Foodschool: Food adventures for littles. Foodschool is an educational program for early childhood, which focuses on introducing pre-school aged children (littles) to fruits and vegetables in a fun, supportive and interactive way. The program is designed to be used by educators, child care professionals, community groups and parents to encourage a healthy attitude towards eating fruits and vegetables, using organic, seasonal and local produce wherever possible and exploring through play, craft, stories, songs, rhymes, cooking and gardening activities. The program is supported by a regularly updated page, instagram and pinterest accounts with access to the seasonality guides, weekly programs, recipes, infographics, reward charts and also contains links to extension activities and ideas. The program links to the Early Years Learning Framework and aligns with the Australian Dietary Guidelines. Foodschool is specific to Australia as it follows Australian seasonality guides, utilises local produce and supports local businesses wherever possible. Foodschool is the brainchild of teacher and Mama, Jacinta Froud. Jacinta is a self-confessed fussy eater, who as a child never really cared for many fruits and vegetables and was often the last one sitting at the dinner table pushing peas around the plate with a fork. Over time she has managed to try and even enjoy, a larger variety of fruits and vegetables. Through exposure, being brave and trying new things and by working as a Chef she learned to make things taste delicious, even zucchini. She studied education following her apprenticeship in Commercial Cookery and has been encouraging high school children to enjoy their fruits and vegetables since 2005. She now has three littles of her own who know that in regards to food, they don’t have to always like something but they do always have to try it. Jacinta is still not a big fan of mushrooms.
