Proper eating habits should start at an early age and begin at home. However, if young children are in daycare throughout a parent’s long work day, the “burden” of meeting a child’s dietary needs shifts to daycare providers. Just like with daycare licensing requirements and regulations that must be met, there are also nutritional requirements that must be met. It is important that daycare providers and preschool teachers meet the health and nutrition requirements for the children you care for.
We constantly hear the buzz words “all natural” “trans-fats” “free range” “organic”. What do these terms mean and are these types of foods more expensive? New studies and reports are released daily. These reports can contradict each other and become confusing and overwhelming.
There are companies such as Real Food for Real Kids, a Canadian company which offers healthy, organic, free range, refined sugar free, trans-fat free, meal delivery to childcare centers, but it is relatively expensive. While many daycare centers may not be able to afford delivery service, there are some things you can do. Daycare providers can arm themselves with knowledge and provide children or families in your daycare around you with knowledge. For parents who send their children to daycare with home lunches and for daycare providers who provide breakfast, lunch and snacks to children it is important to have knowledge of age appropriate, balanced nutrition.
Children’s Nutrition Guides
There are many guides that can help erase many of the confusions child care providers may have with respect to nutrition for young children. The Yale Guide to Children’s Nutrition by William Tamborlan, is a comprehensive guide to children’s nutrition and a good place to start to learn the basics. The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids Favorite Meals by Missy Chase Lapine. Lapine is also excellent. Lapine is really on to something with highly creative, healthy dishes that get finicky eaters to eat healthfully. How to Teach Nutrition to Kids by Connie Liakos Evers helps child care providers teach children about a balanced diet. And finally, Tidbits: A Quick and Healthy Guide to Kids’ Snacks by Gina La Monica and April Brimer is the go-to guide for snacks. It’s a colorful picture book chock full of healthy alternatives that kids will love.
Even making a few simple additions to daycare menus can make a big difference. One child care center designates two days each week as “salad bar days”. Get creative and really mix up the fruits and veggies. Be sure that you foods you serve in your daycare are age appropriate and fresh. Educate children about the benefits of eating healthy and then model healthy eating in the food you serve.
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