Targeted PD
Promoting Healthy Eating Habits
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1 Clock Hour Training Requirements:Read & WatchRead and watch all the content. Pause & ReflectComplete each pause and reflect exercise. Note: Your responses are not saved or submitted but are required before unlocking the assessment. You may use the print button at the end of the page to save-as-pdf or print your responses if you wish.
Review & AssessOnce the above is complete, the assessment is unlocked. Review the attached appendix materials at the end of the training, then complete and submit the assessment for review. Suggested Audience(s):Direct care providers (center-based and family child care) DODI 6060.02:Nutrition, obesity prevention, and meal service Aligns with:NAEYC Standard 5.B: Ensuring childrens nutritional well-being, CDA: To establish and maintain a safe, healthy learning environment , MSA: Competency Goal I: To establish and maintain a safe, healthy learning environment , COA: Children and youth are helped to understand the importance of a healthy lifestyles and are provided with information and support designed to promote well-being, and encourage positive choices, outside program time Objective(s):Center-based direct care staff and family child care providers will identify, describe, and reflect on the importance of good nutrition and mealtime habits. GlossaryIntroductionProper nutrition is necessary for growth, development, and overall health. Starting in infancy, children develop eating habits such as when, what, and how to eat, as well as certain taste preferences. They look to the important adults in their lives to model these habits and provide opportunities to try out a variety of healthy foods. In your role as a child and youth professional, you are in the unique position to model and foster healthy eating habits in children and provide a supportive environment where children and youth can explore foods, utensils, and dining practices. You also have the opportunity to support families by sharing information about developing healthy eating habits, introducing new foods to children, creating mealtime routines, and encouraging children to eat nutritious foods. The Importance of Good NutritionAs children grow and develop, they need important nutrients to maintain a healthy weight, prevent chronic disease, build and strengthen bones, teeth and muscles, focus and think clearly, and have the energy to function mentally, emotionally, and physically. Young children require healthy, balanced diets that provide them with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, especially at a time when their brains and bodies are developing so rapidly. A balanced diet has a positive impact on many aspects of development. Feeding children nutritious foods starting in infancy affects brain development, skeletal and muscle development, and tooth development, and helps to prevent tooth decay. Nutritious foods give young children energy to play and learn. Unhealthy foods, such as those high in sugar and fat, can make them tired and sluggish, which can affect their emotional and social well-being. Throughout this training, you will explore the aspects of good nutrition and healthy eating for all ages, as well as reflect on your role in fostering these habits in children and youth. Components of a Well-Balanced MealOffering young children appropriate foods and beverageswhich for infants includes human milk or formulais necessary for proper growth, development, and health. The components of a healthy meal may vary slightly across ages and cultures, but there are several things that you can do regarding mealtimes that set all children up for optimal growth and development.
Many of the meals that children consume happen during their time with you in the program. Its important that the food the program provides to children at mealtimes is well-balanced and nutritious. Although your role may not include meal planning and preparation, its still important that you understand the basic recommendations for child and youth nutrition so that you can model and encourage children to develop healthy eating habits. Nutritional Recommendations by Age GroupWhile similar, there are nutritional recommendations for each age group in child and youth programs. This guidance comes from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education, and the Institute of Medicine, among other contributors. Though these recommendations are designed for early child care providers, you can encourage families to adopt these nutrition guidelines at home by sharing your programs menu, offering tips that have been successful in the classroom, and providing thoughtful education on good nutrition. Your program provides meals and snacks through the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). CACFP provides guidelines for serving nutritious food and drinks to children and youth who attend child care programs, both center-based and home-based. These guidelines are based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which are science-based recommendations made by the National Academy of Medicine. You can find more information on these recommendations in the references and resources section. CACFP has different meal pattern requirements based on the age of the child. Meal patterns specify how much of each type of food group a child should receive in each meal. CACFP specifies meal patterns for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. While the guidelines are subject to change based on ongoing research, the tables below show the most recent CACFP recommended meal patterns. Learn more about standards for CACFP meals and snacks at .
1Meat and meat alternatives may be used to substitute the entire grains component a maximum of three times per week The U.S. government has also developed a tool called MyPlate designed to guide everyone toward healthier food choices. We all need a variety of food each day. A healthy diet includes a mix of grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy, and protein. The MyPlate guide helps you visualize the relative amounts of food youand childrenneed each day. Half of your plate should be covered with fruits and vegetables. The other half is split between grains and protein. Filling the plate with this balance of food will help children develop healthy habits. In addition to thinking about what types of food to eat, its also important to think about how much to eat. With obesity on the rise, portion control is an essential skill to teach children and youth. Each person has specific dietary needs, and we need a certain balance of calories each day to stay healthy. Depending on their age and level of physical activity, children need approximately 1,200 to 1,600 calories per day, split between the five food groups on MyPlate. You can find more information at . Choosing Appropriate Serving SizesYou have the responsibility to understand the proper portions of a well-balanced diet for the children in your care. To support this awareness, adequate knowledge of developmental expectations and milestones is beneficial. This will not only be beneficial to guide your understanding of how to support childrens eating habits and common behaviors (e.g., gagging, food refusal, picky eating) that you may encounter, but will also help you to know how much a child may or should consume at mealtimes. With obesity on the rise, portion control is an essential skill to teach children, even from a young age. Practices such as family-style dining give children the opportunity to choose how much they serve themselves and to see what recommended portion sizes look like. For example, preschool-age children need approximately 1,200 calories per day, while school-age children need approximately 1,200 to 1,600 calories per day, depending on their level of physical activity. Foods should be split among the five food groups on MyPlate. MyPlate can be used as a visual tool to show the five food groups and the relative amounts of each group to include in a balanced meal.  Portion control can be challenging, especially when working with young children. We want children to make choices about what they eat, however there will likely be times when they take too much or too little, spill food or liquids while serving themselves, or refuse to try a particular food. This is part of the process; remember to respond patiently. To prevent many of these problems you can:
Many of these recommendations will be helpful when practicing family-style dining, which we will address later in this training. Infant FeedingIt is also important to understand what a well-balanced diet looks like for infants and toddlers. How infants and toddlers are fed can be just as important as what they are fed. Child care providers can give young children age-appropriate foods and beverages, make mealtimes enjoyable, and encourage infants and toddlers to regulate their own food intake. With this age group, remember to tailor your meal schedules and routines to the specific children in your care. Each infants feeding schedule is unique, so it is important to follow individual schedules and look for hunger cues. Be sure to discuss these schedules and expectations with each family. Bottle feeding is a time to emotionally connect with an infant while satisfying the need for nourishment. It is a time for patience and comfort, to be alert for their feeding cues, to engage in eye contact, and to talk and respond to infants vocalizations. Bottle-Feeding TechniquesThe procedures for bottle-feeding are similar to breastfeeding approaches:
Feeding techniques to avoid:
Cue FeedingInfants should be fed when they display feeding cues rather than on a schedule unless the family gives written instructions otherwise. Feeding by a cue meets the infants nutritional and emotional needs and provides the infant with an immediate response. This shows the infant that you are there to meet their physical needs, which helps them develop trust and feelings of security. As you consistently feed an infant, you gain a better understanding of their cues and are able to respond appropriately in a manner that is satisfying to them. Cues that an infant is hungry might include:
Cue feeding also tells you when an infant is full and done eating. Cues that indicate a child is full include:
Mealtime HabitsIn addition to the types and portions of food we consume, understanding the routines and relationships we create with food are equally important. Mealtimes, especially for younger children, are a learning experience. There are many aspects of mealtimes that can be engaging, hands-on learning experiences. Because it is a predictable part of everyones lives, having some routines in place can help the process go a bit smoother. Consider the following habits:
Family-Style DiningImplementing family-style dining is another way to encourage healthy eating. There is plenty of research to support the benefits of this practice. The Institute of Medicines 2011 Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Policies cites family-style dining as a way for child care providers to practice responsive feeding, which includes letting children serve themselves and having adults sit and eat with children to model eating, give guidance on serving sizes, and listen to hunger and fullness cues. Children who participate in family-style dining are more attuned to their natural hunger and satiety cues, are more likely to try new foods, and are more likely to make healthier choices when seeing these choices modeled for them. Participating in family-style dining with young children includes many benefits, such as:
Family-style dining has a special look and feel. It should allow caregivers and children to relax, enjoy the meal, and enjoy each others company. However, family-style dining does not happen without challenges. Toddlers might spill their drinks, drop their forks, fidget in their seats, and squabble with peers. However, these behaviors are common in early childhood as children gain a greater sense of independence and mastery of their physical skills. Depending on your program, school-age children may participate in family-style dining, self-serve dining, or cafeteria-style dining. Regardless of the dining style, meals are a great time for school-age children to relax and engage with their peers and are an opportunity for you to model healthy habits. Take a moment to watch these examples of family-style dining. Family-Style DiningThe development of healthy eating habits in children is influenced by the entire mealtime experience, including the foods that are served, the language that is shared, and the responsive techniques that are used by their caregivers. As a child and youth professional, you play a significant role in helping children develop lifelong healthy eating habits. Understanding and 勛圖厙ing Diverse Eating Habits and PreferencesSome individuals, cultures, and religions follow eating habits that differ from the USDA recommendations. It is important to find out if any children in your care cannot follow the USDA guidelines. Families should notify program staff of any dietary restrictions or allergies and note any substitutions or accommodations that need to be made. Staff must ensure that dietary restrictions and allergies are posted in food preparation areas and in areas where children eat, and that anyone who may help with meals is aware of these special considerations. Dietary restrictions and allergies should be monitored daily. When working with school-age children with dietary restrictions because of their religion, it is best to get written instructions from families detailing what they can or cannot eat or drink. Some families follow vegetarian or vegan diets, avoiding eating animals (meat) or animal products (milk, cheese, etc.). They may request that their children be served vegetarian or vegan food. Again, it is best to check with the family and obtain written instructions as to what and what not to allow their children to eat while in your care. It may be challenging at times to provide children with a balanced and nutritional diet when dietary restrictions or allergies rule out many of the foods usually served in your program. Work with families to come up with options to best fit their needs. Additionally, you may have children and youth in your programs that require meal modifications due to a disability. Through CACFP, programs are required to make substitutions to meals for children with a disability that restricts the childs diet on a case-by-case basis and only when supported by a written statement from a state-licensed healthcare professional. For children without a disability that require meal modifications (due to religious beliefs, moral convictions, or personal preference), food substitutions and modifications must still follow CACFP meal patterns and should be supported by a special dietary statement. Review your Service-specific guidance related to providing and preparing foods based on food preferences. It is important to respect and celebrate diverse eating habits and preferences, just as you do with other diverse aspects of your program. Help all children and families feel supported and educate all children by having open conversations about food and diet choices, as well as the different ways people eat and enjoy meals. You may also include books or add new materials to your dramatic play space. Additional resources on diverse eating habits and cultural practices can be found in the resources and references section. Picky EatingBeyond diverse eating habits and preferences in children and families, its likely that some children in your program will exhibit characteristics of picky eating. Depending on the age of the child, it could be a developmentally appropriate behavior, as is typical with toddlers. In general, the following characteristics are common in toddlerhood and therefore not necessarily a sign of picky eating:
Picky eating, however, is different from common toddler selectivity. Picky eating is often related to underlying issues like anxiety or fear around food and/or meals, sensory processing, or developmental delays (Solid Starts, 2023). While its difficult to pinpoint a cause for picky eating, possible reasons include negative mealtime experiences, lack of exposure to a variety textures and flavors of foods, anxious or permissive caregiving practices, and certain child characteristics such as medical issues, developmental disabilities, and temperaments. When it comes to preventing picky eating, the more positive and engaging adults are about eating, the more likely the child will be too. Below are a few strategies you can try in your program and share with families who express concern over their childs eating habits:
A growing body of research suggests there is a relationship between picky eating in childhood and disordered eating in adults, which has negative psychological correlations, including anxiety and stress (Shim et al. 2011). If addressed early, overcoming picking eating is possible, however it does take time. If you have concerns about a childs eating preferences, be sure to communicate your observations with their parents or caregivers. Eating DisordersAs a child and youth professional, you work with young children every day to promote positive self-esteem, which includes the way children think and feel about their own bodies. Part of the discussion around healthy eating and good nutrition involves eating disorders. Eating disorders can show up in a variety of ways and while they are likely more prevalent with school-age children, there are things you can do and say with children of all ages to support a positive body image. Reflect on the ways you celebrate different body shapes, sizes, and colors. Help children to understand the good in individual differences and think kindly toward themselves and others, practice healthy eating, and create realistic expectations around appearance through the materials and displays offered in your program. When topics around body image do come up, you can:
In your role, you should watch for any signs that a child may be using unsafe methods to control their weight. Below are some signs of possible eating disorders (PBS, 2012). The child:
These are the most common symptoms seen in older school-age children with eating disorders. However, it is important to remember not to jump to conclusions if you see any of these symptoms. If you observe behaviors that seem alarming or cause for concern, bring them to the attention of your administrator. More information on eating disorders as well as resources to support professionals and families who may be facing this issue can be found in the references and resources section. Additional 勛圖厙 勛圖厙:The strategies reviewed in this training, when applied consistently, help to foster healthy eating habits in children and youth. The materials from this training are drawn from the following 勛圖厙 lessons. You can find additional strategies, tools, and resources in these lessons:
References & ResourcesDietary Guidelines for Americans. (2020). Make every bite count with the dietary guidelines (9th ed.). USDA. Harvard School of Public Health. (2023). Early child care obesity prevention recommendations: Complete list. Harvard T.H. Chan. Harvard School of Public Health. (2023). Infant feeding and mealtime habits. Harvard T.H. Chan. McCarthy, C. (2020). Study gives insightand adviceon picky eating in children. Harvard Health Blog. National Eating Disorders Association. (2022). Parent toolkit. NEDA Headquarters. National Eating Disorders Association. (2023). NEDA 2023 back to school. National Institute of Mental Health. (2021). Eating disorders: About more than food. Nemec, K. (2020). Cultural Awareness of Eating Patterns in the Health Care Setting. Clinical liver disease, 16(5), 204207. Peter, J., Garcia, A. S., Dev, D. A., Rida, Z. (2018, May). Using Culturally Responsive Feeding Practices. Nebraska Extension. Shim, J. E., Kim, J., & Mathai, R. A. (2011, September). Associations of Infant Feeding Practices and Picky Eating Behaviors of Preschool Children. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 111(9), 13631368. Solid Starts. (2023). Causes of picky eating. USDA Food and Nutrition Service. (2019). Feeding infants in the child and adult care food programs. US Department of Agriculture. USDA Food and Nutrition Service. (2023). Nutrition standards for CACFP meals and snacks. US Department of Agriculture. U.S. Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). My plate. |
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Targeted PD
Promoting Healthy Eating Habits
As a professional in your program, you have the ability to model and encourage healthy eating habits for the children and youth in your care. In this targeted professional development training, you will learn about the importance of good nutrition and recommendations for each age group, including feeding techniques for infants. This training will describe appropriate mealtime habits, such as those that are integral components of family-style dining, and as well as address ways to support diverse eating habits and the preferences of the children and families in your program.