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Owners of Bodhi Tree Nursery in Kilburn, London, Giulia Bonavero and Avital Mediony, decided in 2013 to set up a childminding setting that would offer a vegan diet.
Ms Mediony, a former lawyer, was a vegetarian, but when her son began suffering from eczema she started researching dietary options to help. ‘Giulia was my son’s childminder, a vegan, and studying to become a qualified Montessori teacher,’ she explains. ‘By coincidence she was looking after a child who had severe eczema too, and while being exposed to vegan food with her, we noticed his eczema became almost non-existent. However, when he came back from holiday with his family for extended periods, the eczema flared up and became almost excruciating to watch. His favourite foods were rich in dairy products and gluten, and we realised there was a huge connection between these and eczema.’
Ms Bonavero and Ms Mediony decided to join forces to create a setting that would offer a vegan diet to more children. ‘I couldn’t find anyone else to cater for my son in the public or private sector,’ says Ms Mediony. ‘And I thought, if I have to wake up at 6am to prepare food for him, I might as well cook for others and spread that goodness to them as well. So, we didn’t exactly have the idea to open a vegan nursery, it almost became vegan by default really.’
Ms Bonavero works alongside two assistants providing childcare for up to nine children at a time, while Ms Mediony does all the cooking. All the food used is fresh, seasonal and prepared on the premises. Ninety per cent is organic. The nursery uses no sugar apart from maple syrup, and no pre-packaged foods apart from organic brown rice pasta.
‘We source everything from the highest-quality suppliers,’ Ms Mediony says. ‘We take food very seriously. We source wild foraged vegetables from Wales, and use local suppliers that Gordon Ramsay or a Michelin-starred restaurant might use. The children eat high-quality food fit for celebrities.’
FOOD AS MEDICINE
Inspired by travelling abroad, Ms Bonavero and Ms Mediony researched a variety of international teachings (see More information) to develop their own view of nutrition. Underlying this is the idea that food is medicine.
‘We use an adapted version of the ayurvedic and macrobiotic approaches to food, fitted into a simplified menu,’ explains Ms Mediony. ‘We think you should use the right fuel on the right day to target the right condition. So, what we feed children might depend on whether they have a runny nose or have had a rough, sleepless night. We have a policy that even just with a runny nose a child is still considered to be sick. We do not see it as a normal thing for a child. It is mucus, and that is a definite no-no. We might use specific spices to help, like fresh ginger, turmeric or cayenne pepper, depending on how they are feeling.’
Ms Mediony says the food also has an impact on behaviour and mental and emotional well-being in the nursery. ‘When Ofsted came in they were shocked by how well the children were behaving,’ she says. ‘We find there is a real correlation between the way they eat and the way they behave. Our children are very relaxed.
‘We have also helped children who were struggling with certain textures or colours, or had anxiety issues surrounding food. We have had parents worried their children will starve if they aren’t given plain pasta every day, as that is all they will eat at home. I just tell them, not at my nursery! The children end up eating more than adults. They will come back for three servings each.’
Ms Mediony says that while the children enjoy the food, it is not designed to be specifically child-friendly. ‘The food at the nursery is adult-like,’ she says. ‘We don’t cater for children per se. We are not catering to impress anyone, this is just how we eat at home.’
LITTLE ADULTS
The nursery aims to carry this approach through its entire provision, which is based in domestic premises, with Tibetan and Japanese-inspired décor and a bedroom/living room which is adapted using tatami mats that can be folded away.
‘We try to treat the children like little adults throughout the nursery,’ Ms Mediony explains. ‘We do a lot of yoga and use classical music. The nursery is very serene, designed using a lot of wood, with pictures of the Dalai Lama on the walls. We have had Tibetan monks visiting us, and the children do meditation and learn mantras. They are exposed to a lot of different influences. Between our staff we speak many languages such as Japanese, Italian, Hebrew and French, so the children also learn different languages.
‘We use Makaton as we have a lot of young babies come to us and we want to make communication clear, especially at the table, when children and staff come together to eat.’
The nursery vets staff to ensure they will be receptive to its nutritional approach. ‘Our whole philosophy is based on children eating with us, that is a must,’ says Ms Mediony. ‘If a member of staff is picky with their food, that’s a big issue. Eating is an essential part of the job here. We eat together like a family dinner. It is great to see the children enjoying this, and the conversations between them are beautiful.’
PARENTS
Parents often ask why their children will eat so much at the setting when they won’t at home. ‘I believe it is the flavours,’ adds Ms Mediony. ‘I use a lot of fresh herbs, and take inspiration from Thai, Indian and Mediterranean cuisine. The children eat stir-fries, a soup based on a miso, vegetables in mirin. I experiment a lot and bring a lot of variety. I also use state-of-the-art surgical titanium pots which cost £800, are non-toxic, and preserve all the vitamins and minerals within the food.’
Ms Mediony acknowledges that a vegan approach does not come cheap, but says parents value the focus on nutrition. ‘Of course we are more expensive than many other places,’ she says. ‘But parents love it, even if they are not vegan, and the majority of them are not. We don’t preach or make them do anything. The only thing we strictly do not allow is animal milk on the premises, so we tell parents if their child is still on the bottle that they have to find plant-based alternatives. But we stock rice milk and oat milk.
‘When we get new parents it can be difficult at the start, but they always understand. They go through quite a lot of screening before they join, as we may not be the right setting for them. We might not be your typical setting for every parent, but a parent who chooses us would be like-minded or looking for a new, refreshing approach to childcare.
‘Our approach is very informal, like a home from home. Basically, we are a bit hippy!’
MORE INFORMATION
The nutritional approach at Bodhi Tree Nursery has been influenced by:
Mucusless Diet Healing System by Arnold Ehret (1922)
Don’t Drink Your Milk! by Frank A Oski (1977)
David Wolfe, www.davidwolfe.com
