Wholesome Meals
At Enlightened Play Preschools, meals are one of our most recognized teaching opportunities. These are wonderful times for learning and trying new things. At Enlightened Play Preschools, your child will learn to pour, pass, scoop, and more. They practice using manners, judgment, and patience, and learn respect for their food. Meals and snacks are served in a casual family-style atmosphere that promotes sharing and conversation.
Balanced and Inspired
Our menus are inspired by nature and motivated by our commitment to balance. Within the week, we balance red and white meats with vegetarian options. We balance dairy and fruits with whole grains and vegetables. We serve fresh fruits in lieu of desserts. We offer water regularly so that children learn to be well hydrated. We believe that by expanding foods tastes, textures, and combinations, children are given an opportunity to appreciate food and not just feed themselves without awareness. We offer a variety of tastes and textures, including whole grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables, with little added sugar or salt. We avoid highly processed foods.
Meal Schedule
Breakfast is offered at 8:00 and is available to any child who arrives before 8:30 AM. All children, including our AM preschool program, are welcome to stay for lunch which is served at 12 noon. Parents are also invited to drop in and have lunch with their children. We offer three snacks at 10 AM, 3 PM, and an evening snack at 5 PM.
Only Fresh Ingredients
We recognize that young children eat their largest number of calories during the day, while they are at Enlightened Play Preschools. We want those calories to be important, healthy, tasty, and interesting. Each meal — breakfast, snack, or lunch — is prepared right on site. We do not use heat-and-serve meals, nor do we buy large quantities and store them. We shop at the grocery store or at the local farmer’s market to get the highest quality we can find incorporating organic products when possible. Our schools maintain an herb garden to flavor some of our foods and allow the children to understand and experience the tastes and scents of foods that they will be offered. When children are involved in the preparation and serving of their food it makes their participation part of the learning fun!
Learn more about Enlightened Discipline
Author Julie Jenkins insists that we say goodbye to the naughty mat and call “time out” on timeouts. Leave all those old-school techniques behind. This is the manual for teaching the foundations on self-discipline, common sense and self-respect to young children. Written for every teacher in the early childhood field and every parent with young children.
Click below to read more…
Meet Julie
Julie Jenkins devoted 30+ years to up leveling the way adults teach children about behavior. She put her philosophy into print in 2004 in Enlightened Discipline.
Purchase Julie's book Enlightened Discipline
West Sac Campus
703 West Acre Rd,
West Sacramento, CA 95691
916-371-3301
Midtown Campus
2100 J Street,
Sacramento, CA 95816
916-261-0796
