Through Professional Learning Workshops, the Educator Toolkit and the Rainbow Food Explorer’s At Home ebook, we’ve helped kids across Canada and around the world develop positive relationships with food and eating.
What our community is saying:
“Janet Nezon explores the Four Foundations of Ontario's Pedagogy, “How Does Learning Happen?” though food. This wonderfully interactive food exploration discusses how food is an integral part of relationships - relationships to people, to the land, to culture, and to history.
Janet's knowledge and enthusiasm for food based learning is inspiring. Her perspective of Food Neutrality is right on point and should be adopted in the Canadian Food Guide. Janet offers a way to consider all foods as an opportunity to learn, build, and connect.”
Stephanie Brogden, MPEd, BA, RECE, Coordinator Parent & Professional Resource Centre, EarlyON Child and Family Centre, Lambton College
“WOW!!! This was a fantastic learning experience! I wish every educator in Ontario took your class so they understand how to support positive food experiences with children! Well done!!”
Beth Carson, Program Manager of Early Learning & Quality, Children's Services, Regional Municipality Durham
“Our program purchased the Rainbow Food Explorers Educator Toolkit in the spring of 2019. I spent some time getting familiar with the resource and thinking about how this approach would fit with my work with children and families in EarlyOn Child and Family Centres. The resource is very well developed and comprehensive. All of my questions and wonderings were answered as I explored the toolkit. The resource is user friendly and has many useful tips and ideas for extending food experiences with children. The Educator toolkit provides many Activity Cards to support educators implement food experiences that are sensory based and rich with language and vocabulary. I have shared this Rainbow Food approach with children and families in our drop-in setting and there has been such a powerful and positive response. Children are eager to explore rainbow foods with all their senses and many conversations have been sparked with parents, grandparents and caregivers about exposing children to new food experiences and having positive attitudes towards preparing and eating Rainbow foods as a family. Thanks for the amazing resource.”
Tracy Haney, RECE, Lambton College
“I absolutely love this e-book! It is packed with everything you need to get your kids jazzed about exploring the edible rainbow of foods all around them. As soon as I followed the Rainbow Plate approach with all the tips outlined in the book, I instantly saw my kids shine with enthusiasm as they scavenged our fridge for all the colours of the rainbow. Janet is brilliant. My kids look at and enjoy food in a whole new way now. It's awesome.”
Amy Stoddart, parent of two
“One of the best things we’d say with this approach is that it cultivates a healthy, positive and fun way with food. Implementing it with the children supports a variety of skills along the Preschool continuum (ELECT). Also, the way the toolkit was put together can be helpful not just for us educators but for families as well.”
George Brown College, Rose Avenue Preschool ECE
“I had so much fun with my kids exploring the different colours I found in our fridge. My boys took to the Rainbow Plate rhyme right away, setting the tone for every opportunity thereafter to explore their plates and the colours they could find on them.
All parents want ways to create deep connections with their children. Rainbow Plate is the perfect vehicle to set sail with your kids on a colour-filled adventure with food!”
Ashley Dolman, parent of three
“The children had fun exploring different rainbow foods during our inquiry project. Every morning they were excited to look in our rainbow basket, and talk about the colours, shapes, and textures of the foods they saw. Parents at our centre gave me positive feedback about how their children would go home, and talk about the different Rainbow fruits and vegetables they tasted. They were thrilled that their children were more willing to try different foods. The tool kit was a great resource to bring to group time, and review what we learned. It was also a great guide for teachers and students.”
Mary Bianchi, Preschool Educator, George Brown College Esther Exton Child Care Centre
“Rainbow plate has added purpose and direction to initiatives our school was already putting into action. Using the educators toolkit has helped inform and direct our teaching staff on how to facilitate learning about healthy and balanced diets, as well as provided inspiration on how to share this learning with our students. The result has been classroom and school wide initiatives centered around learning about something we are already trying to do everyday: eat and live a healthier life.
The toolkit has also been the jump off point for new initiatives like a school garden and our healthy pizza day program, which is a chance for parents and students to collaborate in the sharing and sampling of fruits and veggies. Both of these events have added to the feeling of family and community that our school looks to create amongst all participants.”
Brenda Kastner, Director, Glen Briar Academy
“Since my staff and I attended a workshop on Rainbow plate and received a copy of the Rainbow plate educational kit a few months ago, it has opened up many discussions amongst the staff team sharing with each other the fruits and vegetables that they ate during their childhood from their own culture. Staff's enthusiasm has inspired them to go out and purchased different exotic fruits and vegetables for children to explore with all their senses. In addition, I witnessed the wonderment in infants' eyes when they explore with the watermelon, the pomelo, the orange, the lime and the lemon. They even liked the tastes of them! Another rewarding moment for me is when a parent sent photos to us showing the creative rainbow that their child created using the various fruits and vegetables in the house. Furthermore, parents and grandparents came and explored different food from their culture and participated in cooking activities with our children too. All around the world, food brings people together and that leads to sharing, fun and laughter which are the key ingredients to healthy and happy well-being!”
Joyce Gee, Manager, George Brown College, Esther Exton Child Care Centre