Refrigerio

Being involved in the education system of Peru has been interesting/challenging/frustrating/surprising.  Just like so many other things here, it is just SO different.  About two months ago at a parent meeting (these occur at least monthly) it was decided that instead of each child bringing his own snack to school, each family would rotate bringing  "refrigerio" for the entire class.  The translation for refrigerio is refreshment.  The class is large, so that means that each family is responsible for food about once a month.  School hours are 9:00-12:45 each morning.  What comes to my American mind for a mid-morning "refreshment" for 4 year olds is crackers, cheese slices, carrot sticks, apple wedges, vanilla wafers, etc.  The teacher told us she would create a menu and calendar for the parents.  Let me just tell you that what refrigerio SHOULD be translated as is mini-dinner.  The following will explain.

I was responsible for today's food. The menu:  Fried Fish with rice and cucumbers, apples, and lemonade.  When I picked Thomas up from school yesterday, I brought home all the plastic containers and silverware that the kids use each day.  I washed them.  Fortunately, whatever fruit the kids had yesterday did not require a container- so I did not have to wash the "fruit containers".

     

 I washed all the containers, cups, lids and silverware and laid them out to dry. 

                    

Cut up apples....

and cucumbers.

This morning I put lemonade in cups and an apple wedge in the "fruit" containers.

While the rice was cooking in the rice maker, I fried fish!  The smell of frying fish at 8am is not my favorite.

Final step- fish, rice, cucumber- and a little squirt of lemon.

cute little-dinner

Finished!  

Thomas was excited to bring fish to school.  And he looks WAY to grown up in this picture.

Thomas is getting exposure to all kinds of food at school, which is great, and the teacher says that all the kids eat better when they all get the same food.  I think I will have to do the refrigerio one more time before the end of the school year in December.  I am hoping that I don't get roasted chicken with potatoes!