Kindy makes healthy food part of learning

Oranga Kindergarten has tackled a lack of access to cheap fruit and vegetables in its community by growing and cooking its own.

Together teachers and children dig, plant seeds, water plants, inspect insects and learn how to grow produce such as cauliflower, spinach, peas and carrots.

As a result, the children are more knowledgable about making healthier choices from their lunchboxes from home, teachers say, as well as eating the nutritious food prepared from the garden.

Head Teacher Tanya Brand says the kindergarten recognised that healthy lunches could be a challenge because there was a lack of nutritious and affordable food available locally.

“While we promoted healthy eating at the kindergarten, there isn’t a supermarket or grocery store easily accessible in the immediate area, and not all of our families have a car,” Tanya says.

The kindergarten decided one way to take action and support education around healthy food was to establish new garden beds and cook the harvest with the children in the kitchen.

Teachers, children and their families share what they know about the growing and preparing of foods needed for healthy lives.

Any leftover food and vegetables are available to the families to take home at a small price or for free.