamed veggies in the pot, stir.
Add a few heaping spoonfuls of broth paste, to taste. Add herbs. We have been using our dried thyme and oregano from the garden.
Stir well, bring to boil for a few minutes, turn heat to medium for about 20 more minutes or until veggies are tender.
Sing to the soup!
Voila, done! Sometimes we add fresh squeezed lemon on top!
** there are no exact measurements. We chop what we receive and adjust the butter, water, and paste accordingly , it comes out a bit different each week and EVERY ( yes every) child has seconds or thirds! **
Willow Room
Quinoa with Roasted Sweet Potato and Kale
Ingredients:
1:2 Quinoa to Water
½ onion
Two Tablespoon Liquid Chicken Stock
Two Cloves of Garlic
¼ C Olive Oil
2-3 Sweet Potatoes
Pinch Thyme
Kale
Butter
Instructions:
Soak quinoa
Cut Sweet Potatoes in cubes, mix with olive oil, salt and thyme. Bake at 425 for 30-35 mins or until soft. Chop onions
Mince garlic
Saute olive oil, onions, garlic, chicken stock.
Remove from heat once onions and garlic release aroma.
Drain quinoa – return pot to heat, add quinoa and saute.
Add water – bring to boil
Once the boil begins, turn down to simmer.
Slice kale thinly and add to quinoa
Cook until water absorbs.
Dish into two bowls, add sweet potatoes and mix.
Add four tablespoons of butter to each bowl.