How Much to Eat
Preventing Obesity and Promoting Wellness in Early Childhood Settings Module 3, Lesson 9
How Much to Eat ACTIVITIES Student Teacher: Consider portion size recommendations for yourself and for children. • Prepare a balanced meal for yourself. • Collect serving utensils that match the single portion size recommendations (adult and child) for each food group in “My Plate.” • Practice filling your plate using the recommended adult portions on an appropriately-sized plate. • Fill a child-sized plate with the child portion utensils. Compare the two plates and consider the differences. • Enjoy your meal along with a glass of water. • Reflect on the fullness cues your body is giving you, the amount of time it takes for the signals to travel from your stomach to your brain, and how this meal’s portions compares to a typical meal you have. Teacher: Reflect on teaching strategies and practices you use related to snack and meal times. • Create a list of behavioral expectations and rules you have for children at either snack or mealtime. • Reflect on the words you use to describe food and communicate eating expectations to children.
www.ChildCareExchange.com • (800) 221-2864 17725 NE 65th Street, B-275, Redmond, WA 98052
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Preventing Obesity and Promoting Wellness in Early Childhood Settings • Analyze how the messages you are giving children match the goals you have for learning to eat appropriate portions of a variety of foods throughout each day. • Write a revised set of expectations and include some of the phrases you will use with children. Consider the amount of time allowed, your role in eating with children, and the overall atmosphere. • Devise a way to communicate to families what you are helping children learn through your meal expectations at school. Director and Staff: Discuss cultural considerations when introducing new foods.
Action Step Create a plan for inviting families to share favorite healthy recipes with your program. Include in your plan some way that those recipes can be shared through a program cookbook, recipe tasting parties, potluck dinners, or another way.
REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS • How do you support teachers and staff to serve visually appealing and diverse foods? • How does your program support healthy food preparation and involve children in food preparations? • Consider how your meal and snack time routines support children’s ability to make choices and desire for independence. • How does your program learn from families about their favorite foods, recipes, and mealtime traditions?
www.ChildCareExchange.com • (800) 221-2864 17725 NE 65th Street, B-275, Redmond, WA 98052
2
How Much to Eat ACTIVITIES Student Teacher: Consider portion size recommendations for yourself and for children. • Prepare a balanced meal for yourself. • Collect serving utensils that match the single portion size recommendations (adult and child) for each food group in “My Plate.” • Practice filling your plate using the recommended adult portions on an appropriately-sized plate. • Fill a child-sized plate with the child portion utensils. Compare the two plates and consider the differences. • Enjoy your meal along with a glass of water. • Reflect on the fullness cues your body is giving you, the amount of time it takes for the signals to travel from your stomach to your brain, and how this meal’s portions compares to a typical meal you have. Teacher: Reflect on teaching strategies and practices you use related to snack and meal times. • Create a list of behavioral expectations and rules you have for children at either snack or mealtime. • Reflect on the words you use to describe food and communicate eating expectations to children.
www.ChildCareExchange.com • (800) 221-2864 17725 NE 65th Street, B-275, Redmond, WA 98052
1
Preventing Obesity and Promoting Wellness in Early Childhood Settings • Analyze how the messages you are giving children match the goals you have for learning to eat appropriate portions of a variety of foods throughout each day. • Write a revised set of expectations and include some of the phrases you will use with children. Consider the amount of time allowed, your role in eating with children, and the overall atmosphere. • Devise a way to communicate to families what you are helping children learn through your meal expectations at school. Director and Staff: Discuss cultural considerations when introducing new foods.
Action Step Create a plan for inviting families to share favorite healthy recipes with your program. Include in your plan some way that those recipes can be shared through a program cookbook, recipe tasting parties, potluck dinners, or another way.
REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS • How do you support teachers and staff to serve visually appealing and diverse foods? • How does your program support healthy food preparation and involve children in food preparations? • Consider how your meal and snack time routines support children’s ability to make choices and desire for independence. • How does your program learn from families about their favorite foods, recipes, and mealtime traditions?
www.ChildCareExchange.com • (800) 221-2864 17725 NE 65th Street, B-275, Redmond, WA 98052
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