Food-savvy tots grow their own fruit and veg at Burgess Hill Girls Nursery

These tots at Burgess Hill Girls Nursery certainly understand where their food comes from – their school garden, where they grow a wide variety of vegetables and fruit.

With a recent survey reporting that fewer than half of young UK adults know butter comes from a dairy cow and a third do not know eggs come from hens, it has never been more important to ensure that young children are taught about food production from the start of their schooling.

At Burgess Hill Girls Nursery, children are involved in selecting and chopping fruit and vegetables for their snacks and prepare their own tea, usually sandwiches or wraps.

The school catering team support the children’s understanding by visiting the nursery and talking about their roles, the foods they cook and how they prepare foods.

Nursery manager Suzanne Roberts says: ‘We strongly advocate developing children’s natural curiosity of the outdoors and an understanding of the world about them. Learning to care for, and be responsible for, their outdoor environment and understanding where their food comes from and the process of growth, is so important. It’s a lesson that stays with them for life. And they absolutely love growing their own produce.’