The 20 Hour Basic Successful Solutions Professional Development LLC Chapter 1 Child Development Module 8

The 20 Hour BasicSuccessful Solutions Professional Development LLC

Chapter 1Child

Development

Module8

Module 8 – Feeding and Care

Chapter Topics

Chapter 1

Menu Planning

Chapter 2Food Service Policies

Chapter 3

Infant Feeding

Chapter 4Food Safety

The food program in a child care center serves many purposes. Proper food handling, food preparation, and serving children nutritious meals are extremely important. Eating meals together can help children to develop social skills and good eating habits. Modul

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It was lunchtime at Olympic View Child Care Center. Kirk asked for a second serving of spinach, a food being served for the first time. Kathy said the potatoes were yummy.

Jana said her mother was sending oranges for her birthday treat. Throughout her meal, teacher Christina talked with the children and ate portions of the foods served.

Chapter 1 Menu Planning

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Planning Nutritious Meals and

Snacks

Olympic View Scenario


The lunchroom was decorated with 12 large paper ice cream cones. Each cone, represented one month of the year. The children's names and birthdays were written on paper scoops of ice cream. These scoops were placed in the cone that matched their birthday month.

On the other side of the lunchroom was a large carrot cut out of tagboard. A cloth measuring tape was pasted down the center. Each child's height was marked next to the tape.


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Snacks



In this classroom, children learn about nutrition both directly and indirectly. For instance, the variety of foods served and the teacher's comments about the food are direct learning experiences. Children learn about many types of food and that mealtime is a pleasant time. The positive attitudes and pleasing surroundings of the lunchroom are indirect learning experiences.


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Snacks

By watching friends and teachers, children develop habits and attitudes about food. Many of their food attitudes and behaviors will last into adulthood. Hopefully, they will establish a lifelong pattern of eating a nutritious diet.




Proper nutrition is needed for children's health, growth, and development. Behavior and learning ability is related to nutrition.

Teaching children about nutrition will be an important responsibility

for you as a child care professional.

Some studies suggest that young children who have learned healthful food choices may experience lifelong health benefits.

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Nutrition is the most important part of a well-planned menu.

However, many other factors also contribute to a well-planned menu. For instance, scale serving sizes to the children's appetites. Children manage best with small servings. Their appetites often vary from day to day.


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Snacks


Children will eat more if the food appeals to them.

Variety, texture, flavor, color, form, temperature, and food preferences all affect how much a child enjoys a meal.


Snacks


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FOOD APPEA

L


Children like variety in the foods served to them.

A meal with all the same texture or color could be boring for children. Children also enjoy trying new foods. A new food should be added with a meal of familiar and well-liked foods. This is because children may be overwhelmed if given too many new foods at once.


Snacks


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VARIETY


It is wise to combine textures when planning

meals and snacks for young children.

This also provides you with an opportunity to include language concepts during meals and snacks. Dry foods are hard for children to eat. Serve dry food only in combination with two or more moist foods.


Snacks


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TEXTURESoft, hard, chewy, mashed,

chopped, crisp, creamy, and rough are all textures. This makes the meal more interesting for the children. For instance, at mealtime, serve one soft food, one crisp food, and one chewy food. Combine contrasting textures for a pleasing effect.


Serve most foods in bite-sized pieces.

Therefore, slice cooked carrots and other vegetables in large pieces rather than dicing them.

Try adding diced vegetables to another food. For instance, add diced carrots to mashed potatoes.


Snacks


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FOOD FORMS

Children have poorly developed fine motor coordination skills. They find it difficult to use spoons and forks well.


This can be done by adding solid ingredients or a thickener, such as flour. The second method is to let the children drink the soup from a cup.

Whenever possible, prepare foods so they can be eaten with the fingers. For example, serve chopped raw vegetables instead of a tossed salad.


Snacks


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FOOD FORMSSoup is also difficult for many

young children to eat. They become tired from spooning. Children may get frustrated if they spill on clothing or the table. Two methods can be used to make soup easier to eat. One method is to thicken the soup.


In general, children prefer mildly seasoned

foods.

One rule of thumb is to use only half as much salt as noted in a recipe. Whenever possible, enhance the natural flavor of the food. This means that only small amounts of sugar and spices should be added.


Snacks


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FLAVOR


Children enjoy color in their meals.

If the foods you are serving are not very colorful, add color to one or more of the foods. For example, tint the applesauce pink. For St. Patrick's Day, you might color vanilla pudding green.


Snacks


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COLOR


At mealtime, serve a cold fruit or pudding with a warm casserole. For safety reasons, be sure to serve each food at its proper temperature.

Keep in mind, however, children are more sensitive to temperature extremes than adults.


Snacks


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TEMPERATUREVariety in the temperature of

foods served can be appealing, too. For snack, offer a cold glass of milk with a room-temperature food, such as crackers.


Nondairy milk substitutes may be served only with written permission of the child's parent for children

over the age of twelve months.

Only pasteurized milk or pasteurized milk products can be served to children in your care.

Regulations Regarding Serving

Milk

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The amount of required milk fat in the milk product is determined by the child's age:

If the age of the child is under 12 months:

Full strength formula or full strength breast milk unless there are specific written instructions from a licensed health care provider.


Milk




If the age of the child is between 12 and 24 months:

Full strength whole milk or breast milk unless there are specific written instructions from a licensed health care provider.


Milk




If the age of the child over 24 months:

With or without fat content of provider's or parent's choice.


Milk



Children between twelve and twenty-four months of

age should consume whole milk and children over the age of twenty-

four months can consume whole milk or lower fat

milk. Cow's milk is a significant source of nutrients that are important for growth in children over twelve months of age. Milk substitutes for children over twelve months may be served with parent permission.


Milk

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Because the typical American diet has a high fat content, it is usually recommended that children over the age of twenty-four months consume lower fat milks such as 1% (low fat) milk or non-fat milk as a means to lower the total fat content of the diet.


Milk

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When included, desserts should be part of the

meal, like the vegetable or bread. They should not be treated as a special part

of the meal.

Never tell children they must eat everything on their plates in order to get dessert. This will only make desserts appear special.

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Module 8 – Feeding and Care About Desserts


Desserts are optional, and in fact licensing has limitations on how often some desserts can be served.

Plan desserts carefully. Many are high in fat and sugar and low in other nutrients. For example, plain cookies and cakes have little nutritional value, but are high in calories. Instead, plan to use carrots or pumpkin in recipes to provide vitamin A. Custards and puddings are considered good desserts since they contain calcium and protein.

About Desserts

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The amount of food a child needs depends on the child's activity level, current weight and stature, growth spurts and appetite. The amount of food children eat may be influenced by hunger, appetite, food choices, mood and whatever else is happening in their lives. If a child fills up fast, making the child eat more may cause a negative association with eating.

Children and Food

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Plan quiet activities right before meals. Quiet activities help children move from active play to the mealtime routine.

Serve meals family-style.• Child care providers sit with children to eat meals at a table,

family style• Children practice good manners and pleasant mealtime

conversation• Children can choose the amount of food they want on their

plates• Children serve themselves

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Making Meal Time Meaningful for

Children

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ChildrenOffer healthy foods that look good to children.• Serve a variety of nutritious foods with different colors and

textures. This helps meals look good to children.• Have enough food available.• Offer food in a positive way.

Help mealtime to be pleasant.• Eat with children to encourage pleasant conversation at the

table and to model or show children good eating habits and manners.

• Food should never be used as a reward or punishment.

Give children the freedom to choose which foods being served they want to eat and how much. Offer foods twice to each child.• Avoid commenting about how much or how little a child has

eaten.• Children often will reject a food for reasons that have nothing

to do with the food being served. Some reasons could be:o Their moodo Trouble at homeo They are going through a period of slow growtho They are showing their independenceo They are angry because they had to quit playing and come

eat

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Children

• Involve children in setting the table and clearing away eating utensils when finished

• Remember that average serving sizes are just that – average. Some children may want to eat smaller portions or they may leave food on their plate. Other children will eat larger portions or want seconds.

• Avoid shaming children for not eating or for overeating.• Take time to teach children to take small bites or short breaks

while eating.• Allow children to serve themselves.• Give children enough time to enjoy eating meals and snacks.• Minimize waiting time. Have food ready when the children are

ready to eat.


Children

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Keep in mind the different ethnic backgrounds of the children.• If unfamiliar with foods from the different cultures, ask the

parents about the kinds of food they tend to serve at home.• Introduce children to foods of other cultures.

Plan for special dietary concerns.• Because of allergies or chronic diseases such as diabetes, some

children need special foods or to follow a special diet.• Establish guidelines for food management.• Disability could make it hard for the child to chew or even

swallow.

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Children

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The 20 Hour Basic Successful Solutions Professional Development LLC Chapter 1 Child Development Module 8