Food Service

COMIDA DELICIOSA Y SALUDABLE EN YPW

Delicious and Healthy Food at YPW

Here at YPW, we know that proper nutrition promotes learning readiness and reinforces positive eating habits that can last a lifetime. YPW is committed to serving nutritious food in a positive, health-conscious environment.
In addition to feeding the children in a healthy way, YPW contributes to the development of healthy eaters by introducing a variety of nutritious foods, served in a relaxed and positive atmosphere.

A COMMITMENT TO GOOD NUTRITION

YPW follows the guidelines of the USDA Food Program, which include guidelines for food quality, food groups and food amounts. We are particularly proud of the fact that our kitchen staff prepares most of the meals we serve. Only a minority of meals includes processed foods that come ready-made, such as chicken nuggets, fish sticks, and hamburgers. The Center Directors work with the kitchen staff to plan meals, and they ensure that processed foods are used very few times per month.

QUALITY FOODS WITH AN EMPHASIS ON LOCALLY GROWN AND ORGANIC PRODUCE

We serve fruits and vegetables daily with an emphasis on locally grown and organic produce. The focus is on whole foods, simply prepared, reflecting the diets enjoyed by the different ethnic and cultural groups of the School.
We serve fresh fruit and vegetables on a regular basis. Milk is served with lunch each day and one snack. We only purchase organic / hormone-free milk.

The morning and afternoon snacks always consist of 2 food groups, drawn from fruits & vegetables, grains, protein and dairy. We serve milk with one snack each day. We also provide an additional late snack at 5:30 for those children who stay later in the day and may need a little something before going home. Late snacks consist of unsweetened cereal or crackers.

Please note that since the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 6 ounces or less of juice per day; we only provide milk and water to our students.

MEETING UNIQUE NEEDS

Many children have food allergies or special dietary needs related to medical conditions. YPW accommodates these circumstances when we have instructions from the child’s physician. Additionally, we allow families who are vegetarian to bring a substitute protein item for meat dishes each day. The meal served on Wednesdays and Mondays is always vegetarian so on those days it is not necessary to substitute. The kitchen staff and teachers work hard to ensure that each child receives the right food.

EATING IN A HEALTHY WAY

YPW classrooms serve meals family style. This means that teachers sit and eat with the children, modeling manners and healthy eating habits. The children serve themselves, are encouraged to try new foods, and can easily see that others eat a wide variety of foods. Family style meals also open the door for conversation and make mealtime an enjoyable experience.

SAMPLE MENU

If available, we use all locally grown and organic ingredients for all of our recipes. Organic food is usually free of toxic chemicals, food colorings, and pesticides.

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
AM Snack
Whole Grain Cheerios Banana Organic Milk	Whole Grain English Muffin w/ Cream Cheese Organic Milk	Low-Fat Organic Yogurt with Granola Fresh Fruit	Cinnamon Raisin Bread Fresh Fruit Organic Milk	Apple Sauce Whole Grain Graham Crackers Organic Milk
Lunch
Students bring lunch	Students bring lunch	Students bring lunch	Students bring lunch	Students bring lunch
PM Snack
Whole Wheat Gold Fish	Pita Wedges served with Hummus	Baked Veggie Chips	String Cheese	Red Quinoa & Flaxseed Tortilla Chips w/ Salsa