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 1014 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.