Chapter 12: Planning Nutritious Meals for Children

Child Guidance

Fast Food Facts• With a partner, look up

a fast food restaurants nutritional information. Then read & Review the nutritional information from popular restaurants.

• Make a list of the top 10 worst foods (highest calories)

• And the top 5 healthiest (lowest calories)

Warm-up• Read the article on

picky eating!

• What are some tips for parents/caregivers to get children to eat?

• Do you remember being a picky eater?

• What foods did you refuse to eat?

Nutrition• Nutrition= the science of food and how the

body uses the foods taken in.• Nutrients= chemical substances in food that

help build and maintain the body.• There are six groups of nutrients needed for

growth and maintenance.• They are protein, carbohydrates, fats,

vitamins, minerals, and water.• Nutrition tips from Michelle Obama

• Teaching nutrition concepts requires a good nutrition program.

• A good program centers on the needs of children, including their ethnic backgrounds.

• Program goals should include:– Providing nutritious meals and

snacks– Introducing new healthy foods– Encouraging healthy eating habits– Involving children in meal activities– Providing nutrition information to

parents

• Food also provides energy. The value of food is measured in calories.

• Children need more energy than adults, in relation to body weight.

• A very active 4 year old boy weighing 42 lbs needs about 1600 calories per day.

• A somewhat active 45 year old man weighing 160 lbs needs about 2600 calories per day.

• The child needs about 38 calories per pound while the man needs 16 calories per pound.

• Children’s growth is greater and they are also more active, thus they use a great deal of energy.

Assignment 2/18/15• Write all vocabulary words and

the definition from the book .• Read through page 225

Nutritional Problems• The effects of poor nutrition on cognitive

abilities have been proven in several studies.• Under nutrition= not eating enough food to

keep a healthful body weight and activity level.

• Malnutrition= a lack of proper nutrients in the diet, happens when a nutrient is absent or lacking. Signs may be irritability, bowed legs, sunken eyes, decaying teeth, fatigue.

Nutritional Problems• Overeating= the intake of more food than

needed, can cause health and emotional problems.

• Obesity can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, etc.

• Many obese children lack self esteem.• Diabetes= a condition in which the body cannot

properly control the level of sugar in the blood.• Epidemic

MyPyramid• A set of online tools developed by

the USDA.• A special version is designed

specifically for children.• My Plate

Old vs. new

MyPyramid• What does the My Pyramid

recommend for active children ages:– 2-3– 4-8

Dairy

– Children need at least 2 cups of milk products daily.

– Children ages 2 years and younger need the fat that whole milk contains. For children over 2, low fat or fat free milk is better.

Grains– A child’s diet should include 6 servings of

grain daily.– Choose whole grain products!

Meat & Beans– Protein is the most important nutrient

supplied by this group.– Beef, pork, veal , lamb, eggs, seafood, and

poultry provide the highest quality of protein. – Dried beans, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds are

also in this group.

Vegetables

– Children should get 2 ½ cups of vegetables daily.

– Vegetables should be served raw if children are able to chew and swallow them without choking.

– Otherwise, cook them as little as possible since cooking veggies in water can lower the vitamin content.

Fruit

– Serve fruits raw, slightly cooked, or in the form of 100% juice.

– Rich sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruits.

– Babies eating lemons

Oils– Oils are found in

nourishing foods like fish, peanut butter, olives, and avocados.

– Limit fats and oils to the ones that provide good health!

– Oil is rich in calories, especially those in solid form. Choose evoo! What is EVOO?

Meeting Special Nutrition Needs

• As a teacher, one of your tasks is helping each child meet his or her nutritional needs.

• Children with diabetes do not produce insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar level.

• Managing the planning and scheduling of snacks and meals can be a challenge.

• Special nutrition needs may also exist among children with allergies.

• An allergy is the body’s negative reaction to a particular substance.

• The offending substance is called an allergen…such as pollen, dust, mold, or food.

• The most severe allergic reaction is anaphylactic shock, which could be fatal.

• Offer a safe substitute and monitor food brought into classroom.

• Food allergies in school

Planning Meals• Children will eat more if the food appeals to

them. • Variety- introduce new foods with familiar ones.• Texture- Serve one soft, one crispy and one

chewy food each meal.• Flavor- children prefer mildly seasoned foods.• Color- use colorful foods, add food coloring to

applesauce or pudding!• Form- serve foods in bite sized pieces. Soup may

be difficult.• Temperature-Variety in temperature, cold milk

with cookies!• Portion sizes

Multicultural Experiences• Children should be exposed to

healthful foods from different cultures.

• Including foods from the child’s culture will help promote cultural identity and self esteem.

• Share recipes with family members!

• Invite parents to prepare meals for class.

Our Multicultural Experience

• Culture specific - Bring a dish enough for everyone to sample. It can be something special from your culture/family

• Bring a copy of the recipe to share with the class

Breakfast• The purpose of breakfast is to

break the 10-14 hour overnight fast.

• Breakfast provides energy for morning activities!

• Self-serve breakfast are popular in child care centers. This includes dry cereal, yogurt, muffins, juice and milk.

Lunch• Minimum recommendations for

lunch:– 1 milk– 2 fruits, vegetables, 100% juice,

or any combination.– 1 grain source, such as bread,

cereal, or noodles.– 1 meat or alternate, such as

poultry, fish, soy, cheese, egg, or dry beans.

Snacks• Provide snacks between meals

to help satisfy hunger.• Most programs offer a mid

morning and mid afternoon snack.

• Schedule snacks at least 1 ½ hour before meals.

• Avoid junk food. Simple snacks are best like cheese and crackers!

Safe Foods• Children may eat quickly which

can cause them to choke.• Avoid foods like cherries,

candies, marshmallows, nuts, peanut butter, raisins, popcorn, raw celery, raw carrots, grapes and hotdogs.