January 2018 Distance Learning Class

Welcome…

Class Instructions

Welcome to Snohomish Health District Child Program distance learning course entitled:

“Menu Planning in Child Care”

This class is the first part of a 2 class series worth a total of 4 STARS credits. If you complete this 2 credit Distance Learning class by the end of January, you can sign up for the accompanying 2

credit Menu Planning in Action Cooking Class on Saturday, Feb 3 from 10 – 12:30. This will be facilitated by CCHOP Health Educator and Nutritionist Carrie Parker and Katy Levenhagen.

Both are Free…space is limited for the cooking class. Sign up soon: childcareclass@snohd.org

To receive credit for this course you must:

Read the text carefully and completely.

Answer all test questions. Do not leave any unanswered.

Complete the assignment thoughtfully and thoroughly.

Do test and assignment individually. No copying or group work. (note: it is acceptable to discuss the material as a group, but test/assignment must be done by yourself)

Return the course evaluation Test, assignment and evaluation should be emailed or postmarked on or before January 31st, 2018 in order to receive credit. Late assignments cannot be accepted. Make copies of your test and assignments for your records. A certificate of completion will be sent to you via email upon successful completion of this course. Please clearly print your name and an email address on your test. Please remember to include your STARS ID number on your test in order to receive STARS credit. If you need a STARS ID number, visit http://merit.del.wa.gov for assistance. As always, these materials are yours to keep as a resource. Please feel free to contact us at any time with questions, concerns, or comments.

childcareclass@snohd.org

OR Katy Levenhagen: Phone: 425.339.5407 E-mail: klevenhagen@snohd.org

Course Learning Objectives

Core Competencies This course fulfills the following Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Professionals from Washington State Department of Early Learning: Content Area IV: Family and Community Partnerships Relationships with Families

Level 1 c. Establishes positive communication and relationships with families.

Level 2 d. Creates and maintains open, friendly and cooperative relations with families and communicates daily events.

Content Area V: Health, Safety and Nutrition Responding to Health Needs of Children Level 2

a. Promotes good health and provides an environment that contributes to the prevention of illness. c. Seeks information on and demonstrates good practice for children with health care needs.

Level 3 b. Talks with and provides resource information to families about health.

Level 4 b. Works with health care professionals in community to ensure that the needs of the children are met.

Mail copies of your test, assignment, and evaluation to: Snohomish Health District Attn: Katy Levenhagen, Child Care Program 3020 Rucker Avenue Everett, WA 98201

OR Send electronic versions to: childcareclass@snohd.org

Course Learning Objectives

Design: A minimum of a two to three week menu template. Explain: The nutritional importance of variety in menu planning. Identify: Components of the CACFP Meal Plan.

Scoring of test and assignment is as follows:

Section Points Possible Your Score

True/False 24

Fill in the Blank 26

Short Answer 4

Choose Best Answer 6

Choose All That Apply 10

Assignment – Menu Plan 30

Total Points 100

A passing score is 80 points.

1

Menu Planning in

Child Care

The foods children eat provide them with nutrients needed for growth, health, and energy. Serving balanced meals takes thought, planning, and creativity. Serving a variety of food exposes children to an array of new and exciting foods that taste good and benefit their health. You are their “meal manager”. The job you do is very important! Developing a menu that works for the cook and the children is essential. Effective menu planning can help to minimize costs and waste, improve time management, and insure that nutritional needs are being met. So find a quiet spot and a few uninterrupted moments and use some of the following tips to help make the most of the menu planning process. It is most helpful to use a weekly menu planning template to develop menus. Keep it on your computer and switch dates around, consider seasonal menus and keep track of meal combination.

Consider using this menu planning weekly template. It is a handy tool for starting a cycle menu of your own. You can download this template from the SHD website:

2

Requirements & Recommendations: Before you begin, it is important to familiarize yourself with your minimum licensing requirements for feeding children. These will give you a good starting point. Although the Child Care Center WACs do not currently require following the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) meal pattern and guidelines they soon will. Family Home child care providers must follow CACFP guidelines and any child care provider participating in the CACFP must follow the new guidelines. Regulations changed in October, 2017. Child Care Center Rules 170-295-3140 – 3160 Child Care Family Home Rules 170-296A-7500 Other Washington State WAC’s for Licensed Child Care require:

Children in care for nine hours or less a day must receive either two snacks and one meal OR one snack and two meals

Children in care for over nine hours a day must receive either two snacks and two meals OR three snacks and one meal

When providing these meals, you will also need to consider the following requirements:

Food must be offered to children at intervals not less than two hours and not more than three hours apart (this will change to 2 – 3 hour spacing with New WACs

Breakfast or snack must be offered to all children in morning care or a child in nighttime care if the child remains in your care after their usual breakfast time

An evening snack must be offered to children in nighttime care

In addition to meeting minimum WAC requirements, providing variety for well-rounded nutrition and introducing new foods should also be an important consideration in menu planning. Food combinations within a meal or snack should not be repeated within a two week period of time. A well developed three to four week menu cycle is considered best practice in the child care setting because it provides greater variety, improves mealtime efficiency, and can reduce cost at the grocery store. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015 are the most recent national food intake standards from which the USDA Plate graphic is based. The Child and Adult Meal Pattern and requirements forms the basis for feeding children in licensed child care in Washington State. It recommends that a child’s daily diet consists of six servings from the grain group, five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables, three servings from the dairy and two from meat or meat alternate groups. The more recent “My Plate” program recommends similar ratios. Both also

The actual eating pattern of most children varies drastically from recommendations. National Food Surveys indicate that the average 6 to 12-year-old’s diet includes only 2.4 servings of fruits and vegetables, and 3.5 servings from the dairy and meat/bean groups combined. Furthermore, half of all children drink a can of soda every day. Poor nutrition can lead to problems with tooth decay, growth and development, and increase risk for obesity. Meals in child care may be the most nutritious foods children receive. Child care providers can have an impactful influence on a child’s food acceptance and intake.

3

recommend serving children fats and sweets only sparingly. These guidelines can help you in meeting your requirements while providing variety.

Healthy Eating for Preschoolers and the Daily Food Plan

4

The Washington State Meal Pattern is the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Meal Pattern As noted above, the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) meal patterns has replaced the Washington State Meal Pattern which designates food groups and portion sizes of foods to be served at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack times while children are in the child care setting. The CACFP guidelines were updated in April 2016 and implemented in October, 2017. This training will include the changes with clearly marked notations. The meal pattern is meant to ensure that children are served enough food to meet about 2/3s of their nutritional needs (for a child in care for 10 or more hours). Meals and snacks should include the following components as required by CACFP:

Breakfast: milk, grain and fruit or vegetable (a meat alternate may be offered in place of a grain up to 3 times a week)

Lunch: milk, grain, fruit and vegetable (or 2 servings of vegetable); meat or meat alternate

Dinner: milk, grain, fruit and vegetable (or 2 servings of vegetable) meat or meat alternate

Snack: Select foods from two different food groups The number of calories needed by a child depends on their age and development. The portion sizes are meant to be a guide to ensure enough food is offered to children. Offering the required amount of each food group at meals and snacks ensures children receive optimal nutrition for their age without too many calories. Calories provide the energy that our bodies need on a daily basis to function. The average daily caloric intake for children, ages 1-3 should be between 1000-1300 calories. Children 4-6 need about 1200-1500 calories.

5

6

Infant Meal Pattern Changes: The infant meal pattern has also changed to better align with the most current infant feeding guidelines. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends feeding babies according to their own cues indicating that they want to be feed and have had enough. It is most important to work with parents to identify the signs of hunger and fullness for each baby. Pediatricians recommend offering complimentary or solid foods when they are developmentally ready. Health risks associated with adding foods too soon include increased risk for choking, food allergy or intolerance and for childhood obesity. Pediatricians agree that most babies are developmentally ready to eat solid foods by 6 months and usually not before 4 months of age. Signs of readiness include:

A baby has good head control – can sit up without and hold head up straight

Shows interest in foods that others are eating

Can open mouth when foods are offered on a spoon

Can move food from a spoon into mouth

Shows a weakened tongue thrust The new meal pattern for infants now includes 2 age groups: 0 – 5 months and 6 – 11 months. Breastmilk or iron fortified formula provide the nutrients needed by infants in the appropriate amounts for most babies under 6 months. The new infant meal pattern has merged Breakfast/Lunch and Supper into one category for babies 6 – 11 months. These changes reflect the current AAP recommendations. At about 6 months babies need to get their iron from food sources. First foods for babies should be iron rich and may include iron fortified cereal, strained meats, eggs, cheese, yogurt, legumes, and vegetables. Fruits are well accepted as first foods because they are sweet and many can be easily mashed. Favorite vegetables are the colorful ones: sweet potatoes, winter squash, carrots, sweet red and yellow peppers… The new meal pattern recommends a wider range of first foods as long as they are modified to prevent choking Download the Choke Prevention brochure. Note: juice is not allowed for babies under 12 months.

It is most important to work with parents and caregivers to ensure all foods offered in child care have been offered in the home first. Child care providers should keep the flow of communication open about a baby’s progression to complimentary foods by talking frequently to parents. It may be helpful for parents to circle the foods on the menu that baby has eaten or to develop a food tracking system for each baby in care.

7

Please consider taking the CCHOP Infant Toddler Feeding Distance Learning Class for more information and guidance on infant feeding topics and policies, promoting self regulation, introducing complimentary foods and special considerations when feeding toddlers.

8

The Food Groups

Dairy Products

Many dairy products are rich in calcium. Calcium is a mineral needed for the growth and maintenance of bones and teeth. Calcium also aids with muscle contraction and blood clotting. Dairy foods not only provides calcium, but protein, carbohydrates, phosphorus, vitamins A, B-12 and D, and riboflavin. Milk must be offered at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Milk may also be one of the two food components at snack time. Toddlers between 12 and 24 months must be offered whole milk. Children over 24 months must be offered 1% milk. Dairy is considered part of the meat/meat alternate group. Dairy foods such as yogurt or cheese can be served to meet the requirement for the meat/meat alternate group

Fruits and Vegetables Fruit and vegetables are now considered 2 different food groups on the CACFP meal pattern. Fruit and vegetables add more color to a plate than any other food group. They are naturally low in fat and great sources of fiber. The fiber primarily gained from fruits and vegetables aids in digestion. Fruits and vegetables also provide vitamins and minerals that are important for normal growth and development and help keep children healthy, (most notably Vitamins A, C, B-6, folate, potassium, iron and magnesium). A 1-2 yr old portion of fruit or vegetable is 1/8 cup or 2 tablespoons and a serving for a 3 – 5 year old is ¼ cup.

Flavored yogurt must not contain more than 23 grams of sugar per 6 oz serving serving.

Fruit and Vegetables are Now 2 Separate Food Groups

You may serve a vegetable AND fruit at snack to meet the 2 food component criteria.

You MUST serve a fruit and a vegetable at lunch and dinner.

OR

You may substitute a vegetable for the fruit and serve 2 different vegetables.

9

Fruit juice should not be a substitute for whole fruit very often. Essentially, juice is simply the water and sugar squeezed from a fruit. And remember it takes more than one piece of fruit to make one glass of juice, so juice is the water and sugar from several pieces of fruit. This high sugar content provides children empty calories and a feeling of “fullness” without providing any significant nutrition. New guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend no juice for babies under 12 months. Juice should be limited to one 1/2 cup of juice per day for children under five and less than eight ounces for school age children.

Meat & Meat Alternates

Protein foods are required for physical growth, brain development and healthy body tissues. Foods from the meat and meat alternatives group will provide children with protein, iron, phosphorus, potassium, B vitamins and zinc. Meat and meat alternates must be offered at lunch and dinner and may be offered at snack time. Meat includes poultry, fish and other lean meats. Serving sizes will range from one to two ounces depending

on the age of the child. Trimming away fat and skin and roasting, broiling or boiling instead of frying are healthier ways of providing meat and protein. Examples of meat alternatives include beans (legumes), eggs, cheese, nuts and nut butters, seeds, and tofu. Make sure to check the meal pattern for adequate serving sizes of these foods. Here a few hints about adequate servings for the meat/meat alternate group:

Serve nut and seed butter for a snack as these are higher in fat and serving sizes are smaller at snack time (1 TBSL at snack for 3 – 5 year olds compared to 3 TBSP at lunch.)

When using eggs as a meat alternative, each child should receive what is comparable to one egg.

Trim off excess fat from cuts of meat before cooking to reduce fat content. When buying ground beef, look for types that are less than 94% fat.

When purchasing precooked ground meat products buy low sodium varieties.

ALWAYS use a food thermometer to determine when meat, chicken and fish are fully cooked.

Tofu is a creditable food and very nutritious. You must serve 3 oz for preschoolers and 2 oz for toddlers. A meat or meat alternate may be served at breakfast instead of a grain up to 3 times a week.

You may substitute juice for a serving of fruit ONCE a day. It is still best to limit serving juice to 2

or fewer times a week.

10

Grains

Grains and starches provide many complex carbohydrates, a great source of energy. Grains also provide fiber, B Vitamins, and iron. Examples of one grain serving for 1-3 year olds include 1/2 slice of bread, 1/4 cup of rice or pasta, or one ounce of cereal. A whole grain food should be offered once day. (This is linked to the OSPI PDF handout about Whole Grains.) For

more fiber, serve whole wheat products, brown rice, corn tortillas, and oatmeal. Grains with over two grams of fiber per serving are good sources of fiber for children. To qualify for a whole grain food, look for the words “whole grain” as the first ingredient in the Ingredient List. These are examples of cereals which meet the new CACFP guidelines of containing less that 7 grams of added sugar:

Include a whole grain food with one

of the meals or snacks EVERY day.

Cereal must not

contain more than 6 grams of sugar per

serving.

C

Grain based desserts do not count towards the grain component. These include cookies, cakes, brownies coffee cake, sweet rolls, donuts, toaster pastry, and cereal bars. NOTE: Sweet crackers are not included as a “grain based dessert” – all shapes of graham crackers and animal crackers are acceptable grain foods. Read more about the new rule: USDA CACFP Exhibit A

11

Use the following CACFP reference guide to easily determine how much sugar per serving is acceptable in cereal and yogurt and how much protein per serving is acceptable in tofu.

12

Water Water is another component of any healthy diet, despite the fact that it is not addressed by a food group. Water provides about 60% of our body weight and is essential for healthy metabolism, skin, kidney function and electrolyte balance. A very yellow color or strong odor in a child’s urine is an indicator that the child is not getting enough water. A 30-pound child need only loose one pound of water weight before adverse effects such as impatience, mood changes, nausea, flushed skin, or lethargy begin to set in. Best practice would recommend that water is offered during all meals and snacks in addition to (not in place of) the required meal or snack elements. Snohomish county has some of the highest quality drinking water in the country.

Watch this video from a YMCA child care to see how the director and cook intentionally changed the menu to include more whole grains and less processed foods.

Self-Reflection Review the new guidelines which are outlined in the green boxes.

Which new menu planning guideline do you already do?

Which changes will be most challenging?

How will you ensure to serve yogurt and cereal with less sugar?

What grain based desserts will you eliminate from your menu and what will you add instead?

“Snohomish County PUD is pleased to report that your drinking water safely complies with

federal and state drinking water quality standards. This report summarizes the key

findings of the PUD’s 2016 water quality testing program. It illustrates the utility’s

commitment to delivering the highest quality drinking water.”

Safe to Drink: 2016 Annual Water Quality Report, Snohomish Co. PUD

13

Label Reading Food labels are provided on all packaged foods and are a great source of nutrition information for consumers. They can help determine both nutritional content and serving sizes. When purchasing foods for your menus, be sure to read and compare labels to ensure that most foods have a high nutritional value.

Look for foods with less than three grams of fat per 100 calories

Choose brands with less than 10% sodium.

Choose brands that are higher in fiber, i.e. more than two grams is good.

Choose brands that are low in added sugars.

Choose foods that contain at least 10% daily value of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, and Iron.

Did you know the FDA has updated the Nutrition Facts Labels so they are easier to read? Check out Food Facts explaining the New and Improved Nutrition Facts Label.

Variety Variety is important when planning a menu because serving different foods assure that all nutritional requirements are met. No single food or food group can provide all the necessary nutrients important for healthy bodies. Every food has its own set of nutrients which aid in growth, development, and overall health. Children’s taste preferences change as they become exposed and familiar to new and different foods. Some children prefer softer textures while others like crunchy. Children shy away from very hot foods and do best when hot and cold foods are served together. Toddlers like to explore foods with their hands, and preschoolers like to keep foods separate and may avoid casseroles and stews. There is no way to please all children in care every day. Creative menus always include a wide variety of foods on a daily basis including foods that are hot and cold, mushy and crunchy, soft and hard, canned, frozen and fresh, and lots of different entrée items (chicken, fish, beef, legumes, cheese, eggs).

14

Nutrition Kids Photo

Appeal Making meals and snacks appealing as well as nutritious is the difference between children eating the foods or not. Paying attention to color, texture, size and shape of foods will help create more interesting and physically appetizing meals and snacks. Most variety in texture and color come from fruits and vegetables. They come in various shades of red, yellow, orange, green, and purple. They can be served hot or cold (tomatoes, carrots, zucchini), chopped, sliced or whole (apples, pears, avocado). In addition, serving seasonal fruits and vegetables keeps your menu cycle intriguing and is a great way to introduce children to new and healthy foods. Remember that it often takes many meals for a child to become familiar enough with a new food to actually try it, so just because children may not like a new offering the first time around, don’t give up on it! Rotating local and seasonal foods in to your menus can also help stretch the food budget.

Balance Balance allows all foods to fit into a well planned menu. It provides room for the inclusion of high fat or sugar foods in moderate amounts by balancing them with healthy foods that are low in fat, sugar and salt in the same meal.

15

Examples of well balanced meals include: Lunches:

Baked chicken strips, broccoli, whole wheat roll, and melon

All beef or turkey hot dog, baked beans, bun, and fruit salad

Macaroni and cheese w/ tuna, green beans, plum Snacks:

Whole Grain Gold Fish crackers, kiwi slices

Whole wheat pita chips, hummus

Sun Butter, apple slices In addition, try to serve more fruits and vegetables in other meals and snacks the same day a high fat lunch item is served. This way, higher calorie nutrients and salty foods are balanced by healthier food choices throughout the day.

Exploring New Foods When introducing new foods on a menu, introduce them to children one new food at a time to give the child time to explore the new food using all their senses. Consider introducing new foods during group time or as a food activity. Give them a chance to explore it first by touching, smelling and then tasting small amounts of it. Never force a new food on children. Offer it a number of times, until they become accustomed to seeing the food in various combinations with other foods. Role modeling by sitting, eating and talking in descriptive, positive ways about foods are the best strategies for helping children try a new food.

Celebrating traditional seasons and holidays through food is a great way to involve children in nutrition education and planning. Incorporating traditions from different cultures can also be a great educational experience as well as an opportunity to introduce different food varieties. Parents and community groups are good sources of information to help introduce cultural variety into menus. Check out the FoodHero website for more ideas on adding ethnic foods to your menu. KidWorldCitizen includes snacks and food activities that introduce children to food ways around the world.

Reminder: Baked food is healthier than fried…but just because YOU bake a food, doesn’t mean it wasn’t fried before it was packaged. Example: Frozen chicken nuggets, frozen French fries, frozen egg rolls. If the first ingredient is a fat (oil, butter, lard…then chances are it has been fried.

16

Ideas & Food Lists! Crackers Crackers are a kid-favorite, but many are very high in fat and low in fiber. This guide will help you choose healthier crackers that are less that 30% fat and meet the criteria for whole grain with appropriate serving sizes (based on 3-6 year old diets).

Vitamins A & C Serving Vitamin A and C foods will no longer be part of the meal requirements. However, Vitamins A and C are among the body’s strongest antioxidants which boost the immune system and help prevent chronic disease. Being exposed to a wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetables early in life can lead to a long term habit of eating these healthy foods. Link to the OSPI website to download a copy of this colorful vegetable poster Vegetable Sub Group handout

Better Options/Serving Size (WG) = whole grain and high Fiber Animal Crackers 6 Melba Toast 2 Oyster Crackers 12 Rice Wafer 5 Saltines 4 Sesame Ak-Mak/Walsa (WG) 2 Soda Crackers 4 Wheatsworth (WG) 4 Zweiback 2 Graham Crackers 2 Teddy Grahams 2 Bread Sticks 3 Brown Rice Cakes (large)(WG) 1 Ryvita (WG) 1 Rye Krisp (WG) 2 Reduced Fat Cheez-it 9 Reduced Fat Townhouse 6 Reduced Fat Cheese Nips 11 Reduced Fat Wheatables (WG) 6 Reduced Fat Ritz (WG) 4 Reduced Fat Triscuit (WG) 3 Reduced Fat Wheat Thins(WG) 6 Reduced Fat Club 3

Worse Options/Serving Size/Fat % Cheese Nips 11 54% Chicken in a Biskit 4 50% Goldfish 23 36% Hi-Ho 4 48% Cheez-its 9 51% Townhouse 3 50% Wheatables 4 36% Ritz 4 44% Triscuit 4 32% Wheat Thins 6 38% Club/Waverly 2 46% Cheese Crackers 2 45% with Peanut Butter

17

Download Fruit Charts to help provide quick ideas for adding fruits and vegetables to your menu.

18

Make mealtimes interesting and fun! Did you know that the avocado is also called an Alligator Pear? Ever wonder what fruits are high in iron (figs and plums!)? Did you know that a purple potato meets more than 100% of Vit.C for a school age child? What’s the most popular fruit in the world? (Mango) The fruitsandvegetablesmorematters.org website includes extensive data bases which summarize the nutritional value, storage, preparation and fun facts of over a hundred fruits and vegetables.

Snacks: Snack time is meant to provide a break from group and individual activities and provide children with an opportunity to spend some relaxed, informal time with their child care provider and teacher. Snacks are timed so that they are at least 2 hours in between other meals. A morning snack may not be necessary if breakfast and lunch are spaced 3 hours apart. It is always necessary to feed a child if they arrive to the child care without having eaten within 2-3 hours prior to arrival or without breakfast. An afternoon snack is always necessary for full day and afterschool programs.

Quick Snack Ideas – *Choose 2 from different groups Meat & Alternatives: Whole Wheat Grains: Dairy: *Fruits/Vegetables:

(One fruit and one veg count as a snack)

Low fat deli slices Pita pockets Milk Avocado Bean dip English muffins Yogurt Snap peas Tuna Tortillas Cottage cheese Pears/ Kiwi Hard boiled eggs Low fat crackers Hard cheese Prunes/raisins Nut/seed butters (with veggies!) Low sugar cereal Cheese stick Carrots Hummus Popcorn Asparagus Baked beans Muffins (occasionally) Vegetable salsa Edamame Pretzels Pineapple Rolls or buns Sweet potato Mango

Remember: Fruits and vegetables can be canned, fresh, frozen, and dried.

As always, offering a variety is the key!

19

Sample Menu Following, you will find a one week cycle for 3-6 year olds developed by the Child Care Health and Outreach Program nutritionist.. You can use this menu, not only as a great example, but as one of your own menus in a 3-4 week cycle (you will find a blank template to use in designing the remainder of your weeks in the resources section at the end of this course along with a link to the USDA site full of child care friendly recipes, snacks, and menu ideas).

20

Mealtime Practices: It is important to remember that providing a healthy mealtime is about more than just the foods you serve. Meal time is also a great opportunity for children to learn about food and develop their language and social skills. It should be a relaxed and enjoyable experience. Serving family style is one way to achieve this. Provide enough food to meet the minimum requirements for all children and adults and help children learn to serve themselves. This allows children to decide how much they will eat and prevents waste. Use small, lightweight containers and utensils that children can handle. If possible, sit and eat with children. This improves food safety as well as provides the opportunity for you to talk about events of the day and the foods they are eating (their color, shape, texture, etc). Providers should eat the same food and beverages they are offering to children. Remember, you are responsible for what foods are offered and how meals are served. To best promote self regulation of food intake, children should determine what and how much they eat. These important skills around self-regulation minimize the development of emotional or conditional eating. If you are providing a variety of healthy options and you are sitting and eating with them then children can’t make a wrong choice!

Watch this video from a YMCA child care to see how the director and cook foster family style meals and work to improve the eating habits of the children during child care meals and in the home.

In Closing… The foods children eat have a direct and major impact on their growth, development and overall health (physical, mental, social, and emotional). It is important to develop a well balanced and nutritionally sound menu. Long term eating behaviors are formed at a very young age. Child care providers have an opportunity to make a positive impact on a child’s eating habits and influence health and well-being into adulthood.

21

Below is a summary of the Child and Adult Care Food Program Standards. These will soon be the guidelines for child care and early learning programs. Download the Updated Meal Patterns from the USDA CACFP website.

22

Resources

WA Child Nutrition Program menu building tool,

Menu Planning Guide for child care providers.

Includes explanations about how to meet the

requirements for each food group including portion

sizes.

Child and Adult Care Food Program Recipes: This link includes new

recipes (Updated August, 2017) from CACFP.

Child and Adult Care Food

Program Training Tools including

helpful tips for selecting yogurt and

cereal that meet the child care

standards.

23

Let’s Move Child Care sample menus

from child care providers in many

states.

Team Nutrition is the USDA Healthy Meals for Children

headquarters.

“What’s On Your Plate?” Poster: Just one of many resources from ChooseMyPlate

PARTNERS IN CHILD CARE 3020 Rucker Avenue, Suite 203 Everett, WA 98201-3900 425.339.5230 Fax: 425.339.5255

24

References: American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Public Health Association (APHA), National Resource Center

for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early (2010). Preventing Childhood Obesity in Early Care and Education Programs.

Benjamin, Sara E (June 1997). National Training Institute for Child Care Health Consultants. Making Food

Healthy and Safe for Children Retrieved from: http://www.mchlibrary.info/pubs/PDFs/Nutrition_Stnd/Nutrition_5.pdf

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP, January 2013). Meal Patterns in Child Care Programs. Retrieved

from: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/care/ Child Stats.gov Forum on Child and Family Statistics (2013). National Food Survey: America’s Children, Key

National Indicators of Well Being Health Figures. Retrieved from: http://www.childstats.gov/americaschildren/health_fig.asp#health6

Benjamin, Sara E (June 1997). National Training Institute for Child Care Health Consultants. Making Food

Healthy and Safe for Children Retrieved from: http://www.mchlibrary.info/pubs/PDFs/Nutrition_Stnd/Nutrition_5.pdf

USDA (2000). ABCs of Successful Menu Planning. Retrieved from:

http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/Resources/blocks4.pdf Washington State Administrative Code (WAC, April 2012). Minimum Licensing Requirements for Child Cares.

Retrieved from: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=170-295&full=true