by Erinn Rinn, Director of Client Services

 

In early childhood education, every moment is a chance to learn—and lunchtime is no exception. At Novick Childcare Solutions, the commitment to nourishing children goes far beyond the plate. Through thoughtfully offering nutritional products and professional development for educators, Novick can help you transform mealtimes into a vibrant, teachable experience that supports whole-child development.

Healthy Meals That Spark Curiosity

Our Childcare solutions program is rooted in nutrition, variety, and cultural inclusivity. Our online catalog features fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins—designed to meet CACFP guidelines while introducing children to a rainbow of flavors and textures. But what makes us stand out is how we can help you pair healthy meals with meaningful learning.

Imagine a preschooler discovering the crunch of a carrot or the sweetness of a mango—not just as a snack, but as a sensory science experiment. With Novick’s support, educators can use these moments to build vocabulary, encourage exploration, and foster social-emotional skills.

Training Teachers to See the Table as a Classroom

Novick offers professional development workshops like “Mealtime Equals Learning Time”, “Food Is Fun”,and “Understanding & Overcoming Picky Eating”. These trainings help equip teachers with strategies to turn everyday routines into rich educational experiences. The trainings emphasize:

• Interactive conversations: Using descriptive language and open-ended questions
• Food-based inquiry: Exploring colors, textures, and origins of ingredients
• Social-emotional growth: Practicing turn-taking, gratitude, and cultural appreciation

Teachers leave with practical tools to make mealtime a moment of connection, curiosity, and joy.

Lesson Plans That Feed the Mind

Here are a few examples of activities that pair perfectly with lunch:

Lunchtime by Julia Yeomi Rubin- Read aloud and discuss

This book is a powerful tool for teaching empathy, cultural appreciation, and identity during mealtime. You can use stories like Lunchtime to spark meaningful dialogue around the table.

Invite children to share what’s in their lunch and describe it using sensory words (e.g., “My rice is soft and warm”)

Connect to the story: Yeonmi’s lunch had a special smell—what smells remind you of home? Is today’s lunch something you eat at home too?

How does this food make you feel?

 “Rainbow on My Plate” Lesson

Children sort and count the colors on their plate, learning about nutrition and patterns while practicing communication and fine motor skills. A printable placemat can help guide the activity, turning lunch into a math and science adventure.

Rah, Rah, Radishes! Read-Aloud Lunchtime by Julia Yeomi Rubin

This rhyming book by April Pulley Sayre celebrates vegetables with playful chants and vibrant photos. During lunch, children can cheer for their favorite foods, sort items by color, and create veggie-themed art or songs.

Why It Matters

When children engage with food through  conversation and creativity, they build lifelong habits of curiosity and respect. Novick Childcare Solutions understands that mealtime isn’t just about nutrition—it’s about nurturing the whole child. By supporting educators with training and resources, they help turn every bite into a building block for learning.

Whether you’re a teacher, parent, or program director, Novick’s approach reminds us that the table is one of the richest learning environments we have. So next time you hear the crunch of a carrot or the giggle over a grape, know that learning is happening—one delicious moment at a time.