Transcript Planning Nutritious Meals & Snacks

Bell Ringer
• Tell about a time when you decided not to
try a food because you heard someone
make a negative comment about it?
• Explain any negative food attitudes you
have that developed in your childhood.
Planning Nutritious Meals &
Snacks
Why is this an important program
goal for centers?
5 Program Goals on Nutrition:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Provide nutritious meals & snacks
Introduce new healthful foods
Encourage healthful eating habits
Involve children in meal activities
Provide nutrition information to parents
Nutrition
• The science of food & how the body uses the
foods taken in
• Food provides us with Energy
• Nutrients – the chemical substances in food that
helps build & maintain the body; 6 groups:
•Proteins
•Carbohydrates
•Fats
•Vitamins
•Minerals
•Water
Nutritional Problems:
• Undernutrition – not eating enough food to keep
a healthy body weight & activity level
• Malnutrition – lacking proper nutrients in diet
• Overeating – the intake of more food that
needed by body to function properly
▫ May lead to Obesity which can cause other
problems:
 Hypertension
 Diabetes – where body cannot control the level of
sugar in the blood properly
 Heart disease
 Emotional problems, plus more…
Special Nutritional Needs:
• Diabetics – do not produce insulin, hormone
regulating blood sugar level
▫ Insulin injections – keep levels at a healthy range
▫ Eat the basic healthy diet & sugar in moderation
• Food Allergies – body’s negative reaction to a
particular substance (allergen)
▫ May outgrow allergy by age 6
▫ Common food allergies: wheat, soy, peanuts, tree
nuts, fish, shellfish, eggs & milk
▫ Others: corn, beans & berries
Continued…
• Anaphylactic shock – severe allergic reaction;
can be fatal; happens quick
• Symptoms – sniffles, abdominal pain, diarrhea,
nausea, vomiting, swelling, hives difficulty
breathing, etc.
• If allergic – should not consume ANY of that
food
• Parents should inform you if their child has food
allergies!!!!
Planning Meals & Snacks • Key = a well-planned menu
• Children need small portions
• Like Appealing foods = variety, texture, flavor,
color, shapes & temperatures
• Add a new food along with well-liked foods
• Flavor – mildly seasoned foods
• Serve – bite-sized pieces
• Children are more sensitive to temperatures
than adults
Planning Meals & Snacks cont. • Each child has their own personal preferences
but are greatly influenced by their home life;
okay unless unhealthy
• Should expose children to all kinds of foods
(cultures)
Serving Meals • Licensing requirements outline how often & how
much foods to kids in a center; vary state to state
Breakfast
Snacks
Lunch
•1 milk
•1 fruit, vegetable or
100% juice
•1 grain source –
bread, hot or cold
cereal or pasta or
noodles
•Mid-morning
•Mid-afternoon
•At least 1 ½ hours
before meals
•Simple finger foods
•1 milk
•2 fruits, vegetables or
100% juice (combo)
•1 grain source, bread,
cereal pasta, etc.
•1 meat or alternate
(poultry, fish, soy,
cheese, egg, beans or
peas, peanut butter)
or yogurt
Serving Meals cont. • Desserts are optional
• Always keep safety in mind
• Avoid chocking foods:
Whole foods
Cherries with pits
Hard or sticky candies
Marshmallows
Nuts
Peanut butter alone
Gum
Raisins
Popcorn
Pretzels
Raw celery
Whole raw carrots
Whole grapes
Whole hot dogs
Activity
• Plan a healthy, nutritious & creative snack for a
group of 4 year olds.
• Describe your snack (foods used to make it), give
it a “creative” name and explain how its healthy
and appealing to kids.
• Be prepared to share with class.