Sichuan Gaoping: Kindergarten Invites Parents into the Canteen in Spring 2025

In order to allow parents to gain a more intuitive understanding of the kindergarten canteen's operations, to experience the quality of the children's meals in the kindergarten up close, and to further strengthen the management of canteen food safety, on the morning of March 12, the Government Kindergarten in Gaoping District, Nanchong City, Sichuan Province, launched the "Parents in the Canteen" activity for Spring 2025.

At the beginning of the event, Zhang Chunmei, the Deputy Principal of the kindergarten and Director of Food Safety, warmly welcomed the parent representatives attending the event and expressed her gratitude for their ongoing support and cooperation with the kindergarten's work. She then provided a detailed introduction to the canteen management of the kindergarten, focusing on various aspects such as food procurement, daily management, incoming goods inspection, operational procedures, hygiene management, food sampling, nutritional meal planning, and the cultivation of healthy eating habits. By explaining these practices and philosophies, she enhanced the parents' understanding of the kindergarten's dietary and canteen management. She also encouraged parents to actively participate in the management and supervision of the canteen to lay a solid foundation for the children's healthy growth and to jointly safeguard the "safety on their plates."

Yan Lijun, the kindergarten's health doctor and healthy lifestyle instructor, explained in detail to the parents the principles of meal planning for children, including the formulation of weekly quantitative menus. The kindergarten's menu focuses on balanced nutrition, providing a variety of foods such as grains, vegetables, fruits, meat, eggs, and dairy products every day, according to the different stages of children's growth and development, to promote their healthy growth.

Teacher Xu Shengnan, with the theme "The Growth Code in the Plate," introduced the strategies used by the kindergarten to cultivate children's independent eating habits, covering details from pre-meal preparation, the dining process, post-meal cleanup, to post-meal activities. She expressed the hope that through the joint efforts of the kindergarten and parents, children can develop good eating habits and self-care abilities through scientific and patient methods, laying a solid foundation for their good behavior.

Led by Wu Yanmei, the food safety officer, parents visited the canteen in an orderly manner, dressed in accordance with hygiene standards. They observed every detail of the canteen, from the food testing room and washing area to the food preparation counter, serving station, food storage room, and sterilization cabinets. The rigorous and standardized management of the canteen was evident throughout the visit. Parents also reviewed various records and documents, including food procurement certificates, incoming and outgoing inventory logs, food sampling records, and other software materials. After inspecting the hygiene and operational procedures of the canteen, parents expressed their satisfaction and reassurance.

After the tour, parents gathered together to taste the children's lunch for the day. The delicious and well-presented dishes received unanimous praise from the parents. Subsequently, parents joined their children in the classroom to share a meal, experiencing the dining environment and atmosphere in the kindergarten.

At the end of the event, parent representatives filled out feedback forms, highly evaluating and affirming the canteen's work. They also shared their observations, experiences, and feelings through text, images, and videos in the class group chat, allowing parents who did not attend the event to gain an intuitive understanding of the kindergarten's canteen operations.

The "Parents in the Canteen" event concluded successfully in a pleasant atmosphere. Through this activity, parents gained a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the kindergarten's canteen work and dietary situation, enhancing the trust between the kindergarten and parents and increasing the transparency of canteen management. Looking ahead, the Government Kindergarten will continue to prioritize children's health, improve canteen management levels, enhance dietary quality, and work hand in hand with parents to safeguard the healthy growth of the children.