On the occasion of Taste Week, which took place 12th-16th October 2020, SAPERE Les Classes du Goût association launched the first phase of its taste education training for nursery workers.
We have in effect set up a partnership with the Early Years service of the town of Senlis, aiming, firstly, to raise awareness among nursery workers of the importance of integrating taste education into their daily activities with toddlers (18 to 36 months old), and secondly, to train them in our taste education method.
During Taste Week we met the Early Years service managers along with the nursery workers. We asked them about the challenges they encounter in their work and about their needs in terms of taste education. With the children present, we were able to demonstrate our approach using typical activities based on play and sensory experimentation.
In those morning sessions, the children and the nursery workers (re)discovered the apple in all its forms and all its colours. Apples are an ideal fruit – rich and varied, reassuring for children – for talking about taste while taking into account issues around access to healthy, tasty and seasonal food.
This training programme for childhood professionals is supported by the Hauts-de-France DRAAF (Regional Directorate-General of Food, Agriculture and Forests), as part of the regional implementation of the National Food Plan.