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What's New?
(latest update: June 3, 2009)
Does Your Early Childhood Program Promote Healthy Eating Habits? |
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Is breastfeeding encouraged and supported?
Are menus varied - covering healthy choices from the basic food groups?
- Grains- especially whole grains;
- Fruits - deep orange, yellow and red whole fruits, and full strength fruit juices;
- Vegetables - dark, green leafy and deep yellow;
- Milk - including low fat and yogurt;
- Meat and Beans- Chicken, Fish, Dried Peas and Beans, Lean Meat;
- Oils- vegetable.
Are portions age appropriate (neither too little nor too much)?
Are snacks nutritious?
- Fruits and vegetables instead of cookies.
Are foods provided that are representative of a child’s culture?
Is clean, sanitary drinking water readily available throughout the day?
Do caregivers model healthy eating behavior with the children and encourage children to make healthy eating choices?
Do programs provide an inviting, comfortable space (age appropriate seating and utensils) to eat and enjoy healthy meals?
For more information on healthy eating in early childhood settings see:
Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards, 2nd Ed.; Chapter 4: Nutrition
Healthy Kids, Healthy Care (English) (Spanish)
Making Food Healthy and Safe, 2nd ed.
New/revised state child care regulations posted on the NRC website during
the month of May:
Welcome to the National Resource Center for
Health and Safety in Child Care (NRC)
The National Resource Center is located at the
University of
Colorado Denver in Denver, Colorado, and is
funded by the Maternal
and Child Health Bureau, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services,
HRSA. The NRC's primary mission is to promote health and safety
in out-of-home child care settings throughout the nation.
The standard resource for information concerning
this subject is the Caring
for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards
Guidelines for Out-of-Home Child Care Programs, Second Edition
published in January 2002. The guidelines were developed through
the collaborative efforts of the American
Public Health Association, the American
Academy of Pediatrics, and the Maternal
and Child Health Bureau. The entire text of this publication
is available on this website.
Each state manages licensure of child care settings
in different ways. The licensure
regulations from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands
are also available on this Website. The NRC updates this database
as changes are made.
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