Quotable Quotes

“ You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I’m not hungry enough to eat six.”

— Yogi Berra

Your Guide to Child Health and Nutrition

EDITIONNUTRITION

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends start-ing solids between 4 and 6 months of age.

Age alone does not determine when baby is ready for solids. Let baby’s developmental markers be your guide to starting solids.• Babycansitwellwithsupport.• Baby’stonguethrustreflexhas

largely disappeared.• Babyisinterested:watching

the spoon, opening his mouth, leaning forward.

Trying to feed an infant who is notdevelopmentallyreadycanbefrustrating for both of you. Don’t forceit.Babiesareadeptatreadingfacialexpressions;ifyou areanxious,expectbabytobeanxiousalso.

Problems with Starting Solids Earlier than 4 Months• Earlyfeedingofsolidsincreases

the risk of allergies, due to baby’s immature digestive system.

• Baby’stonguethrustreflexpushes the food out, making spoonfeedingdifficultandoftenunsuccessful.

• Whenababycannotsitonhisown,somewell-meaningcaregiv-ers attempt to “help” by seating babyinasemi-recliningpositiontofeedhimorbyaddingcerealtohis bottle. Feeding in this way is a chokinghazard.

Contrary to popular opinion, thereisnocompellingevidencetoindicatethatfeedingsolidswillhelpa baby sleep through the night.

“Ready, Set, SLOW” or How to Introduce SolidsThere is no rush to get baby to eat a huge variety or volume of solid foods.Baby’smajornutritionalneeds are being met by the breast milk or iron fortified formula until his first birthday. Knowing this shouldhelpeveryonerelaxandmakestartingsolidsenjoyable.(Seetheprogressionoftexturetableonbottom of page 3).

Infant Nutrition – Raising a Healthy Eater

Time for a Cup Recipes Cracker Snacker Activity Food FunnyINSIDE:

In a recent study two-thirds of the objects surgically removed from young children’s tracheas were nuts, raw carrots and popcorn.

About 50 percent of children in low income families drink twice the amount of juice recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Forty-nine percent of lowest income parents report their children drink 2 or more cups of juice on a typical day.

Food insecurity and hunger are an invisible crisis in the United States. Sixteen million American children are food insecure.

For young children, food insecurity has lifelong consequences that affect their health, school readiness and performance, as well as their growth and development.

Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics, C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Report on Children’s Health, Sesame Street

(article continued on page 2)

Nutrition Edition, Issue 12 www.CCFPRoundtable.org

Nutrition Edition Issue 12

2 Child Care Food Program Roundtable

Foods To Be Avoided for the Entire 1st Year• Commonallergens:cow’smilk,yogurt,peanutbutter,egg

white,citrusfruitsandshellfish• Chokinghazardssuchasmeatsticks,hotdogs,sausages,

breadedfishproducts,rawcarrotsandnuts• Honey,duetothepossibilityofbotulismspores;this

includeshoneythathasbeenbakedinproductssuchasHoneyGrahamCrackersandHoneyNutCheerios

• Jarredbabyfooddinnersanddessertsandjarredordryinfantcerealwithfruitwhicharenutritionallyinferiortosingle ingredient foods

• Juicesandsweetenedbeverages

First FeedingsStartfeedingbabyinyourarms,wherehefeelssecureandsupportedorinahighchairtoallowforeasyface-to-facecontactwhilefeeding.Atypicalschedulefora6–8montholdwouldincludesolids1–3timesadayand24–32ouncesofbreastmilkand/orformula.Byabout10months,babyshouldbejoiningthefamilyatmealtimestofosterpleasantassociationswithfoodandfamily.

Signs that Baby Is Getting FullBabywillcontinuetoopenhismouthwhenheseesthespoon,ifheisstillhungry.Beginbyservingjustafewteaspoons and build up to a few tablespoons. Keep feedings pleasantandlethimtakethelead.Whenhecloseshismouth to the spoon or turns his head away, he is finished eating. Every baby is unique and needs caregivers who tune into his cues and respond appropriately.

“ Tuning in on what your baby tells you— and understanding it—is an essential part of allowing your baby to eat and grow well and letting her grow up feeling good about herself and about the world.”

—EllynSatter Child of Mine; Feeding with Love and Good Sense

Finger FoodsYou do not have to wait until baby has teeth to begin serv-ing finger foods. As soon as baby is sitting up and has the coordinationtoholdandbringfoodstohismouth,give

himlotsofpracticewithfingerfoods.Makesureanythingyougivehimissoft,easytoswallowandbreaksdownintosmallpieces,whichwillnotcausechoking.Hewillenjoy“O”shapedcereals,shreddedcheese,softripefruits,cookedvegetablepieces,finelychoppedpiecesofcookedmeatandsmall pasta shapes. Always supervise baby while he is eating.

Making Your Own Baby FoodsSavemoneywhileprovidingnutritious,organic,freshfoods.Adjustandadvancetexturestomatchbaby’sabilityto“gum”thefood.Thisprogressionoftextureisimportantsothatbabydoesn’tget“stuck”onpurees.

Duetonaturallyoccurringnitrates,home-preparedspinach,beets,greenbeans,squashandcarrotsshouldbeavoideduntilinfantsareatleast4monthsorolder.

On baby’s 1st birthday, transition to whole milk in a cup unless you are continuing to breast-feedBabyonlyneedsabout16ouncesofmilkadayatthistime.Wholemilkisanexcellentfood,howeveritisapoorsourceof iron. A one year old drinking milk all day long will have little room in his tummy for all the other foods he needs to grow well.

Choking Hazards for Babies and ToddlersToddlers like to put all kinds of things in their mouths, anddonothavethebackmolarsforgrindingtougherfood.Neverservechildrenunder4yearsofageanyround,firmfoodthathasnotbeencompletelychopped.Vegetablesshouldbesteamedtomakechewingeasier.Otherchokinghazardsincludehotdogs,rawcarrots,nutsandseeds,popcorn,largechunksofmeatorcheese,wholegrapes,scoopsofpeanutbutter,raisins,chewinggumandhard,gooeyorstickycandy.

ForfurtherreadingconsiderEllynSatter’s,Child of Mine; Feeding with Love and Good Sense. Author of the division ofresponsibilityinfeeding,Ellynoffersparentsandcare-giversapracticalandempoweringguidetofeeding.

Sothereyouhaveit,ashortprimeronaslightlymessybutlargelyfascinatingprocessofstartingbabyonsolidfoods.Remember, you are not only putting food in baby’s tummy, you are beginning baby on a path of lifelong healthy eating habits.

— Donna Green R.D. Contra Costa Child Care Council

Infant Nutrition – Raising a Healthy Eater— Continued from front page

(Continued on bottom of page 3)

Nutrition Edition

Child Care Food Program Roundtable 3

Issue 12

Offer a sippy cup when baby is 6to8monthsold—chooseacupwithalidthathasafreeflowingspout or remove the no spills gadget. Asmallcupwillbeeasierforlittlemouths and hands to manage.

Offer1–3ouncesofbreastmilk,infantformulaorwaterinthecup.Offer more if baby wants more. Do not offer juice or sweetened beverages. At first you may need to help baby holdthecupandtastewhat’sinit.Therewillbespills.Bepatient,havea towel ready and remember baby is learninghowtodrinkfromacup.

Agoodtimetopracticewiththecupiswhenbabyiseatingsolidfoods,soofferthecupatallmealtimes.Sitbabyinahighchair.Feedsomefoodwithaspoon.Offerafewsipsfromthecup.Letbabyseeyouandothersdrinkfromacup.Babywilllearnbywatchingandpracticing.

Drinkingfromacupisthefirststepinweaningfrom thebottle.Whenbabyisabout10monthsoldgraduallyusethecupmoreoftenandthebottleless.Offermealsandsnacksatregulartimeseachdaywithasippycupavailableateachmealandsnack.Donotallowbabytowalkaroundwithasippycup.

Makeweaningeasybynotlettingbabygettooattachedto the bottle. Use the bottle for feeding and then put it away. Don’tletbabycrawlorwalkaround with a bottle and offer only breast milk, formula or water in the bottle, do not put juiceorsweetdrinksinthebottle.TheAmericanAcademyofPediatrics(AAP)recom-mends weaning from the bottle anddrinkingfromcupsbyoneyear of age. At 12 months whole milkcanreplacethebreastmilkorformulainthecup.

Sippycupsareintendedtohelptransitionachildtoarealcup,sohelpbabypracticedrinkingfromacupwithno lid. Holdthecupforbabywhilehesipsandpracticewiththecupfrequently.

Comfortacryingbabywithlove,hugs,ablanketoratoy,notabottleorsippycup.Learningtodrinkfromacuptakestime.Bepatientandconsistent.

— Catherine Stafford Contra Costa Child Care Council

Kids’ Health & Safety

Time for a Cup

— Continued from page 2

Age Ranges to Introduce Types of Foods & Progression of Textures*

4–7 Months 7–8 Months 8–10 Months 10–12 MonthsDraws lower lip in as spoon is removed, moves food fromfronttobackofmouth

Updownmunching Bitesfood,sidetosidetongue movement

Rotarychewing,grinding,holding spoon

Purees, thinned at first Purees, mashed foods Lumpierpurees,minced,softfoodsandfingerfoods

Soft,cooked,chopped table foods

Infantricecerealpreparedwith breast milk or formula, pureed fruits and vegetables, servedoneatatimetocheckforadversereactions

Pureedmeat,cookedeggyolk,mashedcookedfruits& vegetables, Infant barley, oatcereals

Finelychoppedmeats,poultry, fruits and vegetables,cheese,cottagecheese,beans,lentils,infantmixedcereals

Cutuptenderpiecesofchoppedmeat,poultryorfish, fruits and vegetables, toast, pasta, all infant cereals

Breastmilkorironfortifiedinfantformulafortheentire1styear

*not a rigid time frame

Nutrition Edition

4 ChildCareFoodProgramRoundtable

Issue 12

Activity Corner

Food Funny

Q: Waiter, will my pizza be long?

A: No sir, it will be round!

Just for Baby

Whenpreparingyourownbabyfood,useorganicproducewheneverpossible.Pureeormashandfreezeinicecubetrays.Storecubesinziplockbags.Atmealtimethawoneortwocubesandwarmifneeded.

Soup for BabyBringlowsodiumchickenbrothorstocktoaboil.Addchoppedchicken,peas,celery,onionandpotato,reduceheatandsimmeruntilmeatiscookedandvegetablesaretenderabout30minutes.Mashthesouptotheconsistencytheinfantcantolerate.

Beef and Veggies MashBrowngroundbeef,addchoppedpotatoes,carrots,onion,alittlebrothandcookuntiltender.Chopfinely,grindorpuree.

Little Lentils and Sweet Potato PureeCooklentilsuntiltender.Piercesweetpotatowithaforkandmicrowaveabout8–10minutesuntilverytender.Mashthepotatoandlentilstogether.

Cinco de Mayo Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken breast halves .............. 4Tomatoes, diced ............. 1 can (28 oz)Onions, chopped ...................... 2Garlic, minced .......................... 2 clovesCumin ........................................ 1 tspGreen or jalapeno

chilies, minced ....................... 2Chicken broth .............. 1 can (49½ oz)

1. Combine the first seven ingredients in a 5½to6quartslowcooker.Coverandcookonlow7–8hours.

2. Removechickenandbones.Shredthechickenfromtheboneandreturnmeattotheslowcooker.Addlimejuiceandcilantro.

3. Cuttortillasinto6wedges.Lightlyspraywitholiveoil,ifdesired.Bakeat400°Ffor10–12minutes,untilcrispandlightlybrowned.Placebakedchipsintobowlsandladlesoupovertop.Topwithavocadoandcheese.

Yield:10servingsMeetsrequirementforgrains/breadsandprotein/meatalternate — Adapted from Simmering Solutions

Lime juice .................................. 2 TbspCilantro, fresh, chopped .........½ cupAvocado, sliced ......................... 1Mozzarella cheese,

shredded .................................. 1 cupBaked Tortilla Chips:Corn tortilla.............................. 10Olive oil spray (optional)

Cracker SnackersThishandsonactivityletskidsbuildatastysnack.Thiscreativesnackalsoteachesaboutthedifferentfoodgroups.

Setupthecrackersnackerbar,creatingsignstolabeleachfoodgroup:wholegrains, fruits, vegetables and protein. Groupbowlsoftoppingsintheirfoodgroups:

• Varietyofwholegraincrackerssuchaswhole wheat and graham

• Thinlyslicedfruitsuchaskiwi,strawberry, pear, apple and banana

• Thinlyslicedvegetablessuchaszucchini,cucumber,avocadoandtomato

• Thinlyslicedcheese,leanturkeyorham, hummus and peanut butter

Invitechildrentotaketwocrackerseachand a variety of toppings on their plate. Letthechildrenbuildtheirowncrackersnacker.Suggestthattheytryatleastoneitemfromeachfoodgroup.

Usethisactivitytostresstheneedtoeatavarietyoffoods.Whatweresomefavoritecombinations?Whoputallfoodgroupsononecracker?

— Adapted from Nemours Foundation

and is produced by:Contra Costa Child Care Council

Child Health & Nutrition ProgramPhone: (925) 676-6117 Fax: (925) 676-5829

E-Mail: nutrition@cocokids.orgWebsite: www.CoCoKids.org

Program Director ................................... Paula JamesCo-Editor .......................................... Donna Green, rdCo-Editor ...................................... Catherine Stafford

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