Wild Lilac’s food and garden program nourishes our bodies while connecting our hearts, hands and minds to the earth and food we eat.

Michelle and Elizabeth prepare amazing food for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Delicious, scratch-made vegetarian food, ethically and sustainably sourced as often as possible, is prepared onsite for our children, teachers and the occasional family member to enjoy each day.

In our kitchen studio, the children help make bread, applesauce, hummus, mashed potatoes, tortillas, and more. Being involved in meal preparation encourages the children to expand their palates! And planting, caring for, and harvesting food from the garden builds a foundational connection to food that will last a lifetime.

Group meals are not just times for children to eat, but also important social events. Young children are in the process of developing lifelong attitudes toward food and the experience of eating. Children feel competent when they are allowed to decide what, when, and how much to eat. In a relaxed setting, they form positive attitudes and learn vital skills. By eating together family style, they are able to see friends tasting and enjoying a variety of foods, and the experience is fun and social. Mealtimes with children are not a time to worry about making a mess. Particularly for our infants and toddlers, the tactile, sensory exploration of food is often as important as eating itself!

Please check out documentation from the kitchen and garden, as well as recent menus, here!