Organic Food
Nutrition - sowing the seed
The importance of childhood nutrition is an essential component of our philosophy at Pelican. We believe we have a responsibility to instil healthy eating habits in children, which are formed at a very young age.
Choices, tastes, nutritional quality of food offered to infants and children have far reaching effects on food preferences and health in later life. Like any well-functioning engine, little bodies require good fuel, fluids and oil to make them run smoothly and perform well, nourishing them.
Children at Pelican will benefit greatly from being provided with a wide range of fresh stimulating flavours and will be highly involved in food preparation, recipes will be made fresh daily with locally sourced organic produce wherever possible. Little ones are in a very dynamic growth process; it is our priority to feed them the cleanest foods possible to help build the biological foundation for the rest of their lives.
At Pelican we love to explore and have fundamental beliefs that storytelling, growing, cooking, creative play help to build an understanding of where food comes from which helps develop a great foundation for a lifelong love of good food.
We believe that mealtimes should be a happy social occasion for staff and children alike. We encourage baby led weaning in consultation with parents, we work closely with parents to ensure dietary requirements are met.
We also filter our water, which greatly improves the taste removing chlorine and many other chemicals that may be lurking in our tap water.
“It is our priority to feed children the cleanest foods possible, to help build the biological foundation for the rest of their lives.”
Why organic?
We care about the next generation, our environment and minimising the exposure to unnecessary chemicals.
We are exposed to harsh chemicals every day in the foods we eat, water we drink, products we put upon our skin. We will endeavour to ensure that infants, toddlers and children in our care will be protected as much as possible from these unnecessary nasties.
Fresh organic food is bursting with nutrients, it is grown without poisonous artificial chemical pesticides and fertilisers which leave toxic residues in our food and drinking water. Studies prove some of these pesticides have been shown to contribute to or cause cancers, infertility and diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Many additives, artificial sweeteners and other ‘E’ numbers commonly found in foods we eat are now being linked to health and behavioural concerns, such as Monosodium glutamate, Brilliant Blue and Aspartame, all of which are banned in organic food production.
In the past decade research has shown us that children may be much more at risk than adults from pesticide exposure and may suffer great harm to their health and physical development. Quite simply, children ingest more food and water per pound of body weight than adults, so any exposure is greater in proportion to their size. These chemicals may be more harmful to developing organs and bodily systems, including neurological and reproductive systems than they are to adult bodies.
Organic farming protects the environment; it works with nature not against it. Farm animals are reared humanely and not routinely fed antibiotics and hormones to suppress disease or promote growth.
Simply, it’s a full circle; the food you feed your children can help create a better world for them to grow up in.
