Support for Healthy Eating
Child care staff should be role models for children by trying new foods, eating healthy foods that are served, and avoid bringing unhealthy foods into the classroom.
Best Practices
Select the best practice to find resources that can help you reach that best practice.
- “Always serve meals family style (preschoolers serve themselves with limited help).”
- “Caregivers consume the same food and drinks as the children.”
- “Caregivers join children at the table for meals.”
- “Caregivers rarely or never eat less healthy foods in front of the children.”
- “Caregivers talk with children about trying and enjoying healthy foods.”
- “Provide visible support for healthy eating in all areas where children spend most of their time through use of posters, pictures, and displayed books.”
“Always serve meals family style (preschoolers serve themselves with limited help).”
Action Guide: For Child Care Nutrition and Physical Activity Policies
Summary: A guide for creating policies including rationale, steps for creating policies, and policy recommendations.
Source: Connecticut State Department of Education
Access: https://healthymeals.fns.usda.gov/hsmrs/Connecticut/CCAG_ActionGuide.pdf
Model Child Care Health Policies
Summary: Section 4 focuses on nutrition and section 5 focuses on screen time and physical activity.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics
Access: www.ecels-healthychildcarepa.org/publications/manuals-pamphlets-policies/item/download/332_de718b5d0a40682caf26b57e9307bc91
Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) Manuals
Summary: This manual provides the best practice recommendations for each question on the self-assessment. The manuals also include the rationale behind each recommendation, challenges to implementing recommendations, and tips for changing current practice.
Source: Michigan Healthy Child Care
Access: http://mihealthtools.org/childcare/resources.asp
Sample Child Care Nutrition Policy
Summary: A sample policy that allows a center to fill in the blanks and customize to meet their needs.
Source: SC Child Care Services
Access: http://www.scchildcare.org/media/6941/GH_SAMPLE_Level_B_Nutrition_Policy.pdf
“Caregivers consume the same food and drinks as the children.”
Action Guide: For Child Care Nutrition and Physical Activity Policies
Summary: A guide for creating policies including rationale, steps for creating policies, and policy recommendations.
Source: Connecticut State Department of Education
Access: https://healthymeals.fns.usda.gov/hsmrs/Connecticut/CCAG_ActionGuide.pdf
Model Child Care Health Policies
Summary: Section 4 focuses on nutrition and section 5 focuses on screen time and physical activity.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics
Access: www.ecels-healthychildcarepa.org/publications/manuals-pamphlets-policies/item/download/332_de718b5d0a40682caf26b57e9307bc91
Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) Manuals
Summary: This manual provides the best practice recommendations for each question on the self-assessment. The manuals also include the rationale behind each recommendation, challenges to implementing recommendations, and tips for changing current practice.
Source: Michigan Healthy Child Care
Access: http://mihealthtools.org/childcare/resources.asp
Sample Child Care Nutrition Policy
Summary: A sample policy that allows a center to fill in the blanks and customize to meet their needs.
Source: SC Child Care Services
Access: http://www.scchildcare.org/media/6941/GH_SAMPLE_Level_B_Nutrition_Policy.pdf
“Caregivers join children at the table for meals.”
Action Guide: For Child Care Nutrition and Physical Activity Policies
Summary: A guide for creating policies including rationale, steps for creating policies, and policy recommendations.
Source: Connecticut State Department of Education
Access: https://healthymeals.fns.usda.gov/hsmrs/Connecticut/CCAG_ActionGuide.pdf
Model Child Care Health Policies
Summary: Section 4 focuses on nutrition and section 5 focuses on screen time and physical activity.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics
Access: www.ecels-healthychildcarepa.org/publications/manuals-pamphlets-policies/item/download/332_de718b5d0a40682caf26b57e9307bc91
Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) Manuals
Summary: This manual provides the best practice recommendations for each question on the self-assessment. The manuals also include the rationale behind each recommendation, challenges to implementing recommendations, and tips for changing current practice.
Source: Michigan Healthy Child Care
Access: http://mihealthtools.org/childcare/resources.asp
Sample Child Care Nutrition Policy
Summary: A sample policy that allows a center to fill in the blanks and customize to meet their needs.
Source: SC Child Care Services
Access: http://www.scchildcare.org/media/6941/GH_SAMPLE_Level_B_Nutrition_Policy.pdf
“Caregivers rarely or never eat less healthy foods in front of the children.”
Action Guide: For Child Care Nutrition and Physical Activity Policies
Summary: A guide for creating policies including rationale, steps for creating policies, and policy recommendations.
Source: Connecticut State Department of Education
Access: https://healthymeals.fns.usda.gov/hsmrs/Connecticut/CCAG_ActionGuide.pdf
Model Child Care Health Policies
Summary: Section 4 focuses on nutrition and section 5 focuses on screen time and physical activity.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics
Access: www.ecels-healthychildcarepa.org/publications/manuals-pamphlets-policies/item/download/332_de718b5d0a40682caf26b57e9307bc91
Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) Manuals
Summary: This manual provides the best practice recommendations for each question on the self-assessment. The manuals also include the rationale behind each recommendation, challenges to implementing recommendations, and tips for changing current practice.
Source: Michigan Healthy Child Care
Access: http://mihealthtools.org/childcare/resources.asp
Sample Child Care Nutrition Policy
Summary: A sample policy that allows a center to fill in the blanks and customize to meet their needs.
Source: SC Child Care Services
Access: http://www.scchildcare.org/media/6941/GH_SAMPLE_Level_B_Nutrition_Policy.pdf
“Caregivers talk with children about trying and enjoying healthy foods.”
Action Guide: For Child Care Nutrition and Physical Activity Policies
Summary: A guide for creating policies including rationale, steps for creating policies, and policy recommendations.
Source: Connecticut State Department of Education
Access: https://healthymeals.fns.usda.gov/hsmrs/Connecticut/CCAG_ActionGuide.pdf
Making Healthy Choices: Week 17 – Pleasing Picky Eaters
Summary: Newsletter featuring tips for trying ways to help children who are picky eaters try new foods.
Source: Michigan State University Extension
Access: http://msue.anr.msu.edu/uploads/resources/pdfs/TR.17.pdf
Model Child Care Health Policies
Summary: Section 4 focuses on nutrition and section 5 focuses on screen time and physical activity.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics
Access: www.ecels-healthychildcarepa.org/publications/manuals-pamphlets-policies/item/download/332_de718b5d0a40682caf26b57e9307bc91
Nibbles for Health Newsletter – Handling A “Choosy” Eater
Summary: Newsletter featuring tips for trying ways to help a choosy eater try new foods.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture – Food and Nutrition Services
Access: https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/Nibbles_Newsletter_13.pdf
Nibbles for Health Newsletter – Together…Let’s Try New Foods!
Summary: Newsletter featuring tips for trying new foods with children.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture – Food and Nutrition Services
Access: https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/Nibbles_Newsletter_14.pdf
Nibbles for Health Newsletter – Trying, Sharing, Enjoying Different Foods
Summary: Newsletter featuring tips for trying ways to help children try new foods.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture – Food and Nutrition Services
Access: https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/Nibbles_Newsletter_16.pdf
Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) Manuals
Summary: This manual provides the best practice recommendations for each question on the self-assessment. The manuals also include the rationale behind each recommendation, challenges to implementing recommendations, and tips for changing current practice.
Source: Michigan Healthy Child Care
Access: http://mihealthtools.org/childcare/resources.asp
Sample Child Care Nutrition Policy
Summary: A sample policy that allows a center to fill in the blanks and customize to meet their needs.
Source: SC Child Care Services
Access: http://www.scchildcare.org/media/6941/GH_SAMPLE_Level_B_Nutrition_Policy.pdf
“Provide visible support for healthy eating in all areas where children spend most of their time through use of posters, pictures, and displayed books.”
Action Guide: For Child Care Nutrition and Physical Activity Policies
Summary: A guide for creating policies including rationale, steps for creating policies, and policy recommendations.
Source: Connecticut State Department of Education
Access: https://healthymeals.fns.usda.gov/hsmrs/Connecticut/CCAG_ActionGuide.pdf
Model Child Care Health Policies
Summary: Section 4 focuses on nutrition and section 5 focuses on screen time and physical activity.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics
Access: www.ecels-healthychildcarepa.org/publications/manuals-pamphlets-policies/item/download/332_de718b5d0a40682caf26b57e9307bc91
Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAP SACC) Manuals
Summary: This manual provides the best practice recommendations for each question on the self-assessment. The manuals also include the rationale behind each recommendation, challenges to implementing recommendations, and tips for changing current practice.
Source: Michigan Healthy Child Care
Access: http://mihealthtools.org/childcare/resources.asp
Sample Child Care Nutrition Policy
Summary: A sample policy that allows a center to fill in the blanks and customize to meet their needs.
Source: SC Child Care Services
Access: http://www.scchildcare.org/media/6941/GH_SAMPLE_Level_B_Nutrition_Policy.pdf
Smarter Lunchrooms Alphabet Fruit and Veggie Signage
Summary: Alphabet posters and flashcards for educational use.
Source: Smarter Lunchrooms
Access: https://www.smarterlunchrooms.org/smarter-mealtimes
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