planning nutritious meals and snacks 1...planning nutritious meals and snacks teaching children...

PlanningNutritiousMealsandSnacks

Inthisclassroom,childrenlearnaboutnutritionbothdirectlyandindirectly.Forinstance,thevarietyoffoodsservedandtheteacher'scommentsaboutthefoodaredirectlearningexperiences.Childrenlearnaboutmanytypesoffoodandthatmealtimeisapleasanttime.Thepositiveattitudesandpleasingsurroundingsofthelunchroomareindirectlearningexperiences.

1Healthy Practices: Nutrition and Fitness


Bywatchingfriendsandteachers,childrendevelophabitsandattitudesaboutfood.Manyoftheirfoodattitudesandbehaviorswilllastintoadulthood.Hopefully,theywillestablishalifelongpatternofeatinganutritiousdiet.



Teachingchildrenaboutnutritionwillbeanimportantresponsibilityforyouasachildcareprofessional.

Propernutritionisneededforchildren'shealth,growth,anddevelopment.Behaviorandlearningabilityisrelatedtonutrition.

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Somestudiessuggestthatyoungchildrenwhohavelearnedhealthfulfoodchoicesmayexperiencelifelonghealthbenefits.

Healthy Practices: Nutrition and Fitness


Nutritionisthemostimportantpartofawell-plannedmenu.

However,manyotherfactorsalsocontributetoawell-plannedmenu.Forinstance,scaleservingsizestothechildren'sappetites.Childrenmanagebestwithsmallservings.Theirappetitesoftenvaryfromdaytoday.


EncouragingFavorableFoodAttitudesandGoodEatingHabits

Besensitivetochildren’sneeds:

• Trytounderstandeachchild’spersonalityandreactionstofood.

• Serveage-appropriateportions.Dishoutchildportionsinsteadofadultportions.

• Usechild-sizedtables,chairs,dishes,glasses,silverware,andservingutensilsthatyoungchildrencanhandle.



Helpchildrenfeelreadytoeat:

• Provideashorttransitiontimebetweenactivitiesandmealtimes.

• Tellchildrenafewminutesaheadoftimethatitwillsoonbetimetoeat.Thishelpsthemslowdownandgetready.



Providesomeactivitiesthatwillhelpthemslowdown,suchas:

• coloringordrawing• playingwithblocks• listeningtosoftmusic• readingastory• talkingaboutthemeal


EncouragingFavorableFoodAttitudesandGoodEatingHabitsGetchildreninterestedandinvolved:

• Encouragechildrentoparticipateinmealtime.Withyourcarefulsupervision,invitethemtohelpwith:ü settingthetableü bringingfoodtothetableü clearingandcleaningthetableaftereating

• Beforethechildrensitdownatthetable,discussthefoodsthatwillbeserved.• Encouragechildrentodoasmuchaspossibleforthemselves.Firsteffortsarean

importantsteptowardgrowth.• Initiatenutritioneducationactivities.


EncouragingFavorableFoodAttitudesandGoodEatingHabitsMakeeatingapleasure:

• Servemealsinabrightandattractiveroom.• Selectandarrangefoodonplatesinwaysthatmakemealsinterestingandattractive.• Tomakemealsinteresting,includeavarietyofcolors,flavors,textures,andshapes.• Differencesintemperaturecanalsoaddinterest—forexample,crisp,cool,raw

vegetablescanbeanicecontrasttoawarmsoup.• Setagoodexample.Eatatthetablewiththechildrenandencourageconversation.• Encouragethechildrentotalkabouttheirfoodexperiences;howthefoodtastesand

smells.



Fosterpositivefeelings:

• Allowchildrentoleavefoodontheirplates.Theymaylearntoovereatiftheyaretoldtofinishtheirmealsorcleantheirplates.

• Planplentyoftimetoallowchildrentoeatwithoutfeelingrushed.

• Avoidallowingchildrentousefoodtogainspecialattention.

• Neverusefoodasarewardorpunishment.


Beverages

Beveragesaretheliquidswedrink.

Today,thereisawidevarietyoffluidchoices.Ifnotselectedcarefully,beveragescanaddsignificantcaloriestochildren’sdietswithoutaddingnutrients.


Beverages

Wateristhebestbeveragechoiceforchildrenbetweenmeals,includingatsnacktime.Watersatisfiesthirstwithoutaddingcaloriesthatcouldleadtoweightgain.Italsohelpspreventdentalcariesbydecreasingtheamountofacidinthemouth.

Mealsshouldinclude1%orskimmilkforchildrenoverage2,withwateror100%juiceservedatsnacks.


BeveragesDrinkingwatershouldbeavailableatalltimesforself-serve,bothindoorsandoutdoors.

Childrenplayhardandneedenoughfluidtostaywellhydrated.Whenwaterisavailablewithineasyreach,itwillbelookedtofirsttosatisfythirst.Childrenoftendonotknowwhentheyarethirstyandshouldbeencouragedtodrinkthroughouttheday.Encouragingsipsofwaterbetweenmealshelpstoreducethirst.Childrenarethenabletofocusonfoodsatmealtimes,ratherthanfillinguponmilkbeforeeatingtheirmeal.


BeverageTips• Findcreativewaystohavewaterwithinreachtochildren.• Trychild-sizewatercoolersorkeeppitchersoficewaterand

smallpapercupsinclassrooms.• Encouragechildrentodrinkwaterwhencominginsidefrom

theplayground,beforeorafteractivitiesorusingthebathroom,andbetweenmealsorwhenachildisstillthirsty.

• Avoidspillsbyfillingwaterpitchersonlypartway,byusingpitcherswithlids,andbyhelpingyoungerchildrentopourwater.


BeverageTips

• Routinelyofferwater.• Encourageallchildrenoveroneyearofagetodrinkatleastonecupofwatereach

day.• Showchildrenthatadultsinthefacilityliketodrinkwatertoo.• Makeitmorefun.Givechildrenfunstrawstodrinkwater.• Addlemon,limeororangeslicestowatertomakeittastierforchildren.• Letparentsknowthatyourfacilityuseswaterasthefirstchoiceforthirst.• Encourageparentstoofferwaterathome.


Juice100%juiceshouldbeofferednomorethanthreetimesaweek.

TheAmericanAcademyofPediatricsrecommendsthatpreschoolagechildrendrinknomorethan4to6ouncesof100%fruitjuiceeachday.Insmallamounts,juiceisahealthychoiceforchildren,buttheytendtodrinkitinplaceofwater.Ifconsumedinexcess,childrentendtofilluponjuiceandmayeatlessofmorenutritiousfoodsduringmealsandsnacks.Toomuchjuicemayalsoprovidemorecaloriesthanneededandexposechildren’steethtoalotofsugar.


MilkOnlyskimor1%milkshouldbeservedtochildrenage2andolder.

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Milkisanexcellentsourceofcalcium,proteinandothernutrients,essentialtothehealthygrowthanddevelopmentofchildren.TheAmericanAcademyofPediatricssupportsdrinkingoflow-fatandskimmilkbychildrenages2yearsandolder.ThesemilkchoiceshaveasmuchcalciumandvitaminDaswholeor2%milkwithouttheextrafat,cholesterolandcalories.


RegulationsRegardingServingMilk

Onlypasteurizedmilkorpasteurizedmilkproductscanbeservedtochildreninyourcare.

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Nondairymilksubstitutesmaybeservedonlywithwrittenpermissionofthechild'sparentforchildrenovertheageoftwelvemonths.



Theamountofrequiredmilkfatinthemilkproductisdeterminedbythechild'sage:

Iftheageofthechildisunder12months:

Fullstrengthformulaorfullstrengthbreastmilkunlesstherearespecificwritteninstructionsfromalicensedhealthcareprovider.




Iftheageofthechildisbetween12and24months:

Fullstrengthwholemilkorbreastmilkunlesstherearespecificwritteninstructionsfromalicensedhealthcareprovider.




Iftheageofthechildover24months:

Withorwithoutfatcontentofprovider'sorparent'schoice.



Cow'smilkisasignificantsourceofnutrientsthatareimportantforgrowthinchildrenovertwelvemonthsofage.Milksubstitutesforchildrenovertwelvemonthsmaybeservedwithparentpermission.

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Childrenbetweentwelveandtwenty-fourmonthsofageshouldconsumewholemilkandchildrenovertheageoftwenty-four

monthscanconsumewholemilkorlowerfatmilk.



BecausethetypicalAmericandiethasahighfatcontent,itisusuallyrecommendedthatchildrenovertheageoftwenty-fourmonthsconsumelowerfatmilkssuchas1%(lowfat)milkornon-fatmilkasameanstolowerthetotalfatcontentofthediet.


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