Child Care Nutrition: Tips On Ensuring Your Child Eats A Healthy Breakfast

By Author: Amanda Bernard
Total Articles: 17
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It’s essential for your child care food program to provide a variety of healthy meals and snacks that are nutritious, safe, developmentally appropriate and properly portioned for your child. Below, we’ve outlined some tips for creating healthy meals at home along with some menu ideas.

Eating a Healthy Breakfast - Tips

Here are a few tips for healthy eating habits at home or away. It’s also important to confirm that your child’s day care center fosters a child care food program that adheres to these healthy food guidelines.

Serve More Whole Grains Today’s dietary guidelines encourage children to consume whole grain products often. A child care nutrition program should aim to include at least one whole grain serving per day. When eating at home, use grains that consist of the entire grain seed whenever possible. Examples include brown rice, sprouted wheat, oats and quinoa.
Focus on a Variety of Fruits and Veggies ...
... Dietary guidelines recommend that you choose a rainbow of colorful fruits and vegetables each day. It’s especially important to select from a variety of vegetable subgroups that include dark green and orange vegetables and beans. A healthy child care food program needs to include a medley of fresh fruits and vegetables daily. Be sure to try and work in fruits and veggies at breakfast in order to get a healthy start to the day.
Serve Milk for Healthy Bones and Teeth Children need to consume a variety of milk and milk products to provide their bodies with vitamins and minerals essential for building and maintaining healthy bones and teeth. Guidelines recommend that children ages 2 to 8 consume at least two cups per day of low-fat milk or milk products. Include milk, low-fat yogurt and cheese into your meals and snacks.

Eating a Healthy Breakfast - Menus
Here are some great ideas for healthy breakfasts that you can eat at home or provide to your child care food program. Just be sure to include the foods mentioned above and you’ll be off to a great start.

Option 1:

Whole grain cereal
Orange juice
Fresh berries
Milk

Option 2:

Whole grain English muffin
Apple slices
Milk
Turkey ham

Option 3:

Oatmeal
Bananas
Milk

Option 4:

Whole grain toast
Peanut butter
Mixed fresh fruit
Milk