A-B-C-1-2-3 Healthy Kids in Tennessee:
Let’s Eat Well Every Day!”
Healthy Eating/
Nutrition
In partnership with the Gold Sneakers Program of the Tennessee Department of Health
Revised 1/2012
Objectives
 To
understand the importance of healthy eating
and nutrition in a child’s overall health and
well-being
 To be able to implement learning activities with
preschool children that emphasize healthy
eating and good nutrition
 To be able to share information learned with
parents/caregivers through educational
offerings, materials, and various means of
communication (i.e., newsletters, websites,
e-mails, letters).
Start with the Basics




.
United States Department of Agriculture
Choose My Plate for Preschoolers
Produce for Better Health Foundation’s Fruits
and Veggies – More Matters
First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move”
Childcare Checklist
United States Department of Health and Human
Services, Go, Slow, Whoa
Start with the Basics
Together, each of these resources provides
guidance on healthy eating/nutrition for
preschoolers and form the basis for the
A-B-C-1-2-3 Healthy Kids in Tennessee:
Let’s Eat Well, Play, and Be Aware Every
Day program.
Choose My Plate
Choose MyPlate for Kids
Choose MyPlate for Preschoolers
www.choosemyplate.gov



Announced June 11, 2011, as a replacement for the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Guide Pyramid and
incorporates changes in categories of foods with more “visuals”
to provide guidance on portion sizes.
Encourages everyone to “fill half your plate with fruits
and vegetables at each meal or eating occasion.”
Customizable program for various ages.
Fruits and Veggies – More Matters




The Five-a-Day campaign was initially implemented
in 1991 with emphasis on eating at least five fruits
and vegetables per day.
Fruits and Veggies – More Matters in 2007
replaces Five-a-Day, with a similar message.
Fruits and Veggies – More Matters continues and
carries the same message as Choose My Plate—
choosing to make fruits and vegetables half of one’s
meal intake.
The campaign supports the 2010 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the new Choose My Plate.




Visit www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org for
downloadable resources.
Fill half of the plate with non-starchy vegetables
such as broccoli, carrots, green beans, or
tomatoes.
Fill the other half of the plate with grains such as
pasta or a starch vegetable such as corn, peas, or
potatoes AND chicken, fish, lean meat or any
other protein source (see www.choosemyplate.gov
for visual on portion sizes for each).
Don’t forget dairy!
“Let’s Move” Childcare Checklist
Recommendations for Food Served to
Toddlers and Preschoolers at Childcare (Ages 1–5)




This is an initiative of First Lady, Michelle Obama,
released June 2011.
The checklist also covers Beverages Served, Infant
Feeding, Physical Activity, and Screen Time.
Checklist is based on the Nutrition and Physical Activity
Self-Assessment for Childcare (NAP SACC) program.
Remember, guidance on portion sizes is available at
www.choosemyplate.gov.
Recommendations for Food Served to
Toddlers and Preschoolers at Childcare (Ages 1–5)
Recommendations are categorized as follows:
 Fruit
and Vegetables Provisions
 Meats
and Fats Provisions
 Feeding
 Provider
Environment
Behaviors
 Education
 Policy
“Let’s Move Childcare Checklist”, www.letsmove.gov, 2011.
Recommendations for Food Served to
Toddlers and Preschoolers at Childcare (Ages 1–5)
Fruit and Vegetables Provisions




Offer a fruit or vegetable at every meal.
Fresh, frozen, or fruit canned in juice (not syrup) is
offered most of the time.
A variety of vegetables are offered one or more times
per day including dark green, orange, red, and deep
yellow.
Cooked vegetables are rarely offered
with added meat fat, margarine,
or butter.
“Let’s Move Childcare Checklist”, www.letsmove.gov, 2011.
Recommendations for Food Served to
Toddlers and Preschoolers at Childcare (Ages 1–5)
Meats and Fats Provisions
 Fried
or pre-fried potatoes (French fries, tater
tots, hash browns) are never offered.
 Fried
or pre-fried (frozen and breaded) meats
(chicken nuggets) or fish (fish sticks) are never
offered.
 Beans
or lean meats (baked or broiled chicken,
turkey, or fish) are offered one or more times per
day.
“Let’s Move Childcare Checklist”, www.letsmove.gov, 2011.
Recommendations for Food Served to
Toddlers and Preschoolers at Childcare
(Ages 1–5)
Feeding environment provisions


Preschool meals are served family style (children are
encouraged to serve themselves with limited help) all
of the time.
There is a large variety of exposures and prompts
with new opportunities introduced regularly to eat
healthy foods (i.e., books, posters, fruit bowls,
gardens).
“Let’s Move Childcare Checklist”, www.letsmove.gov, 2011.
Recommendations for Food Served to
Toddlers and Preschoolers at Childcare (Ages 1–5)
Provider Behaviors



Providers join children at the table for
meals and talk informally about trying
and enjoying healthy food all the time.
In front of the children, providers consume
the same food and drinks as children and avoid
unhealthy foods (e.g., soda and fast food) all the time.
Providers teach children about healthy foods and the
pleasure of eating using both formal (e.g., circle time
lessons) and informal (e.g., mealtime conversations)
opportunities all the time.
“Let’s Move Childcare Checklist”, www.letsmove.gov, 2011.
Recommendations for Food Served to
Toddlers and Preschoolers at Childcare (Ages 1–5)
Education


Training opportunities about nutrition (other than
food safety and food program guidelines) are offered
to providers two or more times per year.
Parents are offered nutrition education (workshops,
activities, and/or take home materials) two or more
times per year.
“Let’s Move Childcare Checklist”, www.letsmove.gov, 2011.
Recommendations for Food Served to
Toddlers and Preschoolers at Childcare
Policy

There is a written policy on nutrition and food
service that includes foods offered, the food
environment, provider behaviors,
and education that is followed
and always shared with parents.
“Let’s Move Childcare Checklist”, www.letsmove.gov, 2011.
(Ages 1–5)
Recommendations for Beverages Served to
Toddlers and Preschoolers at Childcare (Ages 1–5)
Recommendations are categorized as follows:

Water

Fruit Juice

Milk

Provider Behaviors

Education

Policy
“Let’s Move Childcare Checklist”, www.letsmove.gov, 2011.
Recommendations for Beverages Served to
Toddlers and Preschoolers at Childcare (Ages 1–5)
Water:


Drinking water is available inside and outside, where
it is visible and freely available for self-serve.
During indoor and outdoor play, providers prompt
children to drink water all the time.
Water is offered to children over the age of one year,
but not as a substitute for milk when it is a required
food component one time per day or more.
“Let’s Move Childcare Checklist”, www.letsmove.gov, 2011.
Recommendations for Beverages Served to
Toddlers and Preschoolers at Childcare (Ages 1–5)
Fruit Juice:


100% fruit juice is offered, no more than 4–6 oz. per
day, and parents are encouraged to support this
limit.
Sugary drinks (Kool-Aid, fruit
drinks, sports drinks, sweet tea,
and soda) are never offered.
Recommendations for Beverages Served to
Toddlers and Preschoolers at Childcare (Ages 1–5)
Milk:


Milk served to children ages two years and older is
always 1% or skim/nonfat.*
Flavored milk is never served to children.
*Milk served to children 1-2 years should be whole milk, (Pediatric Nutrition Handbook, fourth edition, AAP, 1998).
Recommendations for Beverages Served to
Toddlers and Preschoolers at Childcare (Ages 1–5)
Provider Behaviors:

Beverages offered to toddlers over one year are rarely
or never offered in a bottle.
Recommendations for Beverages Served to
Toddlers and Preschoolers at Childcare (Ages 1–5)
Education:


Training opportunities on juice and other beverage
recommendations are offered to providers two or
more times per year.
Parents are offered education on juice and other
beverage recommendations (e.g., special programs,
newsletters, information sheets) two or more times
per year.
Recommendations for Beverages Served to
Toddlers and Preschoolers at Childcare (Ages 1–5)
Policy:

Child care facility has a written policy on beverages
that includes staff behaviors, education, and
beverage use and is available, followed, and shared
with parents and staff.
“Let’s Move Childcare Checklist”, www.letsmove.gov, 2011.
United States Department of Health and Human
Services “Go, Slow, and Whoa!”
o Activities in the A-B-C-1-2-3 Healthy Kids in
Tennessee: Let’s Eat Well, Play, and Be Aware Every
Day use the Go, Slow, and Whoa concept.
o GO foods are low in fats and sugar, while high in
carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and other nutrients
(e.g., fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grain breads,
1% milk, skinless chicken).
United States Department of Health and Human
Services “Go, Slow, and Whoa!”


SLOW foods have some health benefits,
but are not as healthy as those in the
GO group (e.g., white bread, 2% milk,
lean ground beef, fruits in light syrup,
vegetables with added sauces).
WHOA foods are the least healthy foods and should be
eaten once in a while (e.g., French fries, fruits in heavy
syrup, bacon, full-fat cheese, donuts).
Putting Knowledge Into Action
“So, now that you have the basics of
good nutrition and healthy eating,
how can this be incorporated in the
classroom?”
How to Get Started in Your Classroom
and/or Daycare/Preschool Facility



Use the A-B-C-1-2-3 Healthy Kids in Tennessee:
Let’s Eat Well, Play, and Be Aware Every Day
curriculum to select activities to implement in the
classroom at least twice a week for 10–15 minutes
per session.
Encourage children to continue with “at-home”
activities provided in the kit.
Participate and encourage children and families to
participate in the A-B-C-1-2-3 Healthy Kids in
Tennessee: Let’s Eat Well, Play, and Be Aware
Every Day, center-wide Everyone, Every Day
challenge activities and support the activities being
done in your facility.
How to Get Started in Your Classroom
and/or Daycare/Preschool Facility



Share handouts and other materials with parents weekly using
the calendar provided.
Consider seeking out assistance from local resources and using
the optional evaluation components in the A-B-C-1-2-3 Healthy
Kids in Tennessee kit to evaluate your activities so that you can
gauge progress of your efforts.
Remember to use available resources:

Choose My Plate for Preschoolers

Fruits and Veggies – More Matters

Let’s Move – including the Childcare Checklist

Go, Slow, Whoa
A-B-C-1-2-3 HEALTHY KIDS IN TENNESSEE:
Let’s Eat Well, Play, and Be Aware Every Day
Materials include:






Curriculum package which includes a menu of classroom
activities that can be integrated into ongoing lesson plans and
programming
A 12-week calendar of nutrition and healthy eating suggested
programming in lieu of using the menu of choices
Instructions for nutrition intake assessment (optional activity)
as an evaluation measure
Worksheets and take-home materials for children and
their parents/caregivers
Organized A-B-C-1-2-3 Everyone, Every Day Center-Wide
Challenges activities for families
Information ready to publish in newsletters, websites,
and other communications
How to Get Started with the A-B-C-1-2-3 Healthy
Kids in Tennessee: Let’s Eat Well, Play, and Be
Aware Every Day Program in Your Classroom
and/or Childcare/Preschool Facility



All staff should participate in “A-B-C-1-2-3 Healthy Kids in Tennessee”
training—an in-person training session or online at
www.abc123healthykids.com—and develop a plan for integrating the
curriculum activities into your ongoing classroom lesson plans and
programming.
Submit evaluation documents as proof of training to receive a certificate
of completion from the A-B-C-1-2-3 Healthy Kids in Tennessee project
director. This program has been recognized for training credits by the
Tennessee Department of Human Services.
Make a commitment to using the curriculum in your facility and/or
classrooms and to sharing materials with parents/
caregivers weekly. Remember to ask questions and
solicit feedback from children and their parents/
caregivers.
Interesting Fact
Research indicates that children may
need to be exposed to a food 10–15 times
before they will try it.
Never give up AND encourage
parents and caregivers to never
give up on their child becoming a
healthier eater!
(Fruits and Veggies More Matters – www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.gov,
Sneaking Fruits and Veggies Into Your Child’s Food, Retrieved August 14, 2011).
Want to Take it to the Next Level?



Want to take A-B-C-1-2-3 Healthy Kids in
Tennessee: Let’s Eat Well, Play, and Be Aware
Every Day to the next level?
Now that you have the tools to implement
healthy living education in your classrooms and
with parents and families, what’s next?
Consider participating in the Gold Sneakers
program, which helps you develop policy
guidelines for your facility. Both programs
complement each other extremely well, providing
your facility with a well-rounded approach to
good health!
Want to Take it to the Next Level?
(continued)
To learn more about Gold Sneakers contact
Tennessee Department of Health,
Gold Sneaker Initiative
615-532-7538
For more information or questions, please contact
Cynthia Chafin, M.Ed., MCHES
MTSU Adams Chair of Excellence in Health Care Services/
Center for Health and Human Services
Tennessee Cancer Coalition coordinator
615-898-5493
cindychafin@comcast.net or cynthia.chafin@mtsu.edu
www.abc123healthykids.com
The A-B-C-1-2-3 Healthy Kids in Tennessee: Let’s Eat Well, Play, and Be Aware Every
Day project is supported in part by funding from the MTSU Center for Physical Activity
and Health in Youth and the Tennessee Cancer Coalition, with support of the MTSU
Center for Health and Human Services.