Fueling Growth: Fostering Lifelong Healthy Habits at Discovery World

We all know that kids and food can be unpredictable—one day they love blueberries, the next they act like you’re poisoning them with blueberries. That’s why we focus on creating a positive, relaxed mealtime experience where kids feel encouraged but never out of control.

Whether your child is an adventurous eater or still warming up to anything green, our goal is to foster curiosity about food, build independence, and make mealtime enjoyable.

 

Our Approach to Food

1. Encourage Independence

We believe kids should have an active role in mealtime, not just be handed a plate.

That’s why we have our preschoolers:
– Gather their own placemats and lunchboxes
– First try to open their own containers before asking for help
– Pour their own drinks, serve their own food, and pass to their friends (with a little help at first!)
– Clear their plates and clean up
This builds confidence, teaches responsibility, and engages them with their meal each time.

2. Helping Children Try New Foods—Without Pressure

We totally get it, little ones can be hesitant about new foods. But instead of the classic “just one bite” battle, we scaffold their development by treating the process of trying new foods just as we would any skill, by meeting a child where they are at.  With a child who refuses nearly everything, we start slow by encouraging them to first smell the food, then the next time, encourage them to touch the food to their lips or lick the food, and then finally take a small taste.

Research shows it can take dozens of tries for a child to acclimate to new tastes and textures. We keep offering foods in different ways and trust that children will come around eventually.

3. Our Thoughtfully Designed Menu

Our school-prepared lunches are:
🌱 Vegan, vegetarian, or pescatarian
🌍 Inspired by different cultures (we introduce foods from the countries kids are learning about!)
🥦 Balanced with fresh, organic ingredients

If your child brings lunch from home, we just ask that it’s nutritionally balanced and easy to eat independently. However, aside from choking hazards and severe allergies in classmates, we do not withhold items.

4. Food Safety and Allergies

We are not a nut-free school, but we take food allergies seriously.  We do not allow any food sharing between students.   We also list children’s allergies in every classroom, and in our database that teachers access through their classroom tablets.  Finally, our teachers carefully monitor meals, so we can have major oversight on meal times and see what is going into little ones’ mouths.

While our strict mealtime supervision policies don’t allow for unplanned meals like a missed breakfast to be eaten at school, they do keep your precious kiddo safe.

If your child has dietary restrictions, we’ll work with you to keep them safe and included.

We can give you a copy of our lesson plan projects and monthly snack and lunch menu to annotate.  We are also happy to provide access to the kitchen to read ingredients labels, ensuring your peace of mind.

5. Choking Hazard Guidelines

We follow USDA safety recommendations to minimize choking risks for young children.

 For children under 4, please leave these at home:
❌ Popcorn
❌ Whole nuts and seeds (including nut-based crackers and breads)
❌ Spoonfuls of nut or seed butter (spread thinly instead)
❌ Whole grapes, cherry tomatoes, raw carrots, hot dogs, or sausages
❌ Cheese cubes or blocks (serve sliced or shredded instead)
❌ Chewing gum (not allowed for any young age)
❌ Dried fruit and gummy snacks
❌ Hard candy, lollipops, jellybeans, cough drops
❌ Thick pretzels, pretzel rods, or hard chips
❌ Ice cubes and marshmallows

 How we prepare food for safety:
 ✔ Hard foods like carrots are steamed or cooked until soft.
✔ Fruits and vegetables are chopped, mashed, or thinly sliced (½ inch or smaller).
✔ All bones are removed from fish.

6. Infant Meal Guidelines

Infants have different dietary needs, and we adjust their meals accordingly.

Infants do not receive:

• Hard crackers (we offer veggie straws, animal crackers, or pea crisps instead)
• Plain citrus
• Hard fruits and vegetables (these are softened before serving)
• Honey or raisins, e.g. in cereal

Children under 12 months receive water instead of cow milk unless otherwise requested by parents and pediatricians. We work with families to ensure safe, nutritious meals that help infants explore new textures and flavors as they grow.

 

Common Parent Questions About Eating

We know parents have a lot of questions about their kids’ eating habits because we hear them all the time! Here are some of the most common ones:

Q: Should I be worried about my picky child?

Nope! Picky eating is totally normal, especially for toddlers and preschoolers. Children need time to warm up to new flavors and textures.

The best thing to do? Keep offering different foods in a low-pressure way that builds on expectations slowly and over time. It can take multiple exposures before a food stops feeling “weird” or “yucky” to them.

Q: What if my child refuses to eat? 

We don’t force kids to eat, but we do encourage them to engage with their food in some way—whether that’s smelling it, touching it, or just having it on their plate.

If they choose not to eat, that’s okay! They’ll have another opportunity at the next meal or snack.

Q: My child east way less than I expect. Should I be concerned?

Probably not! Young children’s appetites fluctuate a lot. Some days they eat everything in sight, and others they barely touch their plate.

Instead of stressing over one meal, look at how they’re eating over the course of a week. If they’re active, growing, and eating a variety of foods overall, they’re doing just fine.

Behavior can also be a key indicator. If your child is eating a lot and still getting hangry, try adding healthy snacks like fruit pouches to the car ride home.  If they are barely eating yet seem content and centered, they might be getting enough!

Q: How can I get my child to try new foods at home?

Some fun tricks to try:
🥕 Offer choices – “Carrots or cucumbers?” Letting them pick gives them a sense of control.
🎨 Make it fun – Dipping sauces, playful names, or cutting food into shapes can go a long way.
👩‍🍳 Let them help – Kids are way more likely to eat something they helped prepare!

Eat the rainbow! Offer their favorite colors on their plates or all of they will take an orange bite.

And if they don’t like something? No big deal. Just keep offering it in different ways and move on. For example, if they won’t eat raw carrots, you can try adding carrots to muffins, blended in soup or smoothie, or roasted.

Q: My child only wants carbs!

This is totally normal. Carbs are comforting and easy to eat. Instead of fighting it, pair carbs with protein or healthy fats to make meals more balanced.

Examples:
– Whole grain toast + peanut butter
– Pasta + cheese or veggies
– Crackers + hummus

This way, they’re still getting nutrients and energy and eating things that they already enjoy.

It can also help to be mindful of what’s on the plate, i.e. start with the bowl of soup before bringing out the bread to go with it. If bread or flour tortillas make an appearance right off the bat, your little one might scarf it down first and want more!  If instead the carbs arrive fashionably late to the dinner table, the veggies might have a chance to get first in line.

 

Birthdays at Discovery World

Birthdays are special, and we love celebrating! But instead of making it about sweets and treats, we keep the focus on the child.

Bringing a Birthday Snack? Here’s What to Know:

If you’d like to send in a treat, we welcome healthy, prepackaged options that don’t require utensils.

✅ Great choices include:
– Fruit platters or whole fruit (bananas, clementines)
– Nut-free, fruit muffins (no chocolate, sprinkles, or sugar crystals on top) – Recommended Option
– Individual yogurt servings – Recommended Option

🚫 Please avoid:
– Candy, cake, cookies, or chocolate
– Homemade or bakery treats without an ingredient label
– Party favors, goodie bags, or decorations

Hosting a party outside of school? We’re happy to forward digital invitations to classmates’ parents or place hardcopies in mailboxes!

Final Thoughts

We believe that mealtimes should be relaxed, engaging, and fun. Whether your child is a little foodie or still figuring out their tastes, we encourage exploration, independence, and a healthy relationship with food.

Have questions about your child’s eating habits? We’re always happy to help!