Category: Nutrition

Category: Nutrition

Children engaging with educational beads at House of the Hill Singapore, fostering curiosity.

Montessori At Home: Banana Oat “Cookies”!

We are always excited to introduce ways to bring Montessori principles into your home and further the skills your child is learning in school. We are also a bit hungry after talking so much about our healthy and delicious menu! This month we encourage you to step into the kitchen with your children and test out this friendly-for-all ages and delicious 2 ingredient “cookie”! (They’re dairy free, gluten free and vegetarian). 2-ingredient Banana Oat “Cookies” Ingredients 2 ripe bananas, One cup of oats (quick-cook or regular) Optional Add-ins: Cinnamon, chopped walnuts, few dark chocolate chips, raisins, or whatever else you want to try! How to:  1. Peel two ripe bananas and place them in a medium-sized bowl. 2. Using a fork mash the bananas until they are soft and no big chunks remain. 3. Pour in one cup of oats and mix. 4. Add any mix-ins now if you want! 5. Use a spoon to place approximately 10 cookies on a greased or parchment paper lined cookie sheet. 6. Bake for 15 minutes at 175 degrees Celsius. Montessori tips: Your child is the chef today and you are there to help guide your child through the steps. Begin with a prepared environment and make sure the materials are all ready:  ingredients, bowl, fork and cookie sheet. Let your child do the peeling, mashing, stirring, and dolloping onto the cookie sheet. Focus on just one step at a time, and if your child does not know how, begin by doing the action slowly and quietly and letting them observe, and then give them the opportunity to do it on their own. You can work the oven and then enjoy the finished product together! And remember, they can help clean the bowls when you are all finished! Subscribe to our mailing list! Don’t miss out on House on the Hill Montessori Updates and Tips!

Read More »

Nurturing Through Nutrition

We are what we eat — a common phrase and potential worry for parents of young children in school where they have less control over what their children consume. But parents at House on the Hill never have to worry — we not only embrace the responsibility of feeding our children healthy meals, but children here enjoy the delicious and varied menu. Our distinctive menu has gotten the stamp of approval from Singapore’s Healthy Meals in Pre-schools Programme (HMPP), from internationally renowned nutritionist Ian Marber, and most importantly from the children and families of House on the Hill. 4 Beautiful Locations Islandwide At House on the Hill, we strive to embody the true Montessori method and philosophy in every lesson and activity. Book A Tour We dedicate ourselves to creating healthy meals for children because we understand the health and behavioral consequences of nutrition for preschool aged children. Numerous studies show that balanced diets help children to be focused and energized in the classroom, a must for the daily exploration taking place in our Montessori environment! We must not only feed them healthy food now, but teach children to appreciate and choose healthy food in the future. Susan Baker, MD, PhD, writes that “food preferences, eating behaviors, and decisions about pleasurable foods begin early and probably last throughout the life” making it essential that as educators we help preschoolers develop healthy food habits, beginning with introducing children to healthy foods that they love to eat. So how do we do it? We begin with freshness. Fresh produce is delivered to our campuses daily and each meal is prepared daily and served within two hours. Next is ingredients; our shopping carts are always colorful and varied. We serve brown rice, whole meal pasta, and whole grain bread. Throughout the menu children enjoy sweet potatoes, cherries, edamame, strawberries, jackfruit, chickpeas, and other fruits and vegetables from around the world. We pay as close attention to what goes in our dishes as what does not go in — we never add sugar, salt, or other sauces and flavor powders to our dishes and yet they remain delicious and appealing to our children. Before joining House on the Hill some parents think it is impossible that their child will eat fennel, mushrooms or starfruit. And although we tell parents how delicious it is, it is ultimately children like Oli (graduated 2018) who convince their parents and rave about it at home. Oli’s mom said, “he loved the food offered at the school,” and that the “incredibly healthy but delicious menu has been devised with small ones in mind.” Picky eating can be common at this age, but many expert suggestions about how to combat picky eating are already incorporated into the HotH menu and routine, such as eating as a group and without distractions, offering a variety of flavors that are reintroduced every so often, and involving children in the preparation (a favorite afternoon snack is the Make-Your-Own-Salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and more). At House on the Hill the delicious and nutritious food feeds bellies and minds. A child who is well fed will be able to play and learn to their fullest potential. And a child who learns to love nutritious and fresh food will not only make life easier for their parents now, but will be making their own life healthier in the long term.

Read More »

Healthy Meals Every Day!

Our menu has been assessed and awarded the Healthy Meals in Pre-schools Programme (HMPP) by the Health Promotion Board (HPB). This means our meals have been deemed to be nutritionally-rich and healthy.

Read More »