ManorfieldMessage from Jolien, our Chef in Residence
At Manorfield we believe that tasty and nutritious school meals are part of our pupil’s health and wellbeing and improves their learning. All views and suggestions are welcomed. To get in touch please email Jolien Benjamin: jbenjamin@manorfield.towerhamlets.sch.uk
Manorfield food update
This week the children in Reception have been going on Tesco’s Farm to Fork Trail. Our host made these mornings a super fun and educational experience where the children got introduced to where the fresh food sold at Tesco’s actually comes from and how it’s being produced. We learned that in order for our body to grow strong and healthy, and to get the best out of our thinking brain, it is important to eat all the colours of the rainbow when it comes to fruits and veggies! We got to sample lovely strawberries, grapes and cherry tomatoes and learned the difference between fruits and vegetables that grow on bushes, trees, vines and above the soil. We learned that we need the Vitamin A in carrots to help us see well! But also that eating oily fish, such as Mackerel, tinned Sardines and Salmon is good for us as they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that we need for our brains. Since our body does not produce its own omega-3 fatty acids we should eat oily fish twice a week. At the fish counter some children actually got the experience of being the fishmonger and got to hold a whole salmon and mackerel!
In the garden
With all the hard work many children have been putting into our lovely school garden and the stunning weather we’ve been having over the last few weeks, the garden is looking prettier with each day! Children across the school have been working hard planting vegetables such as sweetcorn, peas, beans, beetroots and rainbow chard. But also flowers such as Sunflowers and Nasturtium.
April jobs to do in the garden
If you have a garden then here are some ideas for garden jobs that could be done in April.
- Prepare growing area ready for planting out
• Add a layer of new compost to revitalize soil
• Pot on any early seedlings
• Harvest broad beans
• Harvest early leaf crops (salad, spinach)
• If planting out brassica plug plants put cardboard color around bottom of plant to deter cabbage whites
• Tidy up all areas of garden to remove slug/snail hiding places close to your veg patch
• Water all containers and feed any new plants with homemade feed
What to sow now
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Aubergine (greenhouse) - Beetroot (ground) - Broccoli (greenhouse) - Cabbage (greenhouse) - Cauliflower (greenhouse) - Courgette (greenhouse) - Potatoes (ground) - Pumpkin (greenhouse) - Sprout alfalfa, broccoli and mung beans (windowsill) - Spinach (ground) - Squash (greenhouse) - Tomatoes (greenhouse) |
Garden Request: Our Gardener in Residence, Holly, would like to start growing Asian Marrows/ Gourds and she is keen to hear any growing advice and experience of any member of staff and parents on how best to grow them. If you want to share your story please get in touch with Holly: hmartin37.211@lgflmail.org
What fruits and veggies are in season?
If you would like to buy local produce, fruit and vegetables that are in season there is a lovely farmers market in Stepney Green at the Stepney Green City farm on Saturdays 10-3pm: http://stepneycityfarm.org/farmers-market/ Here are some ideas for seasonal produce:
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Vegetables
Brussels Sprouts
Kale
Purple Sprouting Broccoli
Salsify
Spring Onions
Cauliflower
Leeks
Purple Mustard Salad
Spinach
Watercress
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Fruits
Rhubarb
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Wild
Alexanders
Cleaver
Dandelion
Nettle
Pennywort
Primrose
Ramsons
Sweet Violet
Three cornered leek
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Recipes
At the parent section on the website (Parents> Food >Recipes) you’ll find a couple of lovely spring break recipes. Of course no Easter holiday should be celebrated without Hot Cross Buns! If you fancied having a go at making them yourself, here’s a nice recipe. Looking for a delicious and light Easter brunch salad? Why not make a roasted Cauliflower one!? They are in season and by roasting the cauliflower you get a lovely nutty flavour out! If you wanted to be slightly more adventurous and go on a food foraging hunt, this is the perfect time for it. Go get those rubber gloves out and get out nettle picking! With a pair of scissors cut off the nettle tops. Ideally you would get the nettles that are a bit higher up, so that you are assured that no dogs or foxes have peed on them ;) Nettles are incredible to work with and have a great source of iron with a wonderful nutty, spinach-y taste! Go on, try it……. Make sure you wash them well in warm water with a little bit of vinegar diluted in it, and yes keep those rubber gloves on!
Food facts
Did you know that Chocolate was once used as currency?! Between 1200 and 1521 the Aztecs traded for it and demanded it as a tribute. Read all about it here:
http://archive.fieldmuseum.org/Chocolate/history_mesoamerican7.html
