...and i don't mean the salad, but i love me a good waldorf salad (even though i take all the walnuts out as i'm not a big fan).

a few months ago, i was reading a blog of a woman who had sent her girls to an in-home daycare/preschool that used the waldorf style of childraising in their daily schedule. if you don't know anything about the steiner waldorf schooling or childraising philosophy, a quick read here will fill you in. i don't subscribe to many of the teachings, but i love the overall, general feel of its earthy and earth-cycle centered approach to living.

while reading this particular blog, i was fascinated at the daily routine she described her preschooler experienced at this daycare: play with wooden toys, a bowl of steaming hot porridge for snack, outside play for 20 minutes each and every day (no matter what the weather), naptime with comfy blankets and pillows (not mats!), wholesome and hearty lunches all handmade by the daycare provider, and a full hand-written report of her child's schedule sent home each day. now that's a busy daycare provider! she had one assistant and a house-full of busy kids. and no television!

i am the first to admit that i've bought and continue to buy packaged, processed snacks to give to my kids throughout the day to keep them from "starving" or to keep the ever-present "i'm hungry!" statement to a minimum. fortunately, all three of the boys love fruit so we get a substantial amount of fruit into them on a daily basis. unfortunately, they also love sugar. white sugar and brown sugar: the two "evils" that actually can do more harm to their growing bodies than good. but i know full-well that a better and richer diet would aid in their hunger and keep them healthier than ever.

so....i'm giving them only nuts and grains for the rest of their lives.

no. i think they'd starve because i know their tastes! so i began my search for "better snacks" although if you google that you'd get nothing. i had no idea when to start because really, it's so much easier to just give them a granola bar than to make them yummy granola. i found this lovely little book:

it came in the mail this week and I already have big plans to incorporate better foods into the boys' daily routines.

this morning I made baked oatmeal with raisins and cinnamon for their mid-morning snack. it was a big hit...with Adam. it was "iffy" with Sawyer (he ate half his serving) and Rowan barely ate two bites. the recipe was from another cookbook. i will have to work up to the sugarless recipes in the waldorf snack book (the recipes are sweetened with honey, molasses and syrup).

i'm glad we're coming up on fresh fruit season. they can eat berries and melons all day long if we let them. we'll be eating a lot more local and fresh foods over the summer and i'd love to keep that up throughout the fall and winter. we'll see how well i keep to the DAILY baking and cooking regimen (i have homemade chicken stock simmering on the stovetop now!), and how well their already spoiled taste buds accept a healthier approach to fueling their (and our!) bodies.