DIET AND NUTRITION AT SAKURA MONTESSORI

What is central in a preschool’s menu? For young children’s optimal height and weight growth during their early childhood, a balanced dietary intake with ample nutrients is of the utmost importance.  

Good diet and nutrition for young children play a FUNDAMENTAL role that enable children their OPTIMAL GROWTH and reinforce their stamina, motor and nervous system flexibility as well as their physical and intellectual development. 

A delectable and safety-compliant meal is insufficient. Rather, it should be adequately nourishing and visually inviting to stimulate the children’s appetite.  

At Sakura Montessori, we have launched a school nutrition program incorporating mostly organic and natural foods that will help to boost the children’s physical and intellectual well-being, and elevate their Vietnamese-characterized physique comparable to that of their counterparts in developed countries within the region and Asia. 

The school’s menu is in line with the following criteria: 

• 100% clean/organic/natural/fresh ingredients free from preservatives/pesticides or being genetically modified with transparent origins are used. Utilization of packaged/processed foods and off-season vegetables is minimized.
• Meals consist of various foods providing a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients:
  • A daily lunch menu should integrate no less than 10 types of food and be balanced with an appropriate ratio of the four food groups: providing carbohydrates (Glucides), providing proteins (Protides), providing fatty acids (Lipids), and providing vitamins and minerals.
  • Meat (seafood/poultry/livestock) and leafy and non-leafy vegetables are properly used: one type of seafood per day with 3-5 varieties of vegetables. 
• The nutrition specialists from the National Institute of Nutrition offer Sakura Montessori advice on menus and dietary quantities that are nutrition-balanced and age-appropriate. 
• The dishes of a meal are cooked in different ways (frying/roasting/stir-frying/boiling/stewing/poaching/casseroling/etc.). Food is chopped into small chunks and cooked appropriately (chopped vegetables, ground meat/shrimp/fish/chicken).  
• No MSG (Monosodium Glutamate), broth mix, genetically modified foods, or processed foods such as sausages, hams, etc. are used; fried or greasy foods are minimized.
• The dedicated chefs preparing the meals for the children have years of experience serving school kitchens and constantly look for chances to innovate and diversify dishes, culinary methods, and food displays.  
• Bread, cakes, cream puffs, etc. are all made by the chefs of Sakura Montessori in compliance with the food safety and hygiene regulations.
• Meals not only energize the children’s bodies but also serve as opportunities to learn about the diversity of cultures, interchange and acquire knowledge, and ultimately, be satisfied and enjoy eating good food. 
• The school places emphasis not only on providing the children nutritious meals but also on guiding them through healthy dietary habits, eating manners, and nutrition education through culinary activities.

Menu samples at Sakura Montessori

If you are interested in learning what a menu offered at Sakura Montessori International Schools looks like, below are some samples for your reference:

 

(Menu for 0-3 age group)	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
BREAKFAST	Beef noodle soup Yogurt	Crab paste vermicelli noodle soup Yakult milk	Shrimp and leafy vegetable congee Cheese	Clear rice noodle soup with squid patties and vegetables Yogurt	Soumen noodles with ground pork Yakult milk
LUNCH	Fish and vegetable congee Watermelon	Siamese duck and vegetable congee Sweet tangerine	Pork and leafy vegetable congee American apple	Pork and non-leafy vegetable congee Banana	Beef and leafy vegetable congee Orange
AFTERNOON SNACK	Dorayaki TH milk	Macaroni stir-fry with egg and vegetables TH milk	Chicken vermicelli noodle soup with pork balls TH milk	Fish soup Orange juice	Fish roe and vegetable sushi rolls TH milk

 

(Menu for 3-6 age group)	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
BREAKFAST	Beef noodle soup Yogurt	Crab paste vermicelli noodle soup Yakult milk	Shrimp and leafy vegetable congee Cheese	Clear rice noodle soup with squid patties and vegetables Yogurt	Soumen noodles with ground pork Yakult milk
LUNCH	Fried fish with tomato sauce Assorted vegetables stir-fry Sweet leaf soup with pork balls Rice Watermelon	Ginger fried Siamese duck Cabbage with mushroom sauce Vegetables and pork bone stew Rice Sweet tangerine	Braised pork with tofu Garlicky water spinach stir-fry Gourd and clam soup American apple	Meatballs Steamed pumpkin Red spinach and pork soup Rice Banana	Seaweed salad Sumashi soup Steamed zucchini Rice Orange
AFTERNOON SNACK	Dorayaki TH milk	Macaroni stir-fry with egg and vegetables TH milk	Chicken vermicelli noodle soup with pork balls TH milk	Fish soup Orange juice	Fish roe and vegetable sushi rolls TH milk

*Note: The menus vary monthly/seasonally without affecting the nutritional quality.

The attention to the school diet and nutrition aimed at the students’ strengthened physical growth will give each child the opportunity to develop in a safe and sustainable way. With its properly designed nutrition program, Sakura Montessori is committed to offering children appropriate dietary intakes, instilling a culinary fascination in them, and being dedicated to a healthy generation. In the future, the school will continue standardizing its menus in line with the “School Organic Menus” to fulfill its goal of enhancing the students’ comprehensive physical growth.