2013-14 Early Childhood Provider Toolkit

5-2-1-0 Goes to

Child Care

Provider

Toolkit

Spring 2013 5-2-1-0 Goes to Child Care is program aimed at increasing healthy eating and physical activity in the child care environment. The program is part of a larger project called Lets Go!. Lets Go!, a program at The Barbara Bush Children's Hospital at Maine Medical Center, is implemented in partnership with MaineHealth. To learn more about Lets Go! visit the website at www.letsgo.org. The program is based on the following easy-to-remember message:

5-2-1-0 Goes to Child Care incorporates the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) 5-step intervention process and the Lets Move! Child Care Checklist to help child care facilities implement lasting changes. The Provider Toolkit contains the following resources, many of which have been taken and adapted from our 5-2-1-0 Goes to School Toolkit: 5-2-1-0 Goes to Child Care Binder: Contains overall program information with

suggestions on how to incorporate the 5-2-1-0 message into your child care setting. 5-2-1-0 Grab & Go Activities: User friendly ring-bound Redy-To-Go activities

grouped by age. 5-2-1-0 Posters Our hope is that 5-2-1-0 Goes to Child Care will help support child care programs in raising and educating a healthier generation of children. Please direct any feedback, questions, or comments you may have to Lets Go! at 207.662.3734, or email [email protected].

Victoria W. Rogers, MD Director, The Kids CO-OP & Lets Go! The Barbara Bush Childrens Hospital at Maine Medical Center

Emily Cooke, RD, LD Early Childhood Program Manager, Lets Go! The Barbara Bush Childrens Hospital at Maine Medical Center

01/09 R06/13 www.napsacc.org www.letsmove.gov

Lets Go! is generously funded by our:

Founding Partners

Platinum Sponsors

Gold Sponsor

Walmart Foundation

Bronze Sponsors

Rite Aid Foundation

Visiting Board of the Childrens Hospital

Additional Funders

The Estate of Mary R. Hodes

What is Lets Go!? Lets Go!, a program at The Barbara Bush Childrens Hospital at Maine Medical Center, uses a multi-setting approach to reach youth and families where they live, learn, work, and play to reinforce the importance of healthy eating and active living. The program is based on the premise that if families are exposed to the same health promotion messages through several settings, and if those settings have policies and environments that support healthy choices, they will be more likely to adopt or maintain the behaviors in their daily lives.

The Lets Go! multi-setting model is pictured below and includes the core principles of:

Healthy Places Support Healthy Choices Consistent Messaging Across Settings is Essential Strategies are Based on Science & Recommended by the Medical Community

The Lets Go! program interventions center on the use of the common message of 5-2-1-0. These behaviors are supported by science and endorsed as recommendations by medical professionals:

Lets Go! has identified strategies and created tools to support and evaluate those strategies. All of these settings are supported by a marketing campaign that utilizes multiple methods of communication including social media.

For more information, contact the Lets Go! Home Office

at 207.662.3734, or email us at [email protected].

5/10 R06/13

or more fruits & vegetables hours or less recreational screen time*hour or more of physical activity sugary drinks, more water & low fat milk

*Keep TV/Computer out of the bedroom. No screen time under the age of 2.

Tab 1: Getting Started 5-2-1-0 Goes to Child Care Program Overview

Scientific Rationale for 5-2-1-0

10 Strategies for Success

5-2-1-0 at Your Program Flow Chart

Prepping Your Child Care Program to be 5-2-1-0 Ready

Letter to Parents Announcing a New Partnership: Template

Everyone Has a Role to Play in 5-2-1-0 Goes to Child Care

Tab 2: Provide healthy choices for snacks and celebrations; limit unhealthy choices.

Provide Healthy Choices

Fruits and Vegetables

Feeding Practices

Foods Offered Outside of Regular Meals and Snacks

Meats, Fats, and Grains

Menus and Variety

Supporting Healthy Eating

Nutrition and Physical Activity Education

Coloring Sheets Choose MyPlate (blank) Choose MyPlate (with food groups) 5 Message

PARENT HANDOUTS

Eat at least five fruits and vegetables a day

Feeding Infants

Feeding Toddlers and Preschoolers

Stopping the Bottle

Healthy Kids Snacks

Healthy Celebrations Parent Letter: Template

Go Foods, Slow Foods, Whoa Foods

Healthy Shopping On A Budget

Understanding Food Labels

Maine Seasonal Food Guide

Table of Contents

Continued on next page...

Breakfast is Best!

A Meal is a Family Affair

To have fruits and vegetables year round, add frozen or canned.

Whats a Healthy Portion?

The Fittest Food

Handling a 'Choosy' Eater

The Lunch Box: Appealing Lunches for Preschool Children

Making Your Own Baby Food

Help and Hinder Phrases

Choose MyPlate Brochure

Choose MyPlate: 10 tips to a great plate How can I Influence What My Child Eats?

Whats in Your House? Creating a Healthy Food Environment

Eating Between Meals: Snacking for Kids

Tab 3: Provide water and low fat milk; limit or eliminate sugary beverages.

Beverages

Make-Your-Own Sugar Bottle Display

5-2-1-0 Every Day! Water Posters Fill Up Here! Refresh! Thirst Quencher

0 Coloring Sheet

PARENT HANDOUTS

Drink water and low fat milk; limit or eliminate sugary beverages

What should young children drink?

For Growing BonesWhich Milk?

Water is Fuel for Your Body

Enlightening Facts About Juice

Keeping Your Babys Teeth Healthy From The First Tooth

Redy icon represents a priority strategy

Tab 4: Provide non-food rewards. Provide Non-Food Rewards

Alternatives to Using Food as a Reward

PARENT HANDOUTS

Non-Food Rewards at Home

Tab 5: Provide opportunities for children to get physical activity every day.

Active Play and Inactive Time

Play Environment

Supporting Physical Activity


Quick Physical Activity Breaks

Physical Activity Breaks from Take-Time!

Outdoor Play on Winter Days

WinterKids: Guide to Outdoor Active Living - Preschool Edition

StoryWalk

Interested in Creating Your Own StoryWalk? The StoryWalk Project FAQ

1 Coloring Sheets

PARENT HANDOUTS

Get one hour or more of physical activity every day. How to Make Your Home an Active One

Physical Play Every Day! Pamphlets 6 months to 1 year 1 year to 2 years 2 years to 3 years Ages 3 and 4 years Ages 4 and 5 years

Take It Outside!

Tab 6: Limit recreational screen time. Television in Child Care: What Do We Need to Know?

2 Coloring Sheet

Table of Contents

Continued on next page...

PARENT HANDOUTS

Limit recreational screen time to two hours or less.* *Keep TV/Computer out of the bedroom. No screen time

under the age of 2.

Promote Healthy Viewing Habits

Screen Time and the Very Young

National Screen-Free Week

Unplugged!

Tips for Reading to Very Young Children

Avoid Being a Family of Sofa Slugs

Tab 7: Participate in local, state, or national initiatives that support healthy eating and active living.

Healthy Dates to Celebrate

March is National Nutrition Month

National Screen-Free Week

WinterKids Guide to Outdoor Active Living: Preschool Edition

Tab 8: Engage community partners to help support healthy eating and active living at your site.

Engage Community Partners

Please Give Nutritiously

Tab 9: Partner with and educate families in adopting and maintaining a lifestyle that supports healthy eating and active living.

Introduction to Partnering with Families


5-2-1-0 Every Day!

Refer to each tabs Parent Handouts section

for strategy-specific parent handouts.

Tab 10: Implement a staff wellness program that includes healthy eating and active living.

Worksite Wellness at Your Site (includes the StairWELL initiative)

Move and Improve! Program

Tab 11: Collaborate with Food and Nutrition Programs to offer healthy food and beverage options.

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

Tab 12: Breastfeeding Are you interested in becoming a more breastfeeding-

friendly child care?

Steps to Becoming a Breastfeeding-Friendly Child Care

Basics of Breastfeeding Support for Moms, Babies and Businesses

Breastfeeding Welcome Here Sign

How To Meet the Needs of Breastfed Babies in Child Care

Caregivers Guide to the Breastfed Baby

Posters This Child Care Supports Breastfeeding Its Perfectly Natural A New Me! Superhero

Sample Breastfeeding Policy for Child Care Centers

Sample Breastfeeding Policy for Family Child Care Providers

Sample Infant Feeding Log for Birth-6 months

Sample Infant Feeding Log for 6 months and older

Breastfeeding-Friendly Reading Materials

PARENT HANDOUTS

Breastfeeding vs. Formula Feeding

Breastfeeding FAQs: Safely Storing Breast Milk

Safely Storing Breast Milk Cheat Sheet

Requesting a Breast Pump from Your Health Insurance Carrier

Sample Letter to Employers

Table of Contents Resources to Help Child Care Providers and

Breastfeeding Families

Whenever Wherever! Campaign Overview: Maine Welcomes Nursing Moms

Tab 13: Evaluation Evaluating Your Programs 5-2-1-0 Interventions

Recognition Program for Let's Go!

5-2-1-0 Goes to Child Care Self-Assessment Tool

Self-Assessment Instruction Sheet and Glossary

Tab 14: Resources Original 5-2-1-0 Song - CD & Lyric Sheet (Insert)

Fun Songs About Nutrition

5-2-1-0 Grab & Go Activities Ring - Activity Submission Form

5-2-1-0 Sample Policies

NAP SACC Sample Policies

Resources for Free Promotional Materials

Select Resources

Healthy Activity Booklist

Healthy Eating Booklist

Tips for Reading to Very Young Children

5-2-1-0 Every Day! Placemat

5-2-1-0 in the First Year Booklet (Insert)

Healthy Favorites: A Booklet Full of Healthy Tips & Recipes (Insert)

TA

B 1

Getting Started

Tab 1: Getting Started 5-2-1-0 Goes to Child Care Program Overview


10 Strategies for Success


Prepping Your Child Care Program to be 5-2-1-0 Ready



In This Section

5-2-1-0 Goes to Child Care Program Overview

Let's Go! is a nationally recognized childhood obesity prevention program designed to increase healthy eating and active living in children from birth to 18. Let's Go! works in six settings (schools, early childhood, after school, healthcare, workplace and community) to reach children and families where they live, study, work, and play. Let's Go! is centered on the common message of "5-2-1-0".

5-2-1-0 Goes to Child Care is a program of the Lets Go! early childhood sector. The program focuses its work around the tools developed by Lets Go!, Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC), and Lets Move!. Through the use of the 5-2-1-0 strategies listed below, NAP SACCs 5-step intervention process, and the Lets Move! Child Care Checklist, child care programs can address the policies, practices, and environments that influence healthy lifestyle behaviors.

In addition to a toolkit, this program provides Maine state licensing contact hours for completing certain program steps, free educational workshops for staff, and personalized guidance and assistance to support the child care programs in the adoption of the 10 strategies.

1. Provide healthy choices for snacks and celebrations; limit unhealthy choices. 2. Provide water and low fat milk; limit or eliminate sugary beverages. 3. Provide non-food rewards. 4. Provide opportunities for children to get physical activity every day.

5. Limit recreational screen time. 6. Participate in local, state, and national initiatives that support healthy eating and active living. 7. Engage community partners to help support healthy eating and active living at your site. 8. Partner with and educate families in adopting and maintaining a lifestyle that supports healthy

eating and active living. 9. Implement a staff wellness program that includes healthy eating and active living. 10. Collaborate with Food and Nutrition Programs to offer healthy food and beverage options.

For more information, contact the Lets Go! Home Office at 207.662.3734, or email us at [email protected]

05/10 R06/13



08/08 R07/13

or more fruits and vegetables. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables provides vitamins and minerals, important for supporting growth and development and for optimal immune function in children. High daily intakes of fruits and vegetables among adults are associated with lower rates of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and possibly, some types of cancers. Emerging science suggests fruit and vegetable consumption may help prevent weight gain, and when total calories are controlled, may be an important aid to achieving and sustaining weight loss.

hours or less recreational screen time*. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the typical child watches an average of 56 hours of television a day. Watching too much television is associated with an increased prevalence of overweight and obesity, lower reading scores, and attention problems. The AAP recommends that children under age 2 shouldnt watch any television. For children age 2 and older, the AAP recommends no TV or computer in the room in which the child sleeps, and no more than 2 hours of screen time a day.

hour or more of physical activity. Regular physical activity is essential for weight maintenance and prevention of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, and osteoporosis. While most school age children are quite active, physical activity sharply declines during adolescence. Children who are raised in families with active lifestyles are more likely to stay active as adults than children raised in families with sedentary lifestyles.

sugary drinks, more water & low fat milk. Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption has increased dramatically since the 1970s; high intake among children is associated with overweight and obesity, displacement of milk consumption, and dental cavities. It is recommended that children 16 years old consume no more than 46 ounces of 100% juice per day and youth 718 years old consume no more than 812 ounces. Whole milk is the single largest source of saturated fat in childrens diets. Switching to low or non-fat milk products (once a child reaches 2 years old) significantly reduces dietary saturated and total fat, as well as total calories. *Keep TV/computer out of the bedroom. No screen time under the age of 2.

Adapted from the Maine Center for Public Health

10 Strategies for Success Lets Go! is a nationally recognized program designed to increase healthy eating and active living in children from birth to age 18. Lets Go! works in six settings (schools, early childhood, after school, healthcare, workplace and community) to reach children and families where they live, study, work, and play. Lets Go! Is centered on the common message of 5-2-1-0.

The 10 Lets Go! evidence-based strategies connect to Lets Go!s core message and align with the CDC and the Institute of Medicines recommendations to support healthy eating and active living. Your work should be focused on these strategies to improve environments and policies in school, after school, and child care settings.

Lets Go! recommends creating and implementing strong policies around these strategies. Please refer to the Lets Go! Toolkits for more ideas on how to implement each strategy.

1. Provide healthy choices for snacks and celebrations; limit unhealthy choices. For example:

Encourage parents to provide only healthy options Have non-food celebrations

2. Provide water and low fat milk; limit or eliminate sugary beverages. For example:

Allow easy access to free water via water fountains and/or water jugs Allow water bottles Create sugar bottle displays Put limits on 100% juice

3. Provide non-food rewards. For example:

Use physical activity as a reward Have non-food birthday celebrations

4. Provide opportunities for children to get physical activity every day. Children should get one hour or more of physical activity every day. Help children achieve this goal.

For example: Use physical activity as a reward Have non-food birthday celebrations

05/10 R06/13


07/11 11/12

5. Limit recreational screen time. Children should limit recreational screen time to two hours or less a day. Keep TVs and computers out of the bedroom. For children under the age of 2 there should be no screen time. Help children achieve this goal.

For example: Work with parents to reduce screen time at home Find active alternatives to indoor recess Promote National Screen-Free Week Provide activity bags that can encourage screen-free evenings

6. Participate in local, state, and national initiatives that support healthy eating and active living. For example:

Local: Local gardening programs, Buy Local initiatives State: Take Time, WinterKids, Walk and Bike to School Day National: National Nutrition Month, NAP SACC, Screen-Free Week, Safe Routes

to School 7. Engage community partners to help support healthy eating and active living at your site. For example:

Doctors, dentists, dieticians, local colleges, food banks, libraries, farmers, and local community coalitions like Healthy Maine Partnerships

8. Partner with and educate families in adopting and maintaining a lifestyle that supports healthy eating and active living. For example:

Distribute Lets Go! parent handouts Sponsor family education events Introduce Lets Go! at parent/teacher conferences and kindergarten orientation

9. Implement a staff wellness program that includes healthy eating and active living. For example:

Support healthy staff celebrations Encourage walking meetings Allow for physical activity breaks throughout the day Encourage staff to participate in physical activity with the children no standing on

the sidelines! 10. Collaborate with Food Nutrition Programs to offer healthy food and beverage options. For example:

Make your school nutrition director part of your Lets Go! team Partner with the Child and Adult Care Food Program


03/10 R07/13

REGISTER

Ongoing

Support

From Your

Local

Lets Go!

Contact


Child Care Registers &

Chooses Champion

CONNECT Lets Go! Contact and Child Care Connect

ASSESS Champion Completes Self-Assessment Tool

PLAN Action Planning Meeting & Toolkit Introduction

LEARN Participate in Staff Workshops

SUSTAIN Write Strategies/ Best Practices Stand-ards into Handbooks

EVALUATE May/June - Repeat Self-Assessment Tool

REPEAT! Celebrate Your Progress, Re-register, and Set New Goals!

Prepping Your Child Care Program

to be 5-2-1-0 Ready

Hang 5-2-1-0 posters throughout the facility and in each classroom.

Dedicate one or more bulletin boards to promoting the 5-2-1-0 program and wellness events or activities.

Make daily or weekly announcements about the program.

Dedicate a section of your program newsletter to 5-2-1-0 and related topics.

Decorate the classroom walls with age-appropriate educational posters promoting physical activity and healthy eating (and breast-feeding if you serve

infants and toddlers).

Provide healthy snacks and beverages when serving food.

Allow physical activity (inside or out) to be used as a reward.

Encourage all program staff to role model 5-2-1-0 behaviors.

Schedule your staff trainings (5 total) to help engage all staff in 5-2-1-0 (contact hours provided).

Embed the 5-2-1-0 message into lesson plans and the curriculum, especially in health and physical education themed lessons.

Send parent handouts home to reinforce what children are learning during the program day.

Urge parents and caregivers to support the goals of the program by limiting the distribution of unhealthy high-fat, high-sugar foods and beverages. Ask us how

and refer to your Provide Healthy Choices document in the next section.

Develop collaborations with local community organizations, including recreation centers, doctors offices, and Healthy Maine Partnerships. These collaborations can help your program promote the messaging outside of the program day and

sometimes even provide funding opportunities.

Trigger program-wide excitement about the program by planning a kick-off, during the program day or at a special family night, with activities based on

nutrition and physical activity.

03/10 R05/12

Letter to Parents Announcing a New Partnership Date: Dear Parents: We are pleased to announce that has teamed up with 5-2-1-0 Goes to Child Care, a program that is part of a larger project called Lets Go!. Let's Go! is designed to increase healthy eating and active living in children from birth to age 18 by working with children and families where they live, study, work, and play. Let's Go! works in 6 settings (schools, early childhood, after school, healthcare, workplace and community) and is centered on the common message of "5-2-1-0".

Eating right and being physically active can be a challenge in todays busy world. 5-2-1-0 Goes to Child Care is here to help! As a part of 5-2-1-0 Goes to Child Care, our program will be working hard to improve our nutrition and physical activity environment and incorporate the 5-2-1-0 messages into our daily activities. As part of our work, you will probably notice some changes in our facility and may also receive parent-geared information, which will highlight the messages your child is learning in this program. Dont hesitate to get involved and help us with the changes or ask what areas we are planning on improving. For more information about 5-2-1-0 Goes to Child Care, visit www.letsgo.org, contact at - or email the Lets Go! Early Childhood program staff at [email protected]. Sincerely, Please Note: A modifiable version of this letter can be found in the online toolkit on our website.

03/10 R07/13


07/11 R06/13

The Role of the Classroom: Increase opportunities for physical

activity and healthy eating during the program day using the 5-2-1-0 strategies.

Educate children of the importance of physical activity and healthy eating.

The Role of the Child Care Program:

Implement a strong wellness policy that supports 5-2-1-0 strategies.

Role model 5-2-1-0 behaviors. Create an environment that is

supportive of 5-2-1-0 strategies.

The Role of the Community:

Local doctors, dentists, parents, and other professionals share their expertise with child care programs.

All school programs, child care programs, recreation centers, and libraries can promote and practice 5-2-1-0 to support consistent messaging.

The Role of the Family:

Create a home environment that is supportive of 5-2-1-0 behaviors.

Become involved in 5-2-1-0 Goes to Child Care and other initiatives that promote physical activity and healthy eating.

Role model 5-2-1-0 behaviors.

TA

B 2

Provide H

ealthy Choices

Tab 2: Provide healthy choices for snacks and celebrations; limit unhealthy choices.


Fruits and Vegetables

Feeding Practices

Foods Offered Outside of Regular Meals and Snacks

Meats, Fats, and Grains

Menus and Variety

Supporting Healthy Eating


Coloring Sheets

Choose MyPlate (blank) Choose MyPlate (with food groups) 5 Message

PARENT HANDOUTS

Eat at least five fruits and vegetables a day

Feeding Infants


Stopping the Bottle

Healthy Kids Snacks

Healthy Celebrations Parent Letter: Template



In This Section

Continued on backside...



Breakfast is Best!


To have fruits and vegetables year round, add frozen or canned.

Whats a Healthy Portion?

The Fittest Food

Handling a 'Choosy' Eater

The Lunch Box: Appealing Lunches for Preschool Children

Making Your Own Baby Food

Help and Hinder Phrases

Choose MyPlate Brochure

Choose MyPlate: 10 tips to a great plate

How can I Influence What My Child Eats?

Whats in Your House? Creating a Healthy Food Environment

Eating Between Meals: Snacking for Kids

In This Section

There are several things a child care program can do to encourage healthy snacks. Send home the Healthy Kids Snacks parent handout. Send home a quarterly newsletter with easy snack ideas. Offer a fruit and vegetable tasting to encourage children to try new foods. Set a program-wide snack policy.

Be a role model for children.


For Snack Time Most children enjoy a snack at child care during the day. What a child has for snack can affect their ability to concentrate and learn.

For Celebrations:

Celebrations and events in child care

are

exciting. All too often, sweet, salty, an

d fatty

foods become the centerpiece of

celebrations. There are things you can

do to

encourage healthy celebrations at you

r

program.

Send home the provided parent letter

about healthy celebrations. It provides

ideas for healthy celebration treats tha

t can

be sent in.

For celebrations that involve food, conside

r

fruit platters, cheese, trail mix, or fruit

smoothies.

For Nonfood Celebrations: Set a healthy celebration policy or write guidelines for your program. Use the sample

policy language in the resources section of this toolkit.

Have the birthday child be the first to do each activity and/or be the line leader for the day. Birthday Library: Each child donates a book to the program library on his/her birthday. Read the

book aloud in honor of the child.

Create a Celebrate Me book. Have teachers or peers write stories or poems and draw pictures to describe what is special about the birthday child.

Create a special birthday package. The birthday child wears a sash and crown, sits in a special chair, and visits the directors office for a special birthday surprise (pencil, sticker, birthday card, etc.).

01/09 R07/11

Heres WhyExposing children to different types of foods helps them learn to enjoy new things. The child care setting presents a perfect opportunity to challenge childrens taste buds.

The CACFP guidelines offer many good suggestions for meal planning. While 100% fruit juice is presented as an alternative to whole fruit, it contains more sugar and doesnt have the fiber that whole fruit does. Try adding fruits and vegetables to all meals and snacks. They are an important part of a childs diet, offering necessary vitamins and minerals to support healthy growth.

Checklist

p We offer fruit two or more times each day for full-time facilities.

p We offer fruit canned in its own juice (no syrups), fresh or frozen.

p We offer vegetables two or more times each day for full-time facilities.

p We offer vegetables steamed, boiled, or roasted without added meat fat, butter or margarine.

p We offer a variety of fruits and vegetables, taking advantage of a rainbow of colors.

Choices You Make for Your Facility

Take advantage of fresh fruits and vegetables in season when they are abundant and inexpensive.

Try some innovative ways to serve fruits and vegetables. Slice and freeze seedless grapes or bananas for a new taste treat. Serve raw veggies with low-fat dip or hummus.

Be careful when cooking frozen and canned vegetables. Overcooking results in a mushy texture and dull color.

Serve vegetables that arent cooked with fat, and hold the cheese and cream sauces!

Purchase canned or frozen fruits and vegetables when they are out of season to save money. Buy no salt/sugar added varieties if possible; if not, rinse canned fruits and vegetables to wash away added salt or sugar.

Serve 100% fruit juice occasionally and not in place of whole fruit or vegetables.

Use herbs to spice up vegetables instead of salt and butter.

Nutrition and

Physical Activity

Self-Assessment

for Child Care

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Getting the Kids on Board

Serve fruits and vegetables regularly. Have a new fruit or vegetable tasting party by offering unusual fruits or vegetables like kiwi or sweet red pepper.

Have a theme week by color or letter and incorporate a fruit and a vegetable that match, talk about it, show pictures, show the item, and then taste test it! For orange, you could do oranges and carrots.

Many children are more likely to eat vegetables raw, like carrots, sweet peppers, snow peas, and even turnips.

Serve brightly colored fruits and vegetables to make them more appealing to children.

Let children create their own fruit or vegetable snack.

Plant a garden outside or in the classroom. It can be as simple as growing a tomato plant in a pot. Talk to young children about where food comes from.

Getting Support From the Parents

Encourage parents to bring in fruits and vegetables for snacks and birthdays.

Send home recipes for fruit or vegetable snacks that children make at the center.

Have a fruit or vegetable taste test for the parents at pick-up time.

For more information, please visit:

http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/fv_galore.html

Published by the NAP SACC Program, Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, May 2007. Permission to reprint in its entirety. For non-commercial use only.

Checklistq Staff ask children if they

feel full when they eat very little of a meal or snack.

q Staff ask children if they are still hungry before giving second helpings.

q Children are encouraged by staff to try a less favorite food in a gentle and positive manner.

q Food is not taken away for bad behavior and not given as a reward for good behavior.


Encourage children to eat a variety of foods, but dont force them to try foods if they resist.

Offer the same foods to all children, regardless of behavior. Use stickers or other non-food rewards to encourage good behavior like picking up toys.

Children vary in the amount of time needed to finish eating a meal. Extra time may be needed for slow eaters.

Control waste by encouraging small portion sizes and allowing children to take seconds of requested food items.

Teach children to listen to their bodies. Ask them if they are still hungry when they request more food and ask them if their belly feels full before removing their plate.

Introduce new foods one at a time with other, more familiar items.

Heres WhyYoung children are notoriously picky eaters and can challenge the best of adults with their ability to love a food one minute and hate it the next. While frustrating, forcing children to try a food or to clean their plates can lead to negative associations with food, overeating and weight problems. Therefore, gently encourage children to try a new food, but dont force. As a best practice, offer kids healthy foods and snacks and then let them decide if and how much they want to eat. It often takes ten or more introductions to a new food before a child will try it. Be patient! Make snack and mealtime stress free and fun!

Offering food as a reward or punishment places undue emphasis on foods as good or bad, so offer all children the same foods, regardless of good or bad behavior.

Nutrition and

Physical Activity

Self-Assessment

for Child Care

FEEDING PRACTICES



Create alternatives other than food for rewarding good behavior. Give them more time outside to play instead!

Let the children help out during mealtime. They can set the table and clean up.

Make mealtime a fun time by talking with the children.

Experiment with new foods that will be offered, such as asparagus. Talk about how they grow, their color, shape, texture, etc. This will allow for the food to become familiar.

Teach children in a fun way what it means to listen to their body.


Encourage parents to visit the facility during mealtime to observe the centers approach to serving food.

Provide parents with the centers nutrition plan, which outlines your policies for mealtime and serving foods.

Show parents that their child has learned to listen to his or her body to decide if he or she is hungry or full and have parent encourage this at home.


http://www.nfsmi.org/Information/Newsletters/Mealtime_memo_index.html

http://betterkidcare.psu.edu/TIPS/TIPS07.pdf

Checklistq We have written guidelines

for holidays and celebrations that encourage healthier options.

q We provide healthy foods or non-food treats at birthdays and other celebrations.

q We sell healthy foods or non-foods like wrapping paper and coupon books for fundraisers.

Heres WhyA child care facility should be a fun and healthy place for kids, their families, and staff. Meals and snacks arent the only times to think about healthy foods. Birthdays and celebrations can include many healthy treats and help kids appreciate and learn about other cultures.

Another time to think about healthy options is fundraising. Be creative and look for ways to raise money for your facility without selling sweets. Everyone will benefit from healthy choices and it sends a message to families that good nutrition is important at your facility.

Nutrition and

Physical Activity

Self-Assessment

for Child Care

FOODS OFFERED OUTSIDE OF REGULAR MEALS AND SNACKS


Work with your staff to create a nutrition plan. Include ideas for healthy celebrations as well as good fundraising options. Make this your facilitys policy on celebrations and fundraisers, and share it with families.

Often fundraising is necessary to help support child care facilities. Try selling healthier alternatives like fruit and nuts, or non-foods like wrapping paper and coupon books.

If you have a vending machine in your facility, ask the vending supplier to provide healthier options like 100% juice, water, dried fruit, and nuts. If you dont have a vending machine in your facility, way to go!


Make parties and celebrations healthy and fun by letting the kids help prepare healthy treats.

For a celebration, fill a piata with toys, toothbrushes, granola bars, and other fun and healthy items.

For celebrations, incorporate favorite group games as a treat instead of food.


Share your facilitys nutrition policy with parents.

Ask parents to help decide on healthy alternatives for fundraisers.

Share recipes for healthier treats for parties and celebrations with parents.

Ask parents to provide games for celebrations instead of food.

Encourage parents to celebrate their childs birthday with a favorite food other than cupcakes or cake. Maybe their child loves fruit salad or macaroni and cheese and would be happy to share that instead.

Celebrate birthdays with party hats and balloons instead of food!


http://www.mdpta.org/documents/Healthy_Celebrations.pdf


Heres WhyAdults often make assumptions that children will only eat chicken nuggets and french fries. While they do like these items, try challenging their taste buds with healthier alternatives! Studies show that children who are offered many types of food are more likely to make good choices. Plan menus to have lots of variety including: whole grains, beans, baked chicken, turkey, or fish. Be creative and dont give up!

Checklistq We offer fried meats like

chicken nuggets and fish sticks once a week or less.

q We offer fried or pre-fried potatoes like french fries or tater tots once a week or less.

q We offer high-fat meats like sausage, bacon, hot dogs, and bologna once a week or less.

q We offer beans or lean meats like baked or broiled chicken, turkey or fish at least once a day.

q We offer high-fiber foods such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, Cheerios, and oatmeal at least twice a day.

q We offer sweets, high-fat and high-salt foods like cookies and chips once a week or less.


Make your own french fries! Be creative: slice or chop any type of potato, toss in a little oil, and salt and bake!

When serving commercially prepared foods, like french fries and fried chicken, bake rather than fry. Also, be aware that these items were fried prior to freezing and contain lots of additional fat regardless of how you prepare them.

Use alternatives to higher fat meats; lean ground turkey or beef, turkey bacon, sausage, and hot dogs. Kids wont be able to tell the difference!

Soups are an easy way to incorporate lean meats such as turkey and baked chicken (and you can even add beans!). Dont have time? Try low-sodium canned soups.

Serve whole grain bread products (whole wheat toast and English muffins) and cereals (Cheerios and Wheat Chex) for breakfast instead of biscuits and muffins, which have a lot of added sugar and fat and little fiber.

Try serving fresh fruit, whole grain crackers, and cheese cubes for a snack instead of prepackaged cookies and snack bars.

Nutrition and

Physical Activity

Self-Assessment

for Child Care

MEATS, FATS, AND GRAINS


Encourage staff to talk to children about what they are eating and how they enjoy non-fried foods.

Instead of frozen pizza, have children make mini pizzas on whole wheat English muffins. Have a topping bar that includes cheese, different vegetables, beans, cooked chicken, and turkey pepperoni.

Children eat with their eyes! Serve foods that have different colors and textures.

Ask kids to share a favorite healthy food from their own culture.


Ask parents to bring their childs favorite baked chicken and potato recipes. Create a recipe book for families!

Tell parents that youre trying to serve less fried foods, less high sugar, fat or salt foods and more whole grains.

Send a list home to parents of new foods that were offered to their child. Encourage them to try these new foods at home also!


http://www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/healthy_school_snacks.pdf

http://betterkidcare.psu.edu/101snacksWeb.pdf

http://www.nfsmi.org/Information/Newsletters/meme2007-04.pdf



Heres WhyRemember the saying variety is the spice of life? Kids need variety just like adults, especially for establishing lifelong healthy eating habits. Children spend many hours at your facility, so it is important to offer them a wide variety of foods every day. To increase acceptance of new foods, serve them with familiar favorites.

Serving foods from other cultures is also a great way to increase the variety of foods served in your facility. It teaches children about diversity by introducing them to new foods and new cultures.

Checklistq We use a cycle menu of

three weeks or greater that changes with the seasons.

q We serve new foods with familiar foods.

q Our menus reflect healthy food options from a variety of cultures.

q We offer a variety of different foods on the weekly menu.


Try different shapes, colors, textures, and temperatures of food.

Fruits and vegetables come in many different shapes and colors. Adding new fruits and vegetables to your menu is a quick way to get more variety.

If you purchase your food from another kitchen or caterer, talk to them about ways to increase the variety in the menus. Most caterers are happy to work with you to improve the variety of food.

Talk to your caterer about the length of your cycle menu. Increasing the length of your cycle menu means greater variety.

You can also talk to your caterer about a winter, spring, summer and fall cycle menu to take advantage of fruits and vegetables in season.

Dont give up! Children often have to be exposed to a new food at least ten times before they will taste it. Keep trying and one day youll be surprised!

Nutrition and

Physical Activity

Self-Assessment

for Child Care

MENUS AND VARIETY


Talk to the parents about healthy foods their children eat at home that might not be served at your facility.

Ask parents to suggest cultural foods that your facility could introduce in the menus, and ask the parents to share their healthy food recipes.

Have parents participate in theme days by bringing in small items like decorations or items that relate to their culture (chopsticks, maps, pictures, etc.).


http://www.opi.mt.gov/schoolfood/cyclecare.html

http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/Resources/menu_ magic.pdf

http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/Resources/childcare_ recipes.html



Kids love food that is colorful and fun. Add foods that are bright in color or have interesting textures to the menu.

Let kids help prepare a new or unfamiliar food in the classroom and then taste their hard work.

Ask kids to share a favorite healthy food from their own culture.

Have theme days such as Italian, Mexican, Spanish and Chinese; discuss culture, food and have taste tests.

Heres WhyMealtimes at your facility should be similar to mealtimes at home. Teachers and kids that eat together as one big family have the opportunity to enjoy a relaxing meal. Conversation at the table adds to the pleasant mealtime environment and provides opportunities for modeling appropriate eating behaviors and informal nutrition education.

Serving meals family style is a great way to encourage fine motor skills and table manners as well as teach children how to listen to their bodies when serving themselves portions of food.

Checklistq Our staff and children sit

and enjoy meals together.

q We serve meals or parts of each meal family style.

q Our staff eat the same foods that the children eat all of the time.

q Our staff model healthy eating to the children at every meal or snack.

q Our staff informally talk with children about enjoying healthy foods at every meal or snack.

q We provide visible support for good nutrition in 2-to 5-year old classrooms and common areas through use of posters, pictures, and books.


Serve food family style and let the children serve themselves. They can determine what foods they want to try and how much of each to take.

Staff should be positive nutrition role models. If you want the children in your care to eat their vegetables, the staff should eat theirs and enjoy them!

Eating together provides an opportunity for staff to teach children about table manners, and to stop eating when full.

Encourage, but dont force a child to try a food.

Mealtime should be a happy time. This is a great opportunity for staff to talk with the kids and make them feel special.

Nutrition and

Physical Activity

Self-Assessment

for Child Care

SUPPORTING HEALTHY EATING


Pick one child a day to talk about what they see on their plate. Ask the child about the different colors, textures, and food groups.

Ask children to try a new food at home and report back.

Ask children to talk about their favorite foods. Are they foods that should be eaten every day or only occasionally?


Parents influence childrens eating habits and interest in food by what they do and say. Talk to parents about how to be a good role model for their children when it comes to healthy eating.

Let parents know that you serve family style meals and snacks. Share positive comments about their childrens behaviors that you observed during mealtime.

Suggest that parents sit down as a family for meals as frequently as possible.

Invite parents to join their children at a mealtime so they can observe the positive atmosphere.

For more information, please visit:http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/nfsmi/Information/News-letters/meme2004-4.pdf





Heres WhyNutrition and physical activity are important parts of good health. Enjoying and learning about food and physical activity in childhood leads to healthy behaviors for a lifetime. Many adults would like to learn more about these issues as well. Your facility is a great place to offer nutrition and physical activity training for both parents and staff. The more information people receive, the more likely they are to make healthy choices. Learning can be fun and helpful for both kids and adults!

Checklistq We offer training for staff

on both nutrition and physical activity at least two times a year.

q We provide both nutrition and physical activity education to children through a standardized curriculum at least one time a week.

q We offer both nutrition and physical activity education to parents at least two times a year.

Choices You Make for Your Facility Provide staff with training in both nutrition and physical

activity. Take advantage of your community resources, such as Cooperative Extension, your CACFP representative, and child care health consultants. Also, try your community center, public school system or local university for training information and opportunities.

Staff can teach children about the taste and smell of foods. The children should feel the textures and learn different colors and shapes of foods. Children are more likely to try new foods if they have had the opportunity to touch and smell them first.

Fun nutrition activities like making simple snacks can be a great way to teach kids about food and nutrition.

Staff can teach children about body movement and development. The children should know their bodies and ways to move to be healthy.

Fun physical activities, like dancing, can be a great way to teach children about physical activity and get children moving!

Nutrition and

Physical Activity

Self-Assessment

for Child Care

NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY EDUCATION


Use mealtimes for very informal education about food.

Give children the opportunity to make their own snacks. This teaches them about healthy food in a fun way!

Make physical activity education fun through active play. Kids love to move and learn new skills!


Keep parents informed about the fun nutrition and physical activity education activities that take place in your facility. These activities can be announced through newsletters or parent meetings.

Send home easy recipe ideas that parents and children can make together.

Send home family physical activity ideas.

Send home the NAP SACC parent handouts.


http://betterkidcare.psu.edu/AngelUnits/OneHour/ Garden/GardenLessonA.html

http://www.iowa.gov/educate/component/option, com_docman/task,doc_view/gid,510/

http://www.iptv.org/rtl/downloads/TNactivity1.pdf



Center for NutritionPolicy and Promotion

EAT

FRUITS

EVERY DAY!VEGGIES

SERVINGS

OF

AND

What I like about VEGETABLES:

EAT

FRUITS

EVERY DAY!

VEGGIES

SERVINGS

OF

AND

What I like about FRUITS:

08/08 R04/11

Try it! Try the three bite rule. Offer new fruits and veggies different

ways and try at least three bites each timeit can take 7 to 10 tries before you like a new food.

Many fruits and veggies taste great with a dip or dressing.Try a low fat salad dressing with yogurt or get protein with peanut butter.

Make a fruit smoothie with low fat yogurt.

Mix it! Add them to foods you already make, like pasta, soups, casseroles, pizza, rice, etc. Add fruit to your cereal, pancakes, or other breakfast foods. Be a good role model for your family and have at least one veggie at every meal.

Slice it! Wash and chop veggies and fruits so they are ready to grab and eat. Most people prefer crunchy foods over mushy ones. Enjoy them fresh or lightly

steamed.

Redys Rules A diet rich in fruits andvegetables provides vitamins and minerals,important for supportinggrowth and develop-ment, and for optimalimmune function. Family mealtime:

Do not underestimate theimportance of family meal-time; take 10-15 minutes tosit down together. Get your family involved withmeal planning.

Didyou know?

Food for thought

Eat at least five fruits andvegetables a day.

What is a serving?

Be a Role Model.

Snack on fruits and veggies.

Have the family help plan meals.

Adults A whole fruit the size of a tennis ba

ll

1/2 cup of chopped fruit or veggies

1 cup of raw, leafy greens 1/4 cup of dried fruits Kids Size of the palm of their hand Choose with the sea

sons

Buy fruits and veggies that are in season

Dont forget that frozen fruits and veggies are always ava

ilable

and are a healthy choice; choose those without an

y added sugars, salt or fat.

Be a Role Model. Snack on fruits and veggies. Have the family help plan & prepare meals

.

Do not underestimate the importance of family mealtime: take 10-15 minutes to sit down together. Get your family involved with meal planning and preparation.

Follow these tips to help your little ones learn to be healthy eaters: Feed infants when they are hungry; do not restrict them to a meal schedule. Let the child eat their way much or little, fast or slow, steady or start-and-stop. If an infant is full, let him stop eating. It is not necessary to finish off a bottle, container of food

or food on the plate. Note: Ignoring fullness cues may cause a child to lose the ability to tell when they are hungry or full and lead to overeating.

To avoid waste, start with small amounts and add more if the baby is still hungry (see hunger cues below).

Hunger cues: Putting fists in mouth Rooting (when an infant opens her mouth and turns her head towards anything near the

mouth) Excited arm and leg movements Sucking or smacking lips Aim to feed an infant before they get too upset and are crying from hunger (crying is a

late hunger cue) Fullness cues:

Clamping lips together Turning head away Spitting out nipple Pushing away bottle Decreased or stopped sucking Milk dribbling out corner of mouth

Bottle Feeding Techniques: Put only breast milk or formula in the bottle. Do not put cereal, other food, juices, or other

drinks in the bottle. Give the bottle to the baby at feeding time only, not nap time, and do not let the baby go to

sleep with the bottle. Always hold the baby while feeding instead of propping the bottle in the babys mouth. Do not

let the baby walk or crawl around with the bottle. Tip the bottle so that milk fills the nipple and air does not get in.

Never force a baby to finish what is in the bottle. Babies are the best judge of how much they need. To avoid wasting milk or formula, start with a smaller amount and add more if the child is still hungry.

Feeding Infants Babies are the best judge of how much food they need and their appetite may vary greatly from day to day.

07/11 R05/13

What do babies drink? It is not recommended to give children under 6 months of age anything to drink besides breast milk or iron-fortified infant formula. After 6 months it is okay to start introducing a small amount of water after feedings. Hold off on any other fluids (including 100% fruit and vegetable juices) until 1 year of age.

Feeding Solid Foods Introduction of solids can begin as early as 4-6 months. Introduce one single-ingredient new food at a time and wait 3-5 days before introducing anything else

to watch for possible allergic reactions. Choose foods that will provide key nutrients and help children meet their energy needs. Recommended

first foods include: single-grain cereals, pureed vegetables and fruits, and pureed lean poultry or meats. You can make your own foods and thin them to a soupy consistency with breast milk or formula.

Introduce a variety of foods by the end of the first year. Remember, when offering a new food, it may take up to 15 exposures till the child accepts the food, so keep trying!

Avoid adding salt or any kind of sweetener. These are not necessary to make children like a food this can be done by repeatedly introducing a food (see above).

*An infant may eat or drink more or less than what is listed here. Pay attention to hunger and fullness cues and talk to your doctor if youre concerned about your infants intake.

Age Item Amount*

Up to 4 months No Solids Recommended

4-8 months Single-grain, iron-fortified cereal

Up to 3 Tbsp Fruits and/or vegetables Pureed lean poultry and meats

8-12 months

Single-grain, iron-fortified cereal

1-4 Tbsp Fruits and/or vegetables Lean poultry, meat, egg, cooked beans or peas Cottage cheese or yogurt Cheese oz to 2 oz Bread to slice Crackers 2 crackers

Age Item Amount*

Up to 4 months

Breast milk (preferred) Iron-fortified infant formula 4-6 oz/feeding

4-6 months Breast milk (preferred) Iron-fortified infant formula 4-8 oz/feeding

6-8 months Breast milk (preferred) Iron-fortified infant formula Plain unflavored water

4-8 oz/feeding Small amounts of water can be

given after breast milk or formula.

8-12 months Breast milk (preferred) Iron-fortified infant formula Plain unflavored water

6-8 oz/feeding Small amounts of water can be

given after breast milk or formula.

Resources 1) Nemors: Best Practices for Healthy Eating, 2) Team Nutrition Feeding Infants: Guide for Use in the Child Nutrition Programs 3) American Academy of Pediatrics: Pediatric Nutrition Handbook


Children need less food than adults. What may seem like a small amount to an adult may be the right amount for a child. Most children are capable of listening to their body cues and will stop eating when they are full if you allow them. Not paying attention to hunger and fullness cues can lead to

overeating or turn children off to foods they should be eating.

What counts as one serving?

In general, a toddler-size portion is to an adult size portion. A preschooler-size portion is close to or the same size as an adults. For example, a one-year-old child would start with a one-quarter serving, while a 3-year-old would start with a half. NOTE: this refers to serving sizes recommended by the 2010 Dietary Guidelines and MyPlate, not portions served in many restaurants.

General Guidelines For each type of food offered, serve:

1) about 1 tablespoon per year of age, OR 2) a portion the size of the childs palm.

The table below offers more specific measurements:*

Always start by offering one serving of each food and

then let the child decide how much to eat.

If he or she is still hungry, they can ask for more food.

Type of Food 1-2 years old 3-4 years old 5-6 years old

Grains and Breads slice bread 2 tbsp cereal 2 tbsp rice or pasta

slice bread cup cereal cup rice or pasta

1 slice bread cup cereal - cup rice or pasta

Dairy - cup whole milk - slice cheese 2 tbsp yogurt

- cup skim/low fat milk

slice cheese cup yogurt

-1 cup skim/low fat milk

1 slice cheese cup yogurt

Fruit and Veggies

2 tbsp cooked or canned 2-3 pieces fresh small whole fruit No more than 2oz 100%

juice per day

cup cooked or canned 4-5 pieces fresh small whole fruit No more than 4oz 100%

juice per day

cup cooked or canned 6-7 pieces fresh 1 small whole fruit No more than 6oz 100%

juice per day

Meat and Meat Substitutes

1 oz meat** 1 tbsp nut butter large egg 2 tbsp beans/peas 1-2 tbsp tofu

1 oz meat** 1-2 tbsp nut butter large egg cup beans/peas 2-3 tbsp tofu

2 oz meat** 2 tbsp nut butter 1 large egg cup beans/peas cup tofu

*These are general guidelines to give you an idea of how much food to offer young children at meal time; children may eat much more or less than what is listed here. Pay attention to childrens hunger and fullness cues; if you are concerned about your childs weight or eating habits, consult their pediatrician.

**For reference, 3 oz of cooked meat is about the size of a deck of cards.

How do I know if a child who cant talk yet is full?

Watch for these signs:

pulling away from the spoon turning away/become distracted no longer opening mouth for food pushing food or spoon back out of the mouth throwing the food on the floor/playing shaking head no

Childrens appetites change from day to day. It is okay if your child does not eat a whole serving or asks for more food. Children tend to eat just the amount they need over several days.

DONT force more food or stop your hungry child from eating. DO provide meals and snacks at the same time every day and offer a variety of foods in child-size servings.

Trust your child to eat the amount that is right for him or her.

Resources: 1) eatright.org - American Dietetic Association 2) www.extension.org - University of Maine Cooperative Extension

07/11 R05/13

Be a great role model! Eat your fruits and veggies! Mix it up!

Tip: Offering two or three

types of fruits and vegetables at each meal will help children meet

the daily recommendations.

Tip: Not sure what a tablespoon or

a cup of food looks like? Use measuring spoons and cups to portion out foods for a few days until you learn what the

appropriate portion size looks like on your plates and bowls.

KidsHealth.org

The most-visited site

devoted to children's

health and development

Stopping the Bottle

Many toddlers become attached to their bottles. They have them with them much of the time, so besides

providing nourishment, bottles also mean comfort and security.

But it's important for parents to start weaning babies from bottles around the end of the first year and

start getting them comfortable drinking from cups. The longer parents wait to start the transition, the

more attached kids become to their bottles and the more difficult it can be to break the bottle habit.

Switching from bottle to cup can be challenging, but these strategies can make the change easier for

parents and kids.

Timing the TransitionMost doctors recommend introducing a cup around the time a baby is 6 months old. In the beginning,

much of what you serve in a cup will end up on the floor or on your baby. But by 12 months of age, most

infants have the coordination and manual dexterity to hold a cup and drink from it.

Age 1 is also when doctors recommend switching from formula to cow's milk, so it can be a natural

transition to offer milk in a cup rather than a bottle. If you're still breastfeeding, you can continue feeding

your baby breast milk, but do so by offering it (as well as diluted juice or water) in a cup.

Tips to TryInstead of cutting out bottles all at once, try eliminating them gradually from the feeding schedule,

starting at mealtimes.

If your baby usually drinks three bottles each day, for example, start by eliminating the morning bottle.

Instead of giving the baby a bottle right away, bring the baby to the table and after the feeding has started,

offer milk from a cup. You might need to offer some encouragement and explanation, saying something

like "you're a big boy now and can use a cup like mommy."

As you try to eliminate the morning bottle, keep offering the afternoon and evening bottles for about a

week. That way, if your child asks for the bottle you can provide assurance that one is coming later.

The next week, eliminate another bottle feeding and provide milk in a cup instead, preferably when your

baby is sitting at the table in a high chair.

Generally, the last bottle to eliminate should be the nighttime bottle.

That bottle tends to be a part of the bedtime routine and is the one that

most provides comfort to babies. Instead of the bottle, try offering a

StoppingtheBottle http://kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?dn=KidsHealth&lic=1&ps=...

1of2 7/3/20133:27PM

cup of milk with your child's evening snack and continue with the rest

of your nighttime tasks, like a bath, bedtime story, or teeth brushing. It

might help to give your child a comforting object to cuddle with, like a

blanket or a favorite toy.

More StrategiesHere are some other tips to keep in mind:

Spill-proof cups that have spouts designed just for babies (often referred to as "sippy cups") can

help ease the transition from the bottle.

When your child does use the cup, offer plenty of praise and positive reinforcement. If grandma is

around, for example, you might say, "See, Emma is such a big girl she drinks milk in a cup!"

If you keep getting asked for a bottle, find out what your child really needs or wants and offer that

instead. If your child is thirsty or hungry, provide nourishment in a cup or on a plate. If it's

comfort, offer hugs, and if your child is bored, sit down and play!

As you're weaning your baby from the bottle, try diluting the milk in the bottle with water. For the

first few days, fill half of it with water and half of it with milk. Then gradually add more water until

the entire bottle is water. By that time, it's likely that your child will lose interest and be asking for

the yummy milk that comes in a cup!

Get rid of the bottles or put them out of sight.

If you continue to have problems or concerns about stopping the bottle, talk with your doctor.

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD

Date reviewed: July 2010

Note: All information on KidsHealth is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,

diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.

1995-2013 The Nemours Foundation. All rights reserved.

StoppingtheBottle http://kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?dn=KidsHealth&lic=1&ps=...

2of2 7/3/20133:27PM

Healthy Kids Snacks

Snacks are a bigger part of kids diets than in the past. Snacks can make positive or negative contributions to

kids diets depending on the choices we offer. Next time your children say, Im hungry, or if you need to get them through to the next meal, reach for one of

these healthy snacks.

Vegetables Most of the snacks served to

children should be fruits and

vegetables, since most kids do

not eat the recommended five

to thirteen servings of fruits

and vegetables each day.

Popular vegetables that can be

served raw with dip or salad

dressing include:

Broccoli

Baby carrots

Celery sticks

Cucumber

Peppers

Snap peas

Snow peas

String beans

Grape or cherry tomatoes

Yellow summer squash

Zucchini slices

Low Fat Dairy

Foods Dairy foods are a great source

of calcium, which can help to

build strong bones. However,

dairy products also are the

biggest sources of artery-

clogging saturated fat in kids diets. To protect childrens bones and hearts, make sure

all dairy foods are low fat or

nonfat after age 2.

Yogurt

Lower fat cheese like

cheese sticks, Swiss cheese,

and American cheese slices

Low fat pudding and frozen

yogurt (Serve only as

occasional treats because they are high in added sugars)

Fruit Fruit is naturally sweet, so

most kids love it. Fruit can be

served whole, sliced, cut in

half, cubed, or in wedges.

Canned, frozen, and dried

fruits often need little

preparation; choose varieties

with no added sugar.

Apples

Apricots

Bananas

Blackberries

Blueberries

Cantaloupe

Cherries

Clementines

Grapefruit

Grapes (red, green, or

purple)

Honeydew melon

Kiwifruit

Mandarin oranges

Mangoes

Nectarines

Oranges

Peaches

Pears

Pineapple

Plums

Raspberries

Strawberries

Tangerines

FOR D

IPS: T

ry sal

ad dre

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such

as ligh

t/low

fat ra

nch or

Thou

sand

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, store

-bough

t light

dips, b

ean

dips, g

uacam

ole, h

ummu

s (whic

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comes

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utter.

03/10 R06/12

For more tips, go to www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy

Healthy Kids Snacks (continued)

Other popular fruit

forms:

Applesauce (unsweetened),

fruit cups and canned fruit

(in juice).

Dried fruitTry raisins, apricots, apples,

cranberries, and fruit

leathers with little or no

added sugars.

Frozen fruit

Fruit saladGet kids to help!

PopsiclesLook for popsicles made from 100%

fruit juice with no added caloric sweeteners.

Healthy Grains

Try to serve mostly whole

grains, which provide more

fiber, vitamins, and minerals

than refined grains, and

include a source of protein

like peanut butter, hummus,

or low fat cheese.

Whole wheat English

muffins, pita, or tortillas

Breakfast cerealeither dry or with low fat milk. Whole

grain cereals like Cheerios,

Grape-Nuts, Raisin Bran,

Frosted Mini-Wheats, and

Wheaties make good

snacks. Look for cereals

with no more than about 8

grams of sugar per serving.

Whole grain crackers like

Triscuits

Popcorn

Baked tortilla chips

Granola and cereal barslook for whole grain granola

bars that are low in fat and

sugar.

Pretzels, rice cakes,

breadsticks, and

flatbreadsthese low fat items can be offered as

snacks now and then.

However, most of these

snacks are not whole grain

and most pretzels are high

in salt.

Feed only age appropriate

snacks.

Allow toddlers finger foods only under

supervision. Be sure they

stay seated as they eat and

are not lying down or

running around.

Avoid raw fruits and

vegetables that snap into

hard chunks, such as

carrot and celery sticks

and firm apples.

Peel and slice grapes.

Whole grapes can cause

choking.

Important for

Toddlers!

Water should be the

main drink served to

kids at snack times.

Water satisfies thirst

and does not have

sugar or calories.

Water is free or low-

cost!

If kids are used to

getting sweetened

beverages at snack

times, it may take a little

time for them to get

used to drinking water.

Be a great role

model by drinking

water yourself!

Important!

Healthy Celebrations Letter to Parents

Date:

Program:

Dear Parents and Families,

Our program is participating in an exciting initiative called 5-2-1-0 Goes to Child Care, a program that is part of a larger project called Lets Go! which is a nationally recognized childhood obesity prevention program. Lets Go! is a program at The Barbara Bush Children's Hospital at Maine Medical Center, and is implemented in partnership with MaineHealth. To learn more about Lets Go! visit www.letsgo.org. The program emphasizes the importance of:

As a part of our efforts towards health and wellness, our program is addressing the kinds of celebrations we have. Celebrations and events are exciting and important for children and staff. Birthday parties and holiday celebrations provide a unique opportunity to help make healthy eating fun and for children to practice wise food choices.

As a program, we are encouraging healthy celebration treats, like:

Fruit and Cheese Kabobs Put grapes, melons, cheese cubes, and berries onto a wooden kabob stick.

Make Your Own Trail Mix Provide bags of granola or whole grain dry cereal, dried fruit, and nuts for students to make their own trail mix.

Fruit Smoothies Show up at snack time with a blender, frozen fruit, and yogurt! (Be sure to make arrangements with the program first!)

Yogurt Parfaits Layer granola, fruit, and yogurt in plastic cups. Send in on a tray covered with plastic wrap

Vegetable or Fruit Platters with Low Fat Dip As a program, we are also focusing on nonfood ways to celebrate our children. On your childs birthday, we will celebrate them in nonfood ways, like having them wear a special hat, sash, or letting them lead age appropriate activities. Please help us promote a healthy environment and healthy kids!

Sincerely,

Please Note: A modifiable version of this letter can be found in the online toolkit on our website.

01/09 R07/13

Lots of kids want to know which foodsto eat to be healthy. Heres somethingkids can do to eat healthier: Learn thedifference between Go, Slow, andWhoa foods.

You probably know that foods fit into different categories. The USDA puts them into thesecategories (visit www.ChooseMyPlate.gov for the newest data):

Grains Vegetables Fruits Milk and dairy products Meat, beans, fish, and nuts Oils

But now, foods can be classified in three new groups: Go, Slow, and Whoa. In 2005, theU.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (part of the National Institutes of Health)suggested kids start thinking about whether foods are Go foods, Slow foods, or Whoa foods.

Go FoodsThese are foods that aregood to eat almost anytime.They are the healthiest ones.Example: skim & low fat milk;most fruits & veggies.See the back of this sheet formore examples.

Slow FoodsThese are sometimesfoods. They arent off-limits, but they shouldnt beeaten every day. At most,eat them a few times aweek. Example: waffles & pancakes.

Whoa FoodsThese foods should makeyou say exactly thatWhoa! Should I eat that?Whoa foods are the leasthealthy and the most likelyto cause weight problems,especially if a person eatsthem all the time. That's why Whoa foods are once-in-a-while foods. Example: french fries.

For a chart of Go, Slow, and Whoa foods, visithttp://www.kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/food/go_slow_whoa.html


Go Foods Slow Foods Whoa Foods

Go Foods Baby carrots Celery sticks Snap peas Grape tomatoes Apples Cherries Melon Oranges Peaches Pears Whole grain breads Low fat and skim milk Chicken and turkey

without skin Lower fat cheese and

yogurt Water

Slow Foods 100% fruit juice Fruits canned in light

syrup White bread French toast, waffles,

and pancakes Tuna canned in oil

Whoa Foods French fries Fruits canned in heavy

syrup Doughnuts Muffins Whole milk Fried hamburgers Chicken nuggets Cookies Ice cream

Go Foods Slow Foods Whoa Foods

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Healthy shopping on a budget takes planning! Planning helps you SAVE TIME, MONEY, and EAT HEALTHIER.

Tips:

Make a list and stick to it this helps you avoid impulse buys that are usually unhealthy and expensive.

Shop mostly the perimeter of the store spend most of your grocery budget on natural foods found around the outside of the store like fruits, vegetables, dairy and protein foods that are good for your body. Limit your shopping in the middle isles to staples like pasta, canned tuna, and peanut butter, avoiding other expensive manufactured, and often unhealthy, packaged foods.

Shop when you are NOT hungry or stressed people who shop when hungry or stressed tend to not only buy MORE food but also unhealthier food.

Compare unit prices bigger is not always better! Use the unit price to compare similar products and make sure youre getting the best deal. The unit price is the cost per a standard unit (like ounce or pound) and is usually found on a sticker on the shelf beneath the product.

Weigh the cost of convenience if food tends to rot in your fridge before you prepare it, then you could actually save money by purchasing fresh fruits and veggies that have been washed and chopped for you.

Try frozen and canned canned and frozen produce keeps for a long time and may be cheaper per serving than fresh. For frozen, make sure you look for items with no added sauces or sugar. For canned, choose fruit canned in 100% juice and vegetables that are labeled either low sodium or no added salt.

Use store flyers to plan your menu save money by planning your menu around what fruits, vegetables and other items are on sale each week and save time by already knowing what you are going to make for dinner each night.

Try store brands store brands on average are cheaper by about 26% to 28% and their quality usually at least meets, and often surpasses, that of name brand products.

Shop in season buying fruits and vegetables in season generally means your food not only tastes better, but is more nutritious and more affordable.

Buy in bulk when foods are on sale frozen and canned produce, and some fresh items like apples and carrots will last a long time. If you have the storage space, stock up on the foods you eat regularly when they are on sale to save some money.

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What can I use the Nutrition Facts label for? Getting a general idea about whats in a food (i.e. how nutritious a food is). Figuring out what counts as one serving and how many calories are in each serving. Comparing two similar products to choose the healthiest option.

Watch out for these common misconceptions: Assuming sugar-free or fat-free means calorie-free; its not true! Buying something because it says organic, natural, multigrain or has some other

healthy claim. These statements do not mean a product is good for you! Assuming that because a package looks like it should only be one serving it actually is.

Many beverage bottles and packages of chips, cookies and candy are actually 2 or 3 servings!

Resources: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/LabelingNutrition/ucm20026097.htm

START HERE Start by checking what counts as one serving size and how many servings there are per package.

CHECK CALORIES: How many calories would you eat if you ate a whole package? Multiply the number of servings per container by the calories.

GET ENOUGH OF THESE NUTRIENTS Aim to get enough fiber, vitamins and minerals.

LIMIT THESE NUTRIENTS Aim to eat only small amounts of saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. Keep transfat to 0.

QUICK GUIDE TO % DAILY VALUE 5% or less is Low 20% or more is High. Use the % Daily Value to compare similar foods and choose the healthiest option.

January to April

Apples, Dry Beans, Beets, Cabbage, Carrots, Celeriac, Leeks, Onions,

Parsnip, Potatoes, Rutabaga, Sweet Potatoes, Turnip, Winter Squash, Garlic

What are the advantages of knowing which foods are in season? Buying fruits and vegetables that are

in season means getting them at their freshest and saving money. Buying from local farms also means

supporting our local farmers and their ability to produce nutritious, fresh food. The chart below lists

what produce is available locally depending on the time of year.

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May to June

Rhubarb, Asparagus, Radishes, Salad Turnips, Scallions, Peas, Fiddleheads, Chives and Parsley, Greens

July to August

Berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries), Plums, Peaches, Earliest Apples,

Melons, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Cucumbers, Eggplant,

Fennel, Green Beans, Greens, Leeks, Onions, Scallions, Shallots, Peas, Peppers, Potatoes,

Radishes, Salad Turnips, Summer Squash, Zucchini, Tomatoes, Garlic scapes and bulbs

September to October

Apples, Pears, Cranberries, Melons, Raspberries, Broccoli, Broccoli Raab, Brussel Sprouts,

Cabbage, Cauliflower, Kohlrabi, Celeriac, Celery, Sweet Corn, Cucumbers, Fennel, Greens,

Leeks, Onions, Scallions, Shallots, Beets, Carrots, Parsnips, Potatoes, Rutabaga, Sweet Potato,

Turnips, Radishes, Salad Turnips, Green Beans, Shell Beans, Soy Beans (edamame), Summer Squash,

Zucchini, Eggplant, Peppers, Tomatillos, Tomatoes, Winter Squash, Pie Pumpkins, Garlic

November to December By this time of year, most local produce is coming from cold storage although you may

be able to find some fresh greenhouse-grown products at your winter farmers market.

Apples, Pears, Dry Beans, Beets, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Celeriac,

Late season greens (like kale and spinach), Kohlrabi, Leeks, Onions, Parsnips, Potatoes, Radishes, Rutabaga, Sweet Potatoes, Turnips, Winter Squash, Garlic

Maine-produced foods that are in season all year long:

FRUIT: Blueberries & Apples

VEGETABLES: Potatoes, Carrots, Beets and Beet Greens, Garlic,

Salad & Braising Greens, Tomatoes, Winter Squash, Cabbage, Onions

DAIRY: Milk & Cheese

PROTEIN: Eggs, Ground Meat, Seafood, Dry Beans

GRAINS: Wheat

Where to find local foods through the winter:

Winter Farmers Market, Winter CSA (Community Support Agriculture), Natural Food Store,

Local Food Coop (visit www.mofga.org and click on Directories for more information)

Resource: www.mofga.org

Boost your energy and brain power!

Why eat breakfast every day?It will give you the energy you need to start your day. It is fuel for the body!It can help you do better in school!It can help you feel and act your best!It can help with weight control and keep you healthy!

Not hungry in the morning? Start small try:

a cup of low fat fruited yogurta piece of fruit such as a banana, orange or applea bowl of wholegrain cereal with low fat milka slice of wholewheat toast with peanut butter and a glass of low fat milk

half of a toasted English muffinwith a slice of low fat cheesetrail mix of raisins, nuts andcereal

Keep it simple, but keep it

delicious! You may like:

oatmeal with cinnamon, apple-

sauce, a glass of low fat milk

a waffle or pancake with light

syrup and blueberries

an English muffin with a slice of

ham, egg and low fat cheese

a low fat raisin bran muffin, glass

of low fat milk and a banana

Breakfast Is Best!

Try a variety ofhealthy foods! Find the onesYOU like!


To get started, try some of these ide

as:

Choose a time when everyone can e

njoy at least one meal

togetherit may be breakfast, lunc

h, or dinner.

As the parent, you should decide wh

at time meals are served and what t

he

choices are. Your children can then

decide what to eat and how much.

Include your children in preparing t

he meal and turn off the TV.

Gather around the table for a meal

.

Make the meal pleasant by keeping t

he conversation positive.

Help your child learn good manners

and mealtime behaviors.

Limit eating and drinking unhealthy

snacks between meals.

Role model the habits you want you

r children to develop.

In such a busy world, mealtimes often revolve

around our lifestyles. As a result of this, we miss

meals or eat foods that are not the best

for our bodies. Did you know that

experts have found that kids who eat

regularly with their families are more likely

to eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grains?

So, no matter how busy life may seem, its

important to make family meals a priority.

KidsHealth 2007

To have fruits and vegetables year-round, add frozen

or canned.For health: Just as good for you as fresh fruit and

vegetablesnutrients are preserved inthe canning and freezing process

Choose fruit packed in their naturaljuice, not in syrup

Choose canned vegetables that are salt free and season to taste

For savings: Cost less than fresh fruit and vegetables

For convenience: Always in season Lots of choices Easily stored Already washed and cutready for

your favorite recipe

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Vegetables to: Chili Soup or stews Stir fry

Tomatoes for sauceBlack beans & corn to spice up a Mexican dishChick peas, kidney or garbanzobeans to any salad

Fruits to: Smoothies Yogurt parfaits Plain yogurt Fruit salad Cereal Stir fry (pineapple)

Use Frozen and Canned by Adding:

Eat at leastfive fruits andvegetables a day!

Or use as a

side dish!

Prot

ein Starch

Vegetable Vegeta

ble

Food portions are larger than ever thesedaysusually much more than you need.The recommended serving size is enough.But how much is that? These tips will help keep your portions, as well as yourwaistline, right-sized.

Here are some tips to help you keep your portions under control: Teach your children portion size by relating food to everyday items. For example, a deck

of cards is equal to a serving of meat, fish, or poultry. An apple or serving of fruit isabout the size of a tennis ball.

Teach your children the concept of the divided plate. Think of a platedivided into four equal sections. Use one of the top sectionsfor protein, and the other one for starch, preferably a whole grain;fill the bottom half with veggies (none of the foods should overlapor be piled high).

Check the label on your food to see if it meets some basic needs in your diet, likecalcium or Vitamin C; if its not good for you, eat less of that food.

Avoid eating directly out of the package. Try putting snacks into a smallbowl or snack-size baggie.

Eat three meals a day; this way you wont stuff yourself if you have skipped a meal.

Serve food on smaller plates.

Serve meals from the stove. This tip will keep you from feeling tempted to eat morewhen you are not hungry.

Skip the clean plate club. Instead, encourage your children to start with smaller portions and eat until they are satisfied.

At restaurants, ask for a lunch-size por

Documents

2013-14 Early Childhood Provider Toolkit