CACFP Nutrition and Wellness

Training

Enhancing Healthy Eating and Physical Activity

in your Program

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Children Facing a Serious Health Crisis

• 1 in 3 children overweight/obese

• Developing chronic diseases (Diabetes, Heart Disease)

• Heavier kids do worse in school

• Causes & solutions are complex

• Critical period for intervention! 2

Centers Can Help Reverse this Obesity Trend by…

• Increasing Physical Activity• Decreasing Television/Screen Time• Increasing Breastfeeding (initiation, duration

and exclusivity)• Increasing Consumption of Fruits & Veggies• Decreasing Consumption of High-Energy Dense Foods (candy, chips, cookies)• Decreasing Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened

Beverages 3

http://fns.dpi.wi.gov/fns_cacfpwellnesswhy 4

http://fns.dpi.wi.gov/fns_cacfpwellnessbp 5

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Active Early includes the following sections:

• Physical Activity Recommendations

• Development • Child Assessment • Daily Routines• Environments• Resources• Business Practices

Appendix

Within each section, you’ll find the following:

• An Overview of the Topic • How it Applies to Infants• How it Applies to Toddlers• How it Applies to Preschoolers• How it Applies to Multi-Age Groups • Quick Tips • Activity Ideas • Inclusion • Cultural Competency • Tools included in the Appendix • Engaging Families • Engaging Communities

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Table of Contents

Quote of the Day…

• Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.

- Fred Rogers8

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Nutrition for Children Ages 1-12 Fruits & Vegetables Grains & BreadsMeat & Meat AlternatesBeverages

Nutrition for InfantsInfant Feeding PracticesInfant Beverages Infant Foods

Appendix

Nutrition Environment Menu PlanningChildren with Disabilities or Other Special Dietary

NeedsMeal Time Environment Family Style Meal ServiceRole ModelingPicky EatersLocally Grown FoodsGardeningNutrition Education for Staff, Children and ParentsFoods Brought From HomeCelebrations FundraisingStaff & Work Place Wellness

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Table of Contents

Children eat 50 to 75% of their needed calories while they are in early care and education settings.

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Fruits & Veggies

• Variety in Color, Texture & Taste

• Fresh or Frozen

• Canned fruit that is in H20 or natural fruit juice

• Canned veggies labeled “No Salt Added” or “Reduced Sodium”

• Limit 100% juice to no more than 4 oz/day

• Legumes

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Choose dark green, red & orange fruits and vegetables:

Green

Bok ChoyCollard Greens

Green PeasKiwi Fruit

Romaine LettuceSpinachBroccoli

Green CabbageSwiss Chard

Red

BeetsCherriesGuavas

Red applesRed onion

StrawberriesTomatoes

Watermelon

Orange

Apricots Butternut squash

CantaloupeCarrotsMangos

Sweet potatoesGrapefruitNectarinesOrangesPapayasPumpkin

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Crushed Pineapple in Heavy Syrup

Crushed Pineapple in 100% Pineapple Juice

Crushed Pineapple in water

Canned Fruit Labels

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Canned Vegetable Labels

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Corn-Regular Corn-Low Sodium Corn-No Salt Added

Make them fun!

• Use spices and herbs to jazz up veggies rather than butter or cream sauces

• Rinse canned fruits or veggies if you can’t find them in water or natural fruit juice or without added salt

• Serve oven baked homemade potatoes or sweet potato wedges (Leave the skin on!) in place of fried or pre-fried veggies

• Use low calorie dips like hummus or yogurt dips rather than ranch dressing or sour cream dips.

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Grains & Breads

• Whole Grain Foods

• Make at least half of all grains whole grains

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Examples of whole grain ingredients:

• Brown Rice• Whole Wheat • Millet• Whole-grain Corn• Quinoa• Wild Rice• Buckwheat• Bulgur (Cracked Wheat)• Whole Cornmeal• Whole Rye• Rolled Oats• Whole-grain Sorghum• Whole Wheat Flour• Whole-grain Barley• Whole Oats/Oatmeal

Whole grains have

all three of these.

Refined grains are

missing something. 18

Read the ingredient list

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• The words “whole” or “whole grain” will appear before the grain ingredient’s name

• Whole grain should be the first ingredient listed

• The term “berries” or “groats” indicate a whole, unrefined grain– Rye berries or buckwheat groats

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Are these items whole grain?

What’s on the front of

the box?

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Read the ingredient list

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Sugar in Cereals

One cup of any of three popular children’s cereals contains more sugar than a Twinkie:1.Kellogg’s Honey Smacks2.Post Golden Crisp3.General Mills Wheaties Fuel

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Sugar in Cereals

One cup of any of 44 children’s cereals – including Frosted Flakes, Apple Jacks, and

Cap’n Crunch contains more sugar than 3 Chips Ahoy! Cookies

14 grams of sugar

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When Choosing CerealLook for…

1. Short ingredient list (added vitamins and minerals are ok)

2. No more then 6-8 grams of sugar per serving unless it contains dried fruit

3. Supplies at least 2 grams of fiber per serving

• If children prefer a sweet taste, jazz up unsweetened cereal with sliced peaches or bananas, strawberries, or blueberries.

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Recommended

Cereals

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• When cooking or baking, replace half of the white flour in a recipe with whole grain flour like whole wheat, millet, buckwheat or oat bran

For breakfast try: Oatmeal Whole wheat pancakes or waffles Whole grain English muffins Whole wheat toast Whole grain breakfast cereal

For snacks try: Whole grain pita breads Whole wheat crackers Whole grain bars

• When serving rice or pastas, transition into whole grains by mixing half and half

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Lunch or Dinner Ideas• Make sandwiches with whole-grain breads (rye, oat,

or whole wheat) instead of white• Serve whole-grain rolls with dinner instead of white

rolls• Use whole-grain pastas instead of white• Serve wild or brown rice instead of white rice• Spice up salads with berries, chickpeas, cooked

artichokes, and beans (kidney, black, navy, or pinto)• Serve sweet potatoes with the skins as tasty side

dishes. Regular baked potatoes with the skins are good sources of fiber too.

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Lunch or Dinner Ideas• Use whole-grain (corn or whole wheat) soft-taco

shells or tortillas to make burritos or wraps – Breakfast: eggs and cheese – Lunch: turkey, cheese, lettuce, and tomato – Dinner: beans, salsa, taco sauce, and cheese

• Add lentils or whole-grain barley to soups• Create mini-pizzas by topping whole-wheat English

muffins or bagels with pizza sauce, low-fat cheese, mushrooms, and pieces of grilled chicken

• Add bran to meatloaf or burgers (but not too much bran or the kids might catch on!)

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Meats & Meat Alternates

• Ground beef that is at least 90% lean

• Sirloin & round steaks• Roasts & cuts from chuck and

shoulder• Pork loin • Boneless, skinless chicken

breasts and turkey cutlets• Low-fat lunch meats• Fish and seafood like salmon,

tuna, haddock, trout, tilapia, cod, shrimp and crab

• Legumes• Eggs• Nuts, Seeds & their Butters• Low-fat/Reduced-fat Yogurts

and Natural Cheeses 30

• Select lean cuts of meats and then trim or remove excess fat and skin

• Drain off fat and rinse it in a strainer when cooking ground beef – this can reduce the fat by up to 50%

• Bake, grill, broil, poach, boil or roast

• Serve more beans – they are rich in fiber and protein

• Choose easy legumes, like those that are canned or pre-cooked

• Bake your own chicken nuggets or fish sticks using bread crumbs 31

Homemade vs. ProcessedChicken Nuggets

Homemade Baked Chicken Nuggets (5 or 6 nuggets)

• Calories 160 • Total Fat 2g • Saturated Fat 0.5g• Cholesterol 65mg• Sodium 140mg• Protein 28g

Processed Chicken Nuggets (5 nuggets)

• Calories 270• Total Fat 17g• Saturated Fat 4g• Cholesterol 40mg• Sodium 470 mg• Protein 14g

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Improving the Nutrition Environment

of your Center

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Post “Breastfeeding and breast fed babies are welcome here” messages or posters

Create a private, quiet and comfortable place for mothers to breastfeed

Train all staff in breastfeeding support and promotion, including proper storing, handling and feeding of breast milk

Ask a nursing mother how you should act if her baby is hungry and the supply of expressed milk is gone and/or she is not present

Breastfeeding Support & Promotion

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• Make mealtimes both enjoyable and pleasant to promote healthy eating habits– Encourage, but do not force, children to try and

taste new foods– Do not just offer “typical” child foods (e.g. hot

dogs, chicken nuggets)– Have a taste-test when introducing a new food – If a child refuses to eat what is served, make a

gentle reminder of the next meal and/or snack– Make foods fun and call them playful names– Open communication with parents

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Nutrition Environment Picky Eaters

Nutrition Environment Celebrations

• Celebrate holidays or special occasions with mostly healthy foods and non-food items– Healthy Celebration Ideas – Appendix H

• Special Celebration Activities• Non-food Celebration Items• Healthy Foods for Celebrations

– Review celebration program policy with parents• Sample Letter to Parents with Celebration Ideas –

Appendix I

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Nutrition Environment Celebrations

37http://fns.dpi.wi.gov/fns_cacfpwellnesswhy

• Open communication with parents– Taste test with parents at pick-up

• Reach out to parents– Add nutrition and program policy information to

newsletters, bulletin boards, emails, website– Send home list of healthy meals/snacks– Serve healthy foods at parent nights

• Discuss healthy menu options with parents• Encourage parents to take part in activities with their

children at home – gardening, cooking a family meal, menu planning, grocery

shopping, family fitness night

• Role-modeling healthy eating habits 38

Parent Engagement

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Available Resources for Parents

teamnutrition.usda.gov40

MyPlatewww.choosemyplate.gov

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Also Available in Spanish!

10 Tips Nutrition Education Series

Also Available in Spanish!

www.ChooseMyPlate.gov

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http://www.fns.usda.gov/core-nutrition/core-nutrition-messages

New Core Messages and Tools

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Target Behaviors:Increase consumption of:• whole grains• fat-free or low-fat milk• fruits and vegetables

Use child feeding practices that foster healthy eating habits in kids

BEHAVIORAL-

FOCUSED

Core Messages

13 NEW Messages• 5 Whole Grain• 4 Milk• 4 Child Feeding16 Existing Messages• 7 Child Feeding• 5 Fruits and Vegetables• 4 MilkOver 35 pages of tips, advice and guidance

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Messages, Tips, Guidance

COMPELLING

REL

EVANT

ACTIONABLEhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/core-nutrition/core-nutrition-messages

Implementing New Core Messages

• Consider cultural relevance • Incorporate messages into group discussions,

interactive classes, newsletters or on website• Share messages with parents during pick-up”

or “drop-off” times and during special family events

• Provide multiple exposures to the messages

“Maximizing the Message” Guidebook

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Download This!

http://www.fns.usda.gov/core-nutrition/core-nutrition-messages

CACFP Provider Handbook includes recommendations, guidelines and best practices:

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Nutrition Physical Activity Screen Time Wellness

Target audience = child care providers caring for children 2-6 y.o.

Available at http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resource-library

Nutrition and Wellness Tips for Young Children:

Provider Handbook for CACFP

• Tip sheets on nutrition, active play, screen time consistent with – CACFP meal pattern requirements– Dietary Guidelines recommendations– Guidelines from Caring for Our Children: National Health

and Safety Performance Standards; Guidelines for Early Care and Education, 3rd Edition

• Best Practices: CACFP Success Stories • Choking Hazards• Food Allergies• Additional Resources 47

Provider Handbook for CACFP: Evidence-Based

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resource-library

• Trainings for child care providers and staff

• Activity Sheets:– Examine current weekly/cycle

child care menu– Plan next month’s menu– Reading labels and ingredient lists– Plan how to promote certain

foods next month– Plan to provide opportunities for

active play – circle the fun ideas they will try 48

COMING SOON!

Provider Handbook for CACFP: How to Use it

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resource-library

• Provides information on crediting of foods that are commonly served in CACFP

• Incorporates and updates the crediting information in previous documents What’s in a Meal? and Crediting Foods in the CACFP

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Complimentary document to the Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs

Crediting Handbook for CACFP

Available at http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resource-library

USDA Recipes for Childcare

• Recipes• Food Safety• Cooking tips• Storage info• More…

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http://www.fns.usda.gov/usda-recipes-child-care

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Grow It, Try It, Like It!Preschool Fun with Fruits and Vegetables

• A garden-themed education kit• Introduces young children to fruits and vegetables

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resource-library

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Based around 3 vegetables (crookneck squash, spinach, sweet potato) and 3 fruits (cantaloupe, peach, strawberry)

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resource-library

Take-Home Materials• Letters to parents• Family-size recipes; tips for

cooking with young children• Parent/child activity• DVD video clips

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Grow It, Try It, Like It! The Learning Continues at Home

http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resource-library

A garden toolkit for implementing youth gardens

A youth garden-based nutrition education

curriculum

http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/physical-activity/index.htm

WI Gardening Resources

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NFSMI Resources

National Food Service Management Institute provides the Care Connection Curricula for Child Care Providers which includes handouts and videos on:

• CACFP Meal Patterns

• Menu Planning

• Family Style Meal Service

• Nutrition Needs of Young Children

www.nfsmi.org

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