Food and Wellness

Through our collaboration with Tulip and the Rose, we source fresh, seasonal ingredients that reflect local and sustainable farming practices. This partnership allows us to provide nutritious, high-quality meals and snacks that align with our health and wellness goals.

Our menus are planned seasonally with an emphasis on variety, nutritional balance, and appeal to young palates, using fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins that support growth and energy. We incorporate mindfulness practices, teaching children to listen to their bodies and understand the connection between physical wellness, nutrition, and mental health.

At meal time the dining table is set with plates, and the food is placed in small bowls from which the children can help themselves. Everyone sits at the same table. Good table manners are modeled and encouraged. Weekly menus are posted for viewing by parents/caregivers.

Our nutrition program includes greenhouse workshops where children learn about the food cycle, the benefits of fruits and vegetables, and the importance of balanced nutrition. Lessons are designed to be interactive and age-appropriate, helping children form positive associations with healthy food.

The Cullman Child Development Center’s Obesity Prevention Program is a dynamic, community-centered approach to wellness. Through our partnership with Tulip and the Rose and our use of fresh, seasonal ingredients from our greenhouse, we are creating a vibrant environment that inspires lifelong healthy habits in every child.

Infant Feedings

Solid foods will only be introduced after a consultation with the child’s family.

  • Infants will be held for bottle-feeding until able to hold his or her own bottle. Bottles will never be propped.
  • Infants are fed “on cue” to the extent possible (at least every 4 hours and usually not more than hourly) and by a consistent caregiver/teacher.
  • Breastfeeding is supported by providing a place for nursing mothers to feed their babies.
  • Expressed breast milk may be brought from home if frozen or kept cold during transit. All breast milk and formula shall be returned to the child’s home or discarded at the end of each day. Previously frozen, thawed breast milk must be used within 24 hours.
  • Bottles must be clearly labeled with the child’s name and the date the milk was expressed.
  • Labels on all milk/formula containers should be resistant to loss of the name and date/time when washing and handling.

Children 24 Months and Older

No child shall go more than 4 hours without a meal or snack being provided.

Children are encouraged to self-feed to the extent that they have the skills. Children are encouraged, but not forced to eat a variety of foods.