Since becoming a mom I’ve made some amazing connections and friendships with other moms in my community. I feel very fortunate that I’m able to stay home for another year with my son, but many of the moms I spend time with are coming to the end of their maternity leave and getting ready to go back to work. So begins the daunting task of finding a daycare.
It’s difficult enough simply finding a daycare that can accomodate your child; now what if you needed it to be in a certain location, or if your child needs certain routines adhered to, or what if you were concerned about the quality of nutrition at the daycare you were accepted into? I guess in most cases there’s a compromise being made by the parent somewhere along the line.
When it comes to a young child’s nutrition a compromise shouldn’t have to be made, period. The early childhood years are when the foundation is set for long term good health and good eating habits. For our kids, we should settle for nothing but the best.
Enter my friend and fellow nutritionist Kim Corrigan Oliver. At one of out Farmer’s Market visits we got talking about this issue of daycares offering nutrient depleted food to kids and how crazy it seems. She mentioned starting a local Daycare Food Revolution like what Jamie Oliver is doing in the States. Immediately I wanted to be a part of it.
We started by taking a look at what exactly most daycares (there are some daycares in the GTA and surrounding area that are on the right track) are serving up for snacks and meals and sadly it’s mostly wheat, dairy, and processed meats. I say NOT GOOD ENOUGH!
The next step in this process will be to talk to parents and see how they feel, if we want to make a change we need parents on our side. I’ll be posting and emailing out a questionairre that I’d like parents to fill out to help us develop a proposal to submit to some daycare centers. The lucky daycare that accepts our proposal will receive the first, of hopefully many, menu overhauls.
Stay tuned as Kim and I move forward on this journey and please feel free to comment with any feedback you may have.
Hey Meg! I love this! Jeremy’s centre needs a HUGE overhaul in their menu. I love the place, but I’ve been butting heads with them about the menu since day one. And unfortunately, I’ve had to give in some, which I’m not happy about. Let me know how I can help!
Thanks Eve-Anne, we’re hoping we can make a change so that parents can leave their kids in daycare without these concerns. “giving in” just doesn’t seem right does it? Perhaps once the proposal is ready we’ll pitch Jeremy’s day care. Take care!
Hi Meg. I live in upstate NY. I have a 12-month old daughter who is transitioning to a new daycare as we speak. I removed her from her previous daycare for several reasons, the primary reason being the menu. Not only was the food offered highly processed and lacking nutrition, but they would not allow me to provide her a breakfast and lunch from home. When she was an infant they wouldn’t allow me to provide fruit and vegetable puree’s! She was given baby packaged baby food. I should have left then. The new daycare program has a menu that is somewhat “better” however could certainly use some tweaking in my opinion. I’m on board with this revolution of yours. I’ll email you my questionaire. Sarah M.