Kidco Kitchen
The Kidco Kitchen is founded on a fresh, from-scratch philosophy, building children with healthy bodies and minds. The Kidco Kitchen provides our children with made-from-scratch hot lunches, yummy snacks, milk, fresh fruit and vegetables daily. We know the importance of nutrition in your children’s growth and development, which is why our Kidco Kitchen menus go above and beyond all Canada food guide and provincial standards.
Food Philosophy
The Kidco Kitchen introduces children to a wide range of culturally diverse foods, offering vibrant flavours, textures, and colours that help expand their palates and encourage curiosity about new foods from an early age. Our meals are thoughtfully prepared using wholesome ingredients, with a strong focus on limiting additives, preservatives, and artificial flavours or colours.
We understand the importance and complexities of children’ s allergies and intolerances and are equipped to provide substitutions of equal nutritional value to ensure that every child can enjoy safe, nourishing meals. We scrutinize the ingredients we source to ensure that our facilities are free of peanuts, tree nuts, and shellfish.
What We Stand For
Nutrition & Health
- Balances, nutrient-rich meals exceed Canadian Food Guide recommendations.
- Whole grains served throughout the menu.
- Weekly rotation of plant-based proteins.
Quality & Freshness
- Recipes are made with no artificial colours, flavours, sweeteners, additives or preservatives.
- Food is made from scratch daily, using fresh ingredients.
- Prioritize local dairy, fruits, and vegetables.
Safety & Compliance
- Full adherence to child care licensing regulations for food safety.
- Allergy accommodations by our team of food experts.
- Strict protocols for cross-contamination prevention.
Sustainability
- Committed to reducing carbon footprint through menu planning.
- Work only with responsibly-sourced suppliers.
- Focus on waste reduction and eco-friendly practices.
- Ocean Wise certified fish, sustainably sourced to reduce climate impact.
Child-Centered Dining & Child-Led Eating
- Family-style dining to empower children to make choices and develop fine motor skills.
- Child-led eating practices that respect hunger cues and promote independence.
Education & Engagement
- Support educators and parents with nutrition resources.
- Teach children about healthy eating and where food comes from with a robust Nutrition Curriculum.
What are we eating today?
Our 4-week, rotating menus change seasonally – in Spring and Fall – so that we can promote and benefit from the local produce that each new season brings and introduce our children to new and exciting meals that expand their palates. Here’s what we’re serving today.
Winter Menu | Week 3
Morning Snack
- French Toast & Maple Butter
- Perfect Pear
Lunch
- Maple Dijon Salmon
- Maple Dijon Fillet
- Brilliant Brown Rice
- Crazy Carrots
- Fruit Fiesta
Afternoon Snack
- Rainbow Berry Bar
- Admirable Applesauce
Bye Bye Bites
- Bubbly Banana
Explore Kidco Kitchen Recipes
Since Kidco Kitchen is founded on a fresh, from-scratch philosophy, families can make any of our child-approved recipes in your own kitchens. Recipes make use of fresh ingredients and can be prepared in only a few simple steps. Check out our recipe catalogue and try one for yourself; Especially convenient if you know there’s a meal or snack your child loves from their time in care.
Family Style Dining
At Kids & Company, we enjoy meals family-style. Main dishes and sides are placed in serving bowls on the table so children can serve themselves. This encourages them to develop independence, confidence, and social skills, while learning to make their own food choices and take pride in what they eat.
After the meal, children scrape their plates and help with clean-up, which is an important part of the dining experience.
Why not try it at home? You might be surprised at how capable your child is—and how proud they feel helping at the table!
Chef Lisa
Chef Lisa Ruscica leads the development of all Kidco Kitchen menus and oversees kitchen operations across the country. A proud graduate of both the Food and Nutrition Program and the Culinary Arts Program at George Brown College, Lisa brings a deep passion for healthy, delicious food to everything she does.
As a mother of three, she’s dedicated to teaching her own children the importance of a balanced lifestyle—something she brings to life in the meals she creates for Kids & Company families. Her creativity and commitment to nutrition are reflected in the diverse, child-friendly menus served nationally.
Frequently Asked Questions
