Good nutrition is important for infants because they grow faster in their first year more than any time in their lives, toddlers learn how to feed themselves and are introduced to a wider variety of foods and preschoolers begin to learn good eating habits by good examples. Proper nutrition can prevent many medical problems, including becoming overweight, developing weak bones, and developing diabetes. It will also ensure that children will physically grow to their full potential (“Infant,” 2003). Children need good nutrition because their bodies are growing and developing. Starting children out right with healthy foods that appeal to them develops good eating habits that carry into adulthood (“Nutrition,” 2008).
Teachers are being asked to take on the role of nutritional gate-keeper for children Teachers should actively help children develop healthy eating habits. One reason is that 78 percent of children are not getting enough vegetables and another reason would be that 63 percent are not consuming the recommended amount of fruits. Many children are in early childhood education environments for more than eight hours a day, yet their nutritional needs may not be met. A pleasant eating environment helps set the stage for good nutritional habits. It is important to recognize a child’s developmental abilities in respect to feeding him. Teachers can influence children’s food preferences, eating behaviors, and willingness to try new foods (Robertson, 2007, p. 292).
One way to ensure that the teachers are aware of the nutritional requirements at each stage of the children’s growth would be to create policies. This would help to keep the children on a firm and healthy track. And for the teachers, it would give them less room to make unhealthy food choices for the children and more room to focus on education, which is one of the reasons nutrition is overlooked. Another way to ensure nutritional awareness among teachers would be to avoid buying in bulk. This would avoid sacrificing the children’s well-being in order to save. It is very obvious that bulk is less expensive, but the food are also higher in both fat and sugar.
Next I will provide 3 recipes that are kid friendly. First up are Fruit Kabobs. Ingredients: 1 apple, 1 banana, 1/3 c. red seedless grapes, 1/3 c. green seedless grapes, 2/3 cup pineapple chunks, 1 cup nonfat yogurt, and ¼ c. dried coconut, shredded. Utensils: knife (you'll need help from your adult assistant), 2 wooden skewer sticks, and a large plate. Directions:1. Prepare the fruit by washing the grapes, washing the apples and cutting them into small squares, peeling the bananas and cutting them into chunks, and cutting the pineapple into chunks, if it's fresh. Put the fruit onto a large plate. 2. Spread coconut onto another large plate. 3. Slide pieces of fruit onto the skewer and design your own kabob by putting as much or as little of whatever fruit you want! Do this until the stick is almost covered from end to end. 4. Hold your kabob at the ends and roll it in the yogurt, so the fruit gets covered. Then roll it in the coconut. 5. Repeat these steps with another skewer. Nutritional analysis (per serving):141 calories, 3 g fat, 28 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat, 1 mg cholesterol, 2 g saturated fat, 52 mg sodium, 103 mg calcium, 0.5 mg iron, and 3 g fiber (Brinkley, 2009).
Next up is Perfectly Peachy Freeze. Ingredients: ½ c. milk, 1 c. sliced peaches (they can be either fresh or canned), and 1 tsp. sugar Utensils: ice cube tray blender (you'll need help from your adult assistant) and serving dishes. Directions: 1. Pour the milk into an ice cube tray and freeze until solid. 2. Pop the "milk cubes" out of the tray and put them into the blender. Then put the peaches and sugar into the blender.3. Put the lid on the blender and blend on high speed until everything is all mixed together and very smooth. 4. Pour your Perfect Peachy Freeze into serving dishes and serve right away. Serves: 3 Serving size: 4 oz. (½ cup) Nutritional analysis (per serving): 65 calories, 2 g protein, 0 g fat, 15 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 1 mg cholesterol, 25 mg sodium, 53 mg calcium, and 0.3 mg iron (Brinkley, 2009).
And finally here are the Frozen Yogurt Pops. Ingredients: 1 8-oz. container of your favorite flavor of yogurt Utensils: small paper cups wooden popsicle sticks (available in craft stores), and plastic wrap. Directions: 1. Pour yogurt into paper cups. Fill them almost to the top. 2. Stretch a small piece of plastic wrap across the top of each cup. 3. Using the popsicle stick, poke a hole in the plastic wrap. Stand the stick straight up in the center of the cup. 4. Put the cups in the freezer until the yogurt is frozen solid. 5. Remove the plastic wrap, peel away the paper cup, and eat your pop! Serves: 3 to 4 Serving size: 1 pop. Nutritional analysis (per serving): 127 calories, 5 g protein ,2 g fat, 21 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 7 mg cholesterol, 73 mg sodium, 262 mg calcium, and 0 mg iron (Brinkley, 2009).
A strategy to make preparing foods enjoyable for children would be to include them when making foods over the stove. If they can not be a part of the whole ordeal they may not feel that they have helped. Also, we wouldn’t want to risk them trying to cook on a hot stove when unattended.
References
Brinkley, A. (2009). Recipes for kids. Retrieved from http://www.kidshealth.org.
Infant, toddler, and preschool Nutrition. (2003). Retrieved from
http://www.keepkidshealthy.com.
Nutrition for children. (2008). Retrieved from http://www.edietstar.com.
Robertson, C. (2007). Safety, nutrition, and health in early education. Belmont, CA. Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.
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