1/21/2014 A healthy life starts with you. Why Focus on Healthy - PDF document

1/21/2014 A healthy life starts with you. Why Focus on Healthy Habits in Child Care? 2 Where Children Spend Time Community/ Family 8% After School 13% Sleep 46% Child Care/School 29% Parents 4% 3 3 1

1/21/2014 Role of Early Childhood Educators: Development of Healthy Habits • Opportunity to develop routines early for lifelong health • Role modeling 4 Breastfeeding Food and Drinks Physical Activity Screen Time Environment and Policy Breastfeeding Food and Drinks Physical Activity Screen Time Environment and Policy 2

1/21/2014 Breastfeeding Recommendations • Infants are only fed breast milk until 6 months • At 6 months, begin feeding complementary foods • Continue breastfeeding until baby is at least 1 year 7 Breastfeeding Why Support Breastfeeding? Benefits for Baby Reduces development • Promotes bonding of many common between mother illnesses and chronic and infant conditions: • Increases chances • Asthma for child to have a • Ear infection healthy weight • Colds, flu • Skin conditions • Tummy issues 8 Breastfeeding Why Support Breastfeeding? Benefits for Mom • Reduces the Risk of Cancer, Diabetes and Osteoporosis for Mom • Less Postpartum Depression Moms burn up to 500 calories a day breastfeeding 9 3

1/21/2014 Breastfeeding Why Support Breastfeeding? Benefits for Family $ Costs less to Breastfeed o $10 each day to formula feed = Savings of up to $3,650/year! o If on WIC, moms get more benefits if they breastfeed 10 Breastfeeding How Can You Help? Develop a system with mom to ensure that you have plenty of breast milk available while the infant is in your care. • Step 1: Support breastfeeding mothers by providing a private space for her to pump and/or breastfeed • Step 2: Collect breast milk and label it clearly with baby’s name and date it was expressed 11 Breastfeeding How Can You Help? • Step 3: Place it in the way back of the fridge or freezer where it is the coldest • Safe at room temperature: 3-4 hours • Safe in fridge: Up to 2-3 days • Safe in freezer: Up to 6 months • Step 4: When ready to feed, check the date, then warm the milk by placing bottle in warm water. Do not Microwave! • Step 5: Feed the baby. If not finished within one hour, throw out the rest 12 4

1/21/2014 Breastfeeding Food and Drinks Physical Activity Screen Time Environment and Policy Food and Drinks Food and Drinks Benefits of Healthy Nutrition • Better ability to learn and concentrate • Fewer illnesses • Have more energy to play and learn • Provides a foundation for lifelong health 14 Food and Drinks Food and Drinks Supporting Healthy Eating Choices Quit the Clean Plate Club Trust children to listen to their bodies – they will eat when they are hungry… …and they know when they have eaten enough 15 5

1/21/2014 Food and Drinks Food and Drinks Supporting Healthy Eating Choices Serve Family Style Allow children to serve themselves the amount they would like Helps develop fine motor skills and social skills Children eat more healthy foods when they have a choice 16 Food and Drinks Food and Drinks Supporting Healthy Eating Choices Don’t Give Up Offer new and healthy foods, even if a child doesn’t eat it at first It can take up to 21 times of trying a new food before a child will like it 17 Food and Drinks What are some colorful vegetables? Each color group has different nutrients • A perfect food does not exist. Combine all the colors to get all • the nutrients 18 6

1/21/2014 Food and Drinks Ideas for Including Fruits and Vegetables in Menus Children get the nutrients they need over a series of meals – not at one sitting Include fruits and vegetables at all meals so that there is a greater chance of them getting the nutrients they need • Fruit on cereal in the morning • Fruit and vegetable “dippers” as snacks • Vegetables in mixed dishes such as tacos, casseroles, and soups 19 Food and Drinks Protein Helps children grow strong, and the iron found in protein sources helps with cognitive development  Choose low-fat sources like beans, chicken, or fish regularly, and lean red meat only occasionally  Avoid processed meats products like bacon, bologna, chorizo and hot dogs, which are high in fat and salt  Vegetarian protein sources are low cost and healthy  Beans (black, pinto, lentil, kidney, garbanzo)  Soy-based products (tofu, edamame)  Nut butters 20 Food and Drinks Ideas for Including Protein in Menus • Try serving beans, like black beans or lentils, as soups with a side of whole grain bread • Instead of frying, try baking your own fish sticks or chicken nuggets Watch out for food that has already been fried and frozen 21 7

1/21/2014 Food and Drinks Benefits of Whole Grains • The fiber in whole grains helps digestion , especially when combined with water • B vitamins help convert fat, protein, and carbohydrates into energy • Magnesium helps build strong bones 22 Food and Drinks Examples of Whole Grains • Whole-wheat flour (bread or tortillas) • Bulgur (cracked wheat) • Oatmeal • Whole cornmeal (tortillas, masa) • Brown rice • Quinoa • Whole-grain cereals (low sugar) 23 Food and Drinks Including Whole Grains in Menus • Offer whole wheat bread (or tortilla) for breakfast • Choose brown rice and quinoa instead of white rice as a side dish • Try combining brown rice with vegetables and lean meat for a colorful and tasty mixed dish • Try whole wheat wraps stuffed with vegetables & cheese or bananas and peanut butter for afternoon snacks 24 8

1/21/2014 Food and Drinks Start Here Check Calories Limit These Get Plenty of These 25 Food and Drinks Which is the healthier choice? 26 Food and Drinks VS 100% Orange Juice Whole Orange 27 9

1/21/2014 Food and Drinks VS Chicken Nuggets Grilled Chicken Breast 28 Food and Drinks VS Fruit Flavored Cereal O’s Cereal 29 Food and Drinks Water Is First for Thirst! • No calories , prevents weight gain Make it fun by adding lemon slices • Tap water is good for teeth or providing straws because it has fluoride Keep it cold to make it taste better • Tap is cheaper than bottled, and may be safer too New law says water must be available throughout the day 30 10

1/21/2014 Food and Drinks Milk and Other Drinks • Offer low-fat or nonfat plain milk (for children 2 years and older) • Provide necessary nutrients for growth and development • Calcium helps build healthy bones and teeth • Limit juice (only ½ cup of 100% fruit juice maximum) • No beverages with added sweeteners – artificial OR natural 31 Food and Drinks Money-Saving Ideas Healthy food and variety don’t have to be expensive • Buy frozen meats and vegetables • Purchase in bulk and store in the freezer • Choose foods that are in season or on special • Co-op with other centers to get bulk discounts • Plant a garden • Partner with a local farmers’ market • Sign up for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) 32 Food and Drinks Getting Children Involved: Gardening • Children who grow their own food are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables and continue these habits throughout life • Children who garden show increased self- efficacy and better bonding with friends and parents • Children enjoy learning more after the hands- on experiences in the garden 33 11

1/21/2014 Food and Drinks Food and Drinks Incorporating Educational Curriculum Math and Science: create a graph of the children’s preferences for a certain food, talk about the different sizes of fruits and vegetables Language: at meals, have children describe the food they are eating using words to tell about the colors and shapes of the food Socialization: making healthy food choices, have a conversation about the different choices and why one is preferable to another 34 Food and Drinks Example: Healthy Parties At our child care setting we celebrate parties by doing __________ instead of bringing sweets. Other ways to celebrate:  Bring games, favorite books and toys  Celebrate with pictures and family stories of when the child was born  Stuff piñata with party favors instead of candies  Bring fruits and nuts instead of sweet treats 35 Environment and Policy Why Put it in Writing? 69 12

1/21/2014 A Healthy Life Starts With You! 37 Questions? Ashley Henderson, MPH Program Coordinator, Eat Play Grow 323-274-1388 Ashley.Henderson@ccala.net 38 13