Food is Precious

In Little Woods Montessori Preschool, children bring their own lunch to school. Recently, we’ve observed that some children leave uneaten portions, leading to unnecessary food waste. Our aim is to promote mindful consumption by encouraging children to bring only what they can consume, thus minimizing waste. By fostering this habit, we not only reduce food wastage but also contribute to preserving our environment and conserving valuable food resources.

In addition, we want to inculcate healthy eating habits to the children and teaching them to be responsible beings.

We kickstarted our SSDB project with a puppet show in Term 1, aligning with the theme “All About Me.” The teachers performed a puppet show to teach the children about maintaining a healthy diet and dental hygiene. The children thoroughly enjoyed the show and learned about healthy eating habits. Inspired by the puppet show, the children began discussing their food choices during lunchtime, sharing details about the meals they brought. They were encouraged to bring nutritious foods such as grains, proteins, fruits, and vegetables. During these discussions, some children noticed that their friends were not finishing their lunches, leading to food waste. Given their awareness of environmental conservation, many children felt that food waste should be minimized. This realization led to the decision to embark on our SSDB project, “Food is Precious.”

In collaboration with the Singapore Food Agency, the children learned about the sources of food in Singapore and the importance of food safety. They discovered that food shortages can sometimes occur, emphasizing the importance of growing food locally. In class, the children were shown how to grow garlic and took their plants home over the weekend. They returned to school excited to share their experiences and talk about their garlic plants.

In Term 3, we invited Miss Felicia from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) to talk about their work and teach the children how to identify locally produced food in Singapore. The children enjoyed the talk and asked engaging questions throughout the session. Some even shared their experiences of growing fruits and vegetables in their own gardens. This activity helped raise awareness among the children about the importance of food, encouraging them to prevent food wastage during lunchtime.