Project A.P.P.L.E. combines two of our favorite things—our healthy snack and our gardening programs! Our goal is to initiate conversations and learning around healthy food choices that will continue throughout our children’s lives. Together we are eating healthier at school, experimenting with new tastes and recipes, growing some of our food and composting what is left over.

Snack time is social and interactive. The classrooms are buzzing with discussions about what we are eating, how it tastes, how it was prepared, and how some families may prepare it differently. On many mornings the school is filled with a lovely aroma from what we are cooking or baking, starting the day in a joyful way! Through our food selections and preparation, we hope to engage all the senses.

Food preparation and the enjoyment of snack time also supports the work already happening in our classrooms, building early math, literacy and fine motor skills. We estimate and count how many peas are in our pods. We have discovered the alphabet in our (whole grain) pretzel pieces. We taste test different varieties, and design charts to quantify the results. We create recipes, write and draw them. We measure ingredients, chop, stir, squeeze, peel, cook and bake.