Yummy Carrot Sticks! How Children Learn to Like Nutritious
Foods
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Rethinking Nutrition Workshop Series 1.Yummy Carrot Sticks: How
Children Learn to Like Nutritious Foods Avoiding food power
struggles, Role modeling healthy eating 2.Whats for Snack?
Nutrition to Support Healthy Growth Good nutrition, Lifelong food
habits, Obesity 3.Cupcakes for Lunch? Creating a Food &
Nutrition Policy for Your Early Care & Education Program
Nutrition policy, Family food practices 4.Count, Read, Share: The
Meal Table as a Learning Center Mealtime learning activities, Life
skills, Social skills
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What would an early care and education center that promoted
poor nutrition and unhealthy attitudes toward food look like?
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What we do matters. Nutrition habits learned early can last a
lifetime.
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Learning from Others Children learn from others about food
through: 1.Role Modeling Actions intended to teach a specific way
of eating or behaving at mealtime. 2.Social Learning Childrens
observations and responses to our (sometimes unintentional)
reactions to food and mealtime habits.
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What We Do & What Kids Eat One year-olds are Driven to
explore their environment (especially through tasting it!). What we
do matters because Repeated opportunities to taste food allow
1-year olds to sample nutritious foods even if they reject the food
the first time.
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Taste Test! Expose children to new foods 10-20 times (at least)
Plan activities that allow children to taste the same foods
repeatedly Talk to children about different foods Incorporate foods
youve tried into the regular menu
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What We Do & What Kids Eat Two year-olds may be Less hungry
as their growth slows. What we do matters because Adults can (and
should) provide nutritious food, but two year-olds can decide which
foods and how much of those foods to eat.
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Kids need help making healthy choices. Children dont need
special kids meals Children not already full of sugary or salty
snacks will be hungry for the food served at meals or snacks. Avoid
power struggles by offering two healthy choices and letting the
child choose one. Bribing doesnt work Expose children to new foods
repeatedly. Serve new foods next to familiar foods, and let
children be rewarded by enjoying the food or a pleasant
mealtime.
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What We Do & What Kids Eat Three to five year-olds are
Particular about their food and have definite food likes and
dislikes, typically based on the food messages they hear and
experience. What we do matters because Exposing 3-5 year-olds to
healthy messages about food by sharing activities and books
emphasizing nutritious foods can minimize the impact of kids
exposure to food ads on TV.
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When Kids Eat & What Is Learned Infants should Be allowed
to eat whenever they are hungry. Infants learn that Food will be
available when they are hungry.
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When Kids Eat & What Is Learned Children should Be allowed
to stop eating when they are full. Children learn to Recognize
their bodys hungry and full cues. Tip: Schedule meals and snacks
2-3 hours apart so kids are hungry at mealtimes, but dont get
overly hungry.
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Many young children have families that do not have regular
routines, so children do not know when to expect their next meal or
snack. Do you know children who might fit this description? How can
you guide their behavior to fit the social expectations of your
early care & education setting?
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What We Do & How Kids Eat The expectations adults set
around mealtime behaviors and the ways adults act while eating with
or feeding children can teach children that mealtime is a pleasant,
relaxed, and cheerful event. What could you as a caregiver do to
communicate this message to infants? To 1-2 year olds? To 3-5 year
olds?
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What We Do & How Kids Eat Set age-appropriate limits
Example: 1-2 year-olds should be allowed to eat with utensils and
their fingers to allow them to slowly master their motor skills.
However, older children should be expected to use utensils when
needed. Explain expectations Example: Children must wait for
everyone to be served before beginning to eat.
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What We Do & How Kids Eat Serve as a positive role model
Respond to negative behavior by describing, modeling, and
reinforcing the more acceptable behavior Example: If children are
not passing food around the table, show them how and then ask them
to pass the food after serving themselves. Encourage them when you
see them passing food appropriately.
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Activity: Involving Others 1.Make a list of your early care
& education settings mealtime and food habits and expectations
Example: Do children need to wash their hands before eating? Sit at
a table together? Try certain foods? 2.Write a letter or handout to
communicate this list with parents and families OR create a poster
to communicate this list with classroom volunteers and/or
visitors.
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Summary Our job is to provide a variety of healthy, tasty foods
to children; the childs job is to decide what and how much to eat.
Schedule meals and snacks at regular intervals Allow children to
ask for more if they are still hungry or not eat if they are not
hungry Provide positive reinforcement for healthy eating Be a
positive (and healthy) role model.
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Children need adults to be supportive and companionable, to
show them what it means to grow up with respect toward food, and to
give them opportunities to experiment and master. - Ellyn Satter
(2008)
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Development of this educational program was made possible by a
generous donation from an alumna of the School of Human Ecology,
UW- Madison.