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As child care providers, it's our responsibility to promote healthy development in children. Healthy eating lays the foundation for a lifetime of good health, and nurturing these habits starts from an early age. Understanding food preferences begins in infancy; during childhood, their dietary choices are shaped through consistent mealtime routines and experiences.
As part of your role as caregivers, you're fostering lifelong healthy habits alongside children. Establishing routine meals that include nutritious options not only helps meet the child's nutritional needs but also lays groundwork for positive eating behaviors later in life. Your enthusiasm about food exploration becomes contagious, igniting their curiosity.
The atmosphere surrounding meal times is vital to creating lifelong healthy habits. Child care centers m to serve meals that cater both to nutritional requirements and promote enjoyable dining experiences. Introducing new foods through sensory activities like smelling, tasting, and touching them can make exciting for children.
Talk about food: Describing their textures, colors, flavors encourages awareness. When kids share in meal preparation and clean-up processes, they understand how food is handled at every stage of productionpreparation, serving, consumption, and cleanup. Their involvement promotes a shared responsibility for healthy eating.
Infants, toddlers, and preschoolers develop their eating habits based on what's served to them during these formative years. It's crucial to provide diverse food options that meet their nutritional needs without overwhelming them with too many new tastes at once. The mealtime environment should foster comfort around variety.
As children grow, so do their palates and understanding of sharing in the responsibilities of healthy eating. Encouraging exploration through activities like gardening or taste tests can make food more appealing and familiar. Sharing your own excitement about trying new foods will inspire them to do the same.
For educators interested in planning nutritious meals, there are numerous resources avlable online featuring kid-frily recipes suitable for toddlers and preschoolers. These also include menu planning guides, healthy eating tips, shopping lists, and more tlored specifically for child care settings.
Family Child Care Providers:
Utilize Healthy Harvest progra introduce young children to fruits and vegetables through interactive kits that integrate science, math, and literacy activities. This includes hands-on activities, colorful picture cards, and newsletters for parents.
Parents:
Educate families with the concept of “Go, Slow, or Whoa!” to classify food choices based on healthiness:
Go Foods: Healthy options.
Slow Foods: Occasional treats.
Whoa! Foods: Choices to limit.
For child care programs participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program CACFP, it's essential to align your menus and procurement strategies with updated meal pattern guidelines effective as of October 1, 2017. Ensure that meal plans cater not only to nutritional standards but also promote a well-rounded diet.
Explore CACFP Guidelines:
Stay informed about the latest changes and how they impact your child care center's meal planning.
Healthy Kids, Healthy Future Trning Modules:
These modules, developed in collaboration with PennState’s Better Kid Care and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC, offer practical strategies on implementing best practices to promote healthy habits among young children. This includes lessons on childhood obesity prevention, meal planning, physical activity promotion, screen time management, beverage choices, and breastfeeding support.
Your commitment to fostering a nurturing environment where children develop positive eating habits contributes significantly to their overall health and well-being. Embracing these practices not only promotes healthy development but also fosters an appreciation for diversity in foods and encourages lifelong healthy behaviors.
This article is reproduced from: https://healthykidshealthyfuture.org/5-healthy-goals/nurture-healthy-eaters/
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Child Care Healthy Eating Habits Nutritious Meals for Toddlers Promoting Positive Mealtime Experiences Healthy Food Exploration Activities Compliance with CACFP Guidelines Child Obesity Prevention Strategies