Dietary concept

It is important to us that children receive a proper diet that is suitable for them, which is why a diverse range of foods are prepared freshly in each element-i child care centre. Our objective is to turn children into experts about their own eating habits.

Dietary concept in the element-i child care centres and schools

For us, a healthy diet is a fundamental element of a healthy lifestyle, which is why each of our element-i institutions has its own cook that prepares a diverse range of fresh meals that are suitable for children. Where possible, we frequently make use of local and seasonal foods. Breakfast, lunch, a snack and – where appropriate – an evening supper are served each day.

Our approach to nutrition

We take a holistic approach to nutrition. Firstly, nutrition and education relating to eating habits are factored into teaching. Secondly, we consider an optimum supply of energy and nutrients to be essential for good health and performance.

 

The element-i pedagogy in relation to our dietary concept

Our dietary concept is linked to the element-i pedagogy and is therefore part of the children’s learning experience. The children are given the opportunity to assume responsibility and granted independence in relation to their eating habits. Daily experience helps the children to become experts in relation to their own eating habits. They learn about their body’s needs and acquire knowledge in a fun way. The nutrition as a comprehensive concept is placed into a social context and the children are shown by example how to responsibly handle food. We ensure that the children are involved in the entire dietary process.

Food is not just for ingestion, but also processed as a sensory experience, which is why all involved set enough time aside. From an educational perspective, great value is also placed on enabling them to choose for themselves what and how much they eat and developing a positive concept of nutrition.

More information about our dietary concept can be found in this PDF.