PROGRAMS: Food & Nutrition Program
Only Love Children’s Centers has established the family-style meal service and is currently partnering with the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) to provide and monitor healthy meals for the children we serve, at no cost to the families. Having this type of service plays a critical role in supporting their wellness, health and development through the provision of nutritious foods. Children learn to serve themselves, from communal serving platters of food with the assistance from their teachers, if needed.
Only Love serves four (4) meals per day:
- Breakfast
- Morning snack
- Lunch
- Afternoon snack
This practice helps children develop fine motor skills, dexterity and hand strength needed to serve their own food, as well as taking turns, sharing, and teamwork. A family style meal assists in conversation with peers/teachers, which increases vocabulary, promotes proper use of language and interaction with peers.
Children learn:
- table manners
- portion sizes for each food group
- to recognize when they are hungry or satisfied
- how to identify healthy foods and where they come from
Children take turns daily, to be “teacher’s helpers” to get the tables ready, placing the napkins, plates, cups, and utensils; this responsibility creates in children the sense of pride and belonging when they have a contributing role at meal times.
Only Love’s menus are monitored by our certified nutritionist, head chef & our director for the food program, for healthy, organic (when possible) new foods, based on the various cultural backgrounds we serve, community practices, developmentally appropriate, allergy
requirements, and CACFP regulations.
Children are willing to try something new when they serve themselves & see their peers try it. Every child can serve themselves or ask for assistance. At the end of every meal, children are responsible for cleaning up their area by disposing of napkins/uneaten food in the trash and placing dirty dishes in a tub. This practice teaches children how to be responsible and show respectful behaviors during mealtime and is an opportunity to instill healthy habits in young children.
Our environment is filled with LOVE, RESPECT and ACCEPTANCE of family and community values and everything that makes us unique – language, diversity & traditional customs.
WE BELIEVE IN A PLAY-BASED ENVIRONMENT
WHERE CHILDREN CAN:
Build foundational life skills
Develop a love for language and literacy
Enhance self-confidence
