The Unquowa School :Our Programs
Dining & Nutrition
At Unquowa, we view mealtime (and snack time) as an opportunity to build community within the school, and to foster values like sharing, taking turns, respect and responsibility. Children of mixed grades are assigned monthly to circular tables for eight, with a teacher at each table to guide conversation, manners and food choices. Table assignments eliminate the social angst often felt by children as they enter a school dining room and must choose a seat, and they allow teachers to encourage students to get to know other children with whom they may not have otherwise spent time. Luncheon is served family style, and the eldest at the table brings the serving bowls from the kitchen. The eldest doesn't eat until the younger ones are served. Students set and clear their own tables and return dishes and food to the kitchen. Lunch is a busy, upbeat, and very important part of the school day.
Our regional, seasonal menu includes a hot entree, hot soup, and a salad bar. As part of our school's effort to join the UNESCO's Decade of Sustainable Education, our dining program focuses on serving as much fresh regional and seasonal fare as is possible with very little packaging waste. We serve organic milk and cage-free eggs, procure most of our fruits, vegetables and meats in the Connecticut area, and our students compost the scraps from our kitchen. Our breads are baked here at Unquowa, and our homemade Gator Granola is a regular and favorite item on the menu. Our goal is to be sure that our dining program—both snack and lunch—sets an example of sound nutrition, clear ethics and environmental awareness. A very brief chat by our head chef at the beginning of each lunch about the origin and/or nutritional value of an item on that day's menu makes these goals naturally and gradually clear to our children. In addition, our students spend time each year at Sport Hill Farm, an organic vegetable farm just up the road from school, planting and harvesting to learn first-hand where food comes from.
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