The BASICS of Family The BASICS of Family Style Meal ServiceStyle Meal Service

Family Style Meal ServiceFamily Style Meal ServiceProvides many Provides many opportunities for opportunities for childrenchildren’’s learning:s learning:

SelfSelf--Help SkillsHelp SkillsFollowing DirectionsFollowing DirectionsLanguage Language DevelopmentDevelopmentLetter RecognitionLetter RecognitionSocial SkillsSocial SkillsMath SkillsMath SkillsNutritionNutrition

Is Foundational to Head Start and Is Foundational to Head Start and CACFPCACFP

Performance Standard: 1304.23(c)Performance Standard: 1304.23(c)Grantee and delegate agencies must ensure Grantee and delegate agencies must ensure that nutritional services in centerthat nutritional services in center--based based setting(ssetting(s) contribute to the development and ) contribute to the development and socialization of enrolled children by providing socialization of enrolled children by providing that:that:

A variety of food is servedA variety of food is servedFood is not used as punishment or reward and that each Food is not used as punishment or reward and that each child is encouraged, but not forced to eat or taste his or child is encouraged, but not forced to eat or taste his or her foodher foodAll toddlers and preschool children and assigned All toddlers and preschool children and assigned classroom staff, including volunteers, eat together family classroom staff, including volunteers, eat together family style and share the same menu to the extent possible.style and share the same menu to the extent possible.

CACFP GuidelinesCACFP GuidelinesEnough food must be prepared and placed on Enough food must be prepared and placed on the table to allow for the full portion size the table to allow for the full portion size requirement for each child and adult to be requirement for each child and adult to be served.served.When serving family style, all the foods to meet When serving family style, all the foods to meet meal requirements should be on the table at the meal requirements should be on the table at the start of the meal.start of the meal.Children should first be offered the full required Children should first be offered the full required portion of each food. Children can make portion of each food. Children can make choices in selecting foods and the size of the choices in selecting foods and the size of the initial servings.initial servings.

Family Style Meals Teaches Good Family Style Meals Teaches Good Eating HabitsEating Habits

Children may choose to take a small Children may choose to take a small portion of food, knowing that the food will portion of food, knowing that the food will still be available if they would like a still be available if they would like a second serving. second serving. Serving themselves gives children time to Serving themselves gives children time to practice skills like passing, pouring and practice skills like passing, pouring and scooping foods. Taking turns, sharing and scooping foods. Taking turns, sharing and politely turning down foods are all part of politely turning down foods are all part of the table manners children learn.the table manners children learn.

Family Style Meals Teaches Good Family Style Meals Teaches Good Eating HabitsEating Habits

Seeing new foods and Seeing new foods and watching others serve watching others serve themselves encourages themselves encourages children who are often children who are often unsure about new foods unsure about new foods to be more interested in to be more interested in the meal.the meal.Children do not see one Children do not see one food as more important food as more important than another.than another.

The Components of Family Style The Components of Family Style Meal ServiceMeal Service

PreparationPreparationOrganizing the Teaching TeamOrganizing the Teaching TeamInvolving ChildrenInvolving Children

TransitionTransition –– moving into & away from the meal smoothly moving into & away from the meal smoothly and quicklyand quicklyServing and EatingServing and Eating

Children Serving ThemselvesChildren Serving ThemselvesTeachers encouraging but not forcing children to try new foodsTeachers encouraging but not forcing children to try new foodsTeaching MannersTeaching MannersEnjoying Meaningful ConversationsEnjoying Meaningful Conversations

CleanClean--upup

PREPARATIONPREPARATIONOrganizing the Teaching TeamOrganizing the Teaching Team

Assign DutiesAssign DutiesPlan ActivitiesPlan Activities

•• That can be conducted and managed by 1 staff while the That can be conducted and managed by 1 staff while the other oversees mealtime set upother oversees mealtime set up

•• Over planOver plan…….sometimes it takes longer than you thought it .sometimes it takes longer than you thought it would to get set upwould to get set up

Involve the children with setInvolve the children with set--up EVERYDAY and at up EVERYDAY and at EVERY MEALTIMEEVERY MEALTIME

•• Children should wash their hands if they are table setters.Children should wash their hands if they are table setters.•• Intentionally teach children how to set the table Intentionally teach children how to set the table properlyproperly and and

how to use and handle utensils and dishware.how to use and handle utensils and dishware.

TRANSITIONTRANSITIONCreate routines for moving into and out of Create routines for moving into and out of mealtimes and stick to them.mealtimes and stick to them.Staff should have assigned Staff should have assigned responsibiltiesresponsibilties for for monitoring children during transitions.monitoring children during transitions.Do NOT sit children at tables until all food is in Do NOT sit children at tables until all food is in place.place.Once all is in place to eat, seat children and Once all is in place to eat, seat children and begin meal service quickly thereafter.begin meal service quickly thereafter.After the meal send students to a supervised After the meal send students to a supervised activity that will engage them while others are activity that will engage them while others are finishing up. finishing up.

Serving and EatingServing and EatingServe from left to right. Teach left and right and Serve from left to right. Teach left and right and reinforce it at each meal.reinforce it at each meal.First teach how to serve and pour by providing nonFirst teach how to serve and pour by providing non--mealtime activities that provide children with mealtime activities that provide children with opportunities to practice pouring and serving. opportunities to practice pouring and serving. Teach children how to handle spills. Provide appropriate Teach children how to handle spills. Provide appropriate assistance until children have mastered these skills.assistance until children have mastered these skills.Set the expectation that all children will serve Set the expectation that all children will serve themselves all food components.themselves all food components.Help children to learn appropriate portion size.Help children to learn appropriate portion size.Find ways to encourage children to try new foods.Find ways to encourage children to try new foods.Teach children how to politely decline a food but be sure Teach children how to politely decline a food but be sure to offer the child at least one other opportunity to try the to offer the child at least one other opportunity to try the declined item. declined item.

SERVING AND EATINGSERVING AND EATING

TeachersTeachers……role model manners and praise children for practicing role model manners and praise children for practicing good etiquette.good etiquette.converse with the children during mealtimes.converse with the children during mealtimes.Encourage the children to converse with one another.Encourage the children to converse with one another.Praise children for trying new foods and reinforce Praise children for trying new foods and reinforce portion size.portion size.

Provide adequate time for all children to eat.Provide adequate time for all children to eat.Begin to transition children to cleanBegin to transition children to clean--up as most up as most of them have finished the meal.of them have finished the meal.

CleanClean--upup

Teach children how to scrape their plates and Teach children how to scrape their plates and where & how to place their dirty dishes and where & how to place their dirty dishes and placemat.placemat.Make sure your clean up setMake sure your clean up set--up allows for more up allows for more than 1 child at a time to complete the tasks.than 1 child at a time to complete the tasks.Monitor the cleanMonitor the clean--up activities and provide up activities and provide appropriate guidance.appropriate guidance.Have an engaging activity for children to Have an engaging activity for children to participate in after the meal.participate in after the meal.

Childhood Obesity is a Childhood Obesity is a growing concern in our growing concern in our country and within our country and within our

program.program.

ENGAGE PARENTS IN ENGAGE PARENTS IN NUTRITION AT YOUR CENTERNUTRITION AT YOUR CENTERDevelop a Parent Menu Committee.Develop a Parent Menu Committee.Invite Parents to come to lunch so they Invite Parents to come to lunch so they can learn family style meal service too.can learn family style meal service too.Provide parent nutrition activities at PC Provide parent nutrition activities at PC Meetings & Home Base Socials.Meetings & Home Base Socials.Ask parents to come volunteer during Ask parents to come volunteer during meal times andmeal times and……To help with classroom nutrition activities.To help with classroom nutrition activities.

Mealtime is a critical learning period for Mealtime is a critical learning period for children.children.

Take the time to plan, implement, and evaluate Take the time to plan, implement, and evaluate your classroomyour classroom’’s Family Style Meal Service:s Family Style Meal Service:

to ensure that childrento ensure that children’’s learning goals are s learning goals are attained andattained and

that the program is operating in compliance that the program is operating in compliance with CACFP, Head Start Performance with CACFP, Head Start Performance Standards and AZ Childcare Licensure Standards and AZ Childcare Licensure Regulations.Regulations.

THE SKILLS CHILDREN AND THE SKILLS CHILDREN AND FAMILIES LEARN FROM YOU TODAY FAMILIES LEARN FROM YOU TODAY

COULD MAKE A LIFETIME OF COULD MAKE A LIFETIME OF DIFFERENCE.DIFFERENCE.