pep kitchen what's behind our nutrition concept
Food Is More Than That—Our pep kitchen Concept
What does nutrition mean in childhood? For us, it’s about much more than a balanced meal plan: it’s about enjoyment and community, independence and confidence in one’s own body, and about equipping children with a mindful approach to food. After all, food is a part of children’s lives every day, and that’s precisely where a valuable educational opportunity lies.
World Food Day is part of this year’s educational calendar at pop e poppa and gives us an opportunity to provide a glimpse into pep kitchen, our nutrition concept.
What’s Behind pep kitchen
With pep kitchen, we’re creating a common foundation for fresh, balanced nutrition and a positive eating culture at our pop e poppa daycare centers. We follow the recommendations of the Swiss Society for Nutrition.
Our meals are varied and take seasonal and regional factors into account. We alternate between meat, fish, and vegetarian dishes and largely avoid sugar.
For us, a child-friendly diet also means taking individual needs seriously. We naturally take allergies, cultural backgrounds, and personal dietary preferences into account.
From the breastfeeding and weaning phases through to independently eating family meals, we support the children together with their parents and maintain close communication.
Furthermore, we believe that a nutrition plan for children should go beyond simply providing a balanced selection of meals. As they eat, children increasingly develop a sense of what they like, when they’re hungry, and when they’re full.
That’s why, depending on their stage of development, children are allowed to serve themselves and decide on their own portions. Coercion or reward systems related to eating are not part of our approach.
Experiencing Food with All the Senses
Around World Food Day, we bring the topic of food to life in our daycare centers: The children bake or cook together, discover different foods, and learn where they come from and what it takes for them to end up on our plates.
Curiosity, joy, and hands-on experience are at the heart of these activities. The children are encouraged to try and discover new flavors at their own pace – an approach that guides us at pep kitchen throughout the year.
The Shared Table as an Educational Setting
A meal is also a social occasion. Children sit together at the table, observe one another, talk, listen, wait, help one another, and experience themselves as part of a community.
For our staff, these moments are an important part of our educational work. They accompany the children during meals, encourage conversation, and create an atmosphere in which eating is associated with enjoyment and positive shared experiences.
At the same time, children practice independence and experience that their needs are acknowledged and respected.
A Mindful Approach to Food
With pep kitchen, we aim not only to help children discover the joy of eating, but also to teach them how to use food and resources responsibly.
Seasonality, regional sourcing, and our eco-friendly charter form the foundation for this. Sustainability comes to life in the day-to-day routine at the daycare – whether through cooking together, participating in projects, or discovering where our food comes from.
What children experience at mealtime today will shape their future
World Food Day brings the topic of nutrition into sharp focus for one day. With pep kitchen, however, it’s part of our daycare routine all year round.
For us, good daycare meals mean more than just what ends up on the plate. We want to help children develop healthy and sustainable habits that will stay with them throughout their lives.