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Riverside County Family Child Care Association>
Preventing Childhood Obesity: Tips for Child Care
August 7, 2007
Preventing Childhood Obesity: Tips for Child Care
Provide Healthy Eating Experiences
Provide healthy meals and snacks that meet the requirements
of USDA's Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). For
children 2 years and older, plan meals to follow the
Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Use plenty of vegetables,
fruits, and whole grains.
Limit high sugar and fat foods without being overly
restrictive. Fat should not be restricted in the diets of
children younger than 2 years of age. Children between 2
and 5 should consume gradually diminishing amounts of fat
so that by the age of 5 their diet contains no more than 30
percent of calories from fat.
Make mealtimes a pleasant and sociable experience. Provide
opportunities to help children develop positive attitudes
about healthy foods and learn appropriate eating patterns,
mealtime behavior, and communication skills. Allow children
to decide how much to eat. Encourage children to eat
slowly. Do not use food as punishment or reward.
Promote Physical Activity
Physical activity is an important part of good health and
helps children to maintain appropriate healthy weights.
Young children need at least 60 minutes of physical
activity daily. Keep it fun and safe by providing
age-appropriate equipment and activities.
Provide daily outdoor or alternative activities during bad
weather. Maximize opportunities for large motor muscle
activity, such as jumping, dancing, marching, kicking,
running, riding a tricycle, or throwing a ball.
Encourage children to keep moving by including active games
and play throughout the day, such as music, dance, and
make-believe. Provide toys and equipment that encourage
physical activity, such as balls, hula-hoops, bubbles, and
cardboard boxes.
Teach Healthy Eating Habits
Provide daily nutrition activities, lessons, and learning
experiences to promote positive attitudes about good
nutrition and health. Teaching healthy eating practices
early will help children approach eating with the right
attitude - that food should be enjoyed and is necessary for
growth, development, and energy.
Help families to understand and practice healthy eating
habits. Provide parents with information on children's
nutrition needs and healthy eating so they can encourage
young children to develop healthy eating habits.
Provide child care staff with appropriate nutrition and
foodservice training. Staff should know the basis
principles of child nutrition and the strategies for
creating a positive environment. This knowledge will help
promote the development of good eating habits, the
importance of role modeling healthful behaviors, and
healthy culinary techniques.
Be a role model. Set a good example for children to follow
by demonstrating healthy eating behaviors and an active
lifestyle. Be mindful of modeling appropriate behaviors,
such as enjoying a variety of foods, being willing to taste
new foods, and enjoying physical activity. Do not eat or
drink anything in front of the children they are not
allowed to have, such as soda, candy, or coffee.
Promote A Healthy Body Image
Be supportive. Help children to accept and feel good about
themselves by supporting, accepting, and encouraging them,
regardless of their body size or shape.
Provider opportunities for children to master skills using
their bodies. Build self-esteem by praising each child's
strengths.
Friendship Fruit Salad
Combine nutrition education and healthy eating with this
colorful fruit salad. Fruits used can vary according to
seasonal availability.
Yield: 10 servings
CACFP Meal Pattern Contribution: 1/2 cup fruit/vegetable*
Serving Size: 1/2 cup
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup seedless watermelon
1/2 cup cantaloupe
1/2 cup seedless grapes**
1/2 cup honeydew melon
1/2 cup apples (1 small)
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup strawberries
1/2 cup banana (1 small)
1/2 cup mandarin oranges (in juice or light syrup)
1/2 cup pineapple rings (in juice)
PROCEDURE:
Have children wash hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds
in warm, soapy water.
Prepare fruit (Adults): Wash and drain fresh fruit (grapes,
blueberries, strawberries, and apples). Core apples. Remove
rind and seeds from melons. Pour juice from canned oranges
and pineapples into large bowl. Cut melons and apples into
large pieces. Cut grapes length-wise into quarters.
(Children will cut larger pieces into bite-size pieces).
While working, discuss each ingredient with children , such
as size, shape, color taste, how it grows, etc.
With adult supervision, give each child a plastic knife and
a piece of fruit to cut up.
Have children take turns pouring their fruit into the bowl.
As each child pours fruit into the bowl, ask them to name
the fruit and tell something about it. Mix together when
all fruit is added.
Serve 1/2 cup fruit salad per child.
* For a snack that meets the CACFP meal pattern for ages
3-5, top fruit salad with 1 ounce of vanilla or fruit
yogurt. Garnish with 1 tablespoon granola cereal.
** Whole grapes are a choking hazard for young children.
Cut lengthwise in quarters.
Taken from Mealtime Memo for child care. A fact sheet for
the Child and Adult Care Food Program, from the National
Food Service Management Institute, The University of
Mississippi.
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