Healthy Eating

            Good nutrition and eating habits help children of all ages “maintain overall health and provide for growth” (Robertson 2010, p. 215). Children who eat healthy nutritious meals receive the required nutrients to grow.  If children receive the recommended daily requirements of carbohydrates, fats and proteins they are able to “grow,” “maintain body,” have adequate “energy,”  and “fight of infections,” (Robertson, 2010 p. 236-240). Proper diets not only aid in the physical growth of a child but they also provide needed nutriments for cognitive development.  Children also require “vitamins and minerals” to sustain a healthy body.  Vitamins’ and minerals provide the body resources to “grow,” “repair,” “function properly,” and “fight infections” (Robertson 2010, p.241-245). Every age of development requires proper nutrients. It is important for children to learn how to eat healthy.

            Children learn by watching others. Whether it is in language development, behavioral choices or in eating children are watching those around them. Teachers can help provide a “model” of “healthy eating” “habits” for “children” (Robertson, 2010, p.232).  Teachers need to provide healthy choices for their students and make healthy choices for themselves.  This can be done through lessons, activities and modeling.

            Lessons can be developed or provided to help instruct students how to prepare and eat healthy foods. Web-sites such as the United States Agricultural Department (USDA) provide lesson plans for teachers teaching at all age groups (2010). Along with the lesson plans are activities and recipes that can be incorporated into the classroom curriculum and/or sent home to do with families. Two specific things teachers can do to promote a healthy life style are to teach students about the “MyPyrmaid” and to introduce children to “new foods (Robertson 2010, p.324).

            The MyPyrmaid designed by the USDA helps individuals make “healthy” “choices” (Robertson 2010, p218).  It was designed to help individuals “meet the nutritional standards” and to help them “make better choices” (Robertson 2010, p.218). Teachers can instruct students on how to read and utilize the MyPyrmid. The teacher can introduce children to the different food groups while introducing new foods. This is a great opportunity to explore the value of food and its job in our bodies. Children need to learn that food is an energy source and it provides needed fuel for our bodies.

            Another key component in helping children develop healthy eating habits is by cooking with them. This can be done in the classroom and at the home.  A local preschool group holds “Healthy Fridays” for their students and families. Families are invited to attend at three different times of the day to cook with their children. They can arrive in the morning, at lunch time or at afternoon snack time to help prepare a nutritious meal with their children. This is a great example of children and families learning to make healthy choices together.  Below are three healthy foods that can easily be made with children at home or in the classroom.

·         Berry Banana Smoothie

·         Ingredients:

·           1 frozen banana, peeled and cut up

·           1/4 cup fresh or frozen berries (such as raspberries, blackberries and/or strawberries)

·           1 cup orange juice

·           3 tablespoons plain yogurt

Measure out all ingredients and place them in a blender. If a blender is not available you can put them into a sealed container and allow the children to shack it.

Kids World (2010) Nutrition-Quick and Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Chicken Wraps

Prep time: 5-10 minutes

What you need:

       4 whole-wheat wraps (8 inches)

       2 cups store-bought rotisserie chicken, shredded

       ½ cup shredded carrots

       1 avocado, thinly sliced

       1 cup baby spinach leaves

       ¼ cup of your favorite fat-free/low-fat dressing (about 1 tablespoon per wrap)

Equipment and supplies:

       Cutting board

       Sharp knife

       Measuring cups

What to do:

1.      Place wraps side by side on a flat surface. Divide chicken into four portions (about ½ cup each). Place a portion of chicken on each wrap.

2.      Top each wrap with carrots, avocado, and spinach. (Have an adult help with the chopping.)

3.      Drizzle dressing evenly over each wrap.

4.      Roll each wrap up tightly and cut on the diagonal.

5.      Serve immediately or wrap tightly in aluminum foil and refrigerate for lunch the next day.

Kids Health (2010a) Garden Chicken Wrap,  

       Blueberry Muffins

       c. flour

       1 c. oatmeal

       3 tbsp. sugar

       1 tsp. salt

       4 tsp. baking powder

       1 c. blueberries, washed

       1 egg

       1 c. milk

       ¼ c. vegetable oil

       nonstick spray

Directions:

1.      Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C).

2.      In a large bowl, mix together the flour, oatmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder.

3.      Mix in blueberries.

4.      In another bowl, break the egg and use a fork to beat it just a little bit. Then add the milk and vegetable oil, and mix.

5.      Add this mixture to the first mixture in the large bowl.

6.      Using a mixing spoon, mix about 25 or 30 times. Don't mix too much! Your muffin mixture should be lumpy, not smooth.

7.      Line a muffin tin with paper liners or lightly spray with nonstick spray. Spoon in the muffin mix. Fill each muffin cup about two thirds of the way up.

8.      Bake for about 20 minutes.

9.      When muffins are finished baking, remove from muffin tin and cool them on a wire rack.

10.  Enjoy your tasty muffins!

Serves: 12

Serving size: 1 muffin

Nutritional analysis (per serving):
162 calories
3 g protein
6 g fat
19 g carbohydrate
1 g fiber
18 mg cholesterol
371 mg sodium
121 mg calcium
1.4 mg iron

Kids Health (2010b) Garden Chicken Wrap,

References

Kids World (2010) Nutrition-Quick and Healthy Breakfast Ideas for http://www.kidzworld.com/article/5596-nutrition-quick-and-healthy-breakfast-ideas

Kids Health (2010b) Blueberry Muffins, Retrieved on December 29, 2010 from

           http://kidshealth.org/parent/recipes/recipes_family/blueberry_muffins.html#cat20230

Kids Health (2010a) Garden Chicken Wrap, Retrieved on December 29, 2010 from http://kidshealth.org/kid/recipes/recipes/chicken_wrap.html#cat20816

Robertson, Cathie (2010) Safety, Nutrition, and Health in Early Education, Wadsworth, Belmont CA

United States Department of Agriculture (2010) MyPyrmaid, Retrieved on December 28, 2010 from http://www.mypyramid.gov