Established in 2011 by business owner and facilitator, Audine Brooks it began as a simple extra-mural experiment at Pine Forest Pre-Primary in Bryanston. The business soon expanded its reach to seven facilitators and classes in schools such as Crawford Lonehill Pre-primary and Knights Pre-Primary.
The concept behind Taste Buddies was formed when Brooks began to look into the eating habits of children. She said, “I was trying to understand what triggered a child to eat, whether it be the texture or the flavour.
“And children don’t know what certain foods look like raw, they only know the finished product. So I found out that their interest in where these food comes from, helps them understand the finished product and makes them want to eat certain foods.”
The programme focuses primarily on nutrition and attempts to instil the life skill of knowing the effects of what one eats at a young age.
The feedback from parents has been positive. “Parents are enthusiastic about the classes, primarily because their children are being exposed to different foods,” said Brooks.
Teacher at Crawford Lonehill Pre-Primary and parent Bridget van der Velde said, “Taste Buddies is great. My daughter says it’s her favourite extra-mural. She tries foods here that she wouldn’t try at home and has lots of fun making it herself.”
