Menu Planning with Nutrition in Mind

Child Care Provider’s Role

*Nutrition*• Serve nutritious meals & snacks

• Teach healthful food choices

• Positive attitude about food & eating

Child’s Role • To try and, hopefully, eat the nutritious

foods offered to them.

• A food may be offered 15-18 times before a child accepts it.

Consider a Nutrition Philosophy• Food from home• Eating attitudes• Mealtime practices• Snacks• Food as reward/punishment• Advertising• Vending machines• Physical activity• Meals served

Food for Thought…• We all know that offering children a wide

variety of foods is the basis of good nutrition.

• We also know that most families buy the same 15 foods every week at the grocery store

What are some ways a provider can be sure to serve a variety of foods when

preparing meals for children?

Food for Thought…Explain why it is worth the effort to serve a variety of foods along with

healthy options

Importance of Variety • Each color provides a different set of

nutrients, vitamins, minerals and disease fighting compounds.

• Help create the habit of meal and snack association with healthy food choices.– Snack food

–Eat a Rainbow

Start when they are young

• Most children in the U.S. are not eating enough fruits and veggies

• Over 50% of all elementary students eat no fruit on any given day and three out of 10 students eat less than 1 serving!

• 25% of all vegetables eaten by elementary students are French fries, a high-fat, low nutrient vegetable option.

Food for Thought…

Name some foods that could be offered to children ages 1 to 3 years old to increase the variety in their diets.

Food for Thought…• Eating too much fat is one of the

concerns about the American diet.

What kinds of foods add fat in children’s diets?

What are some foods that could be substituted for the high-fat foods?

Name some foods that are popular with children and also lower in fat.

Sugars to limit• Candy• Soda• Sweetened breakfast

foods• Marshmallows• Syrup & honey• Fruit juice

• Icing• Cotton candy• Candy coated popcorn• Popsicles • Chewing gum• Desserts

Get adequate nutrients within calorie needs

Manage weight

Encourage fruits, vegetables, whole grains & low-fat dairy foods

Limit fats (especially saturated & trans-fats)

Limit simple sugars

Limit sodium & get adequate potassium

Daily physical activity

Limit alcoholic beverages

Practice food safety

Using the Dietary Guidelines in Menu Planning

Reduced-fat or low-fat milk

Low-fat or fat-free cheese & yogurt

Whole grains with fiber

Vitamin A & C sources

Infant Meal Pattern

Birth through 3 months:

• Breakfast, Lunch/Supper, Snack– 4-6 ounces breast milk or formula

Infant Meal Pattern4 months through 7 months:

• Breakfast– 4-8 ounces breast milk or formula– 0-3 tablespoons infant cereal

• Lunch/Supper– 4-8 ounces breast milk or formula– 0-3 tablespoons infant cereal– 0-3 tablespoons fruit/vegetable

• Snack– 4-6 ounces breast milk or formula

Infant Meal Pattern cont.8 months through 11 months• Breakfast

– 6-8 ounces breast milk/formula– 2-4 tablespoons infant cereal– 1-4 tablespoons fruit and/or vegetable

• Lunch or Supper– 6-8 ounces breast milk/formula– 2-4 tablespoons infant cereal and/or 1-4 T meat/meal

alt.; or ½ -2 oz cheese; or 1-4 oz cottage cheese– 1-4 T fruit and/or vegetables

• Snack– 2-4 ounces breast milk, formula, juice– 0-1/2 slice bread or 0-2 crackers

Breakfast Pattern

• Fruit/Vegetable/Juice

• Bread/Grain

• Milk

Lunch Pattern• Meat/Meat Alternate

• Fruit/Vegetable/Juice

• Fruit/Vegetable

• Bread/Grain

• Milk

Snack PatternChoose Two:• Meat/Meat Alternate

• Fruit/Vegetable/Juice

• Bread/Grain

• Milk

Serving Size?Ages 3-5 years

Fruit or vegetable

Hot cereal (oatmeal)

Pasta/noodles

Milk

Egg

Peanut butter

Meat or poultry

Yogurt

½ cup

¼ cup

¼ cup

¾ cup (6 ounces)

¾ egg

3 Tablespoons

1 ½ ounces

6 ounces

Menu Planning Principle #1

• Flavors

• Fat

Strive for balance

What’s Wrong?

Sausage PizzaCajun PotatoesColeslawBrownieChocolate Milk

Too many strong

flavors in one meal!

What’s Wrong?

Monday: Sausage PizzaTuesday: Hot DogWednesday: Chicken NuggetsThursday: Fish Sticks

Too many fatty entrees in one

week!

What’s Wrong?Grilled CheeseFrench FriesBroccoli with Cheese SauceWhole Milk

Too many fatty entrees in one

day!

Menu Planning Principle #2

• Day to day• Main courses• Forms of foods• New & unfamiliar foods

Emphasize variety

What’s Wrong?

Monday: Spaghetti with MeatballsTuesday: Meat LasagnaWednesday: Beef TacosThursday: Sloppy Joe

Too much beef in one week!

Menu Planning Principle #3

• Texture• Taste• Appearance• Size• Shape• Temperature

Add contrast

What’s Wrong?MeatloafMashed PotatoesApplesauceNoodlesMilk

Too many “mushy” foods in one day!

What’s Wrong?Cubed MeatDiced PotatoesMixed VegetablesFruit CocktailMilk

Too many similar shapes in one day!

Menu Planning Principle #4

• Variety• Vegetables & fruits• Balance• Spices

Think about color

What’s Wrong?Sliced TurkeySteamed RiceCauliflowerBread SlicePearsMilk

All of the foods are the same color!

Menu Planning Principle #5

• Presentation

• Placement

Consider eye appeal

Consider Nutrition!

• Vitamin C = 2-3 times a week• Vitamin A = 2-3 times a week• Iron = every day

• Whole grains = at least 1 time per week• Fresh fruits & vegetables• Reduced-fat milk, cheese & yogurt• Lean meats

Don’t forget snacks!

• Plan Vitamin C & Vitamin A sources

• Whole grains

• Fresh fruits & vegetables

• Reduced-fat milk, cheese & yogurt

• Lean meats

• Water as a beverage

Menu Planning Steps

• Collect menu resources & schedule a time to plan menus– Month at a time

• Review children’s preferences• Involve children & parents• Select & test food products & recipes

– Pull together resources

Resources: recipes & more

• www.mypyramid.gov

• www.dole5aday.com

• www.fns.usda.gov/tnforms/ntisform.htm

• http://kidshealth.org/kid/recipes/index.html This one is great for special diet needs

Menu Planning Steps

• Think about changes that you want to make– Review menus, products, preparation– Review nutrition

Menu Planning Steps

• Select a timeframe– Consider cycle menus

Menu Planning Steps

• Select the main dish– Central focus & framework of

the meal– Plan for variety– Try not to duplicate during 2-

week period

Menu Planning Steps

• Select the other food items– Complementary items– Variety– New foods

Menu Planning Steps

• Evaluate what you have planned– Use the Menu Planning Checklist

Menu Planning Checklist1. Meet minimum requirements for meal pattern2. Appealing colors & textures3. Different shapes, sizes & colors4. Menus complement each other5. Seasonal foods included6. Introduced new food items7. Foods are not repeated8. Cost considered9. Adequate calories & nutrients while low fat,

saturated fat & sodium10.Vitamin C two-three times per week11.Vitamin A two to three times per week12. Iron-rich food daily13.Whole grains at least once a week14.Assorted dry cereals at least once a week15.Fresh fruits or vegetables on several different days

Yes/NoYes/NoYes/NoYes/NoYes/NoYes/NoYes/NoYes/NoYes/No

Yes/NoYes/NoYes/NoYes/NoYes/NoYes/No

Tuesday

Fried chicken

Stuffing

Apple slices

Peach crisp

Whole milk

Wednesday

Chicken nuggets

Mashed potatoes

Orange sections

Homemade roll

Whole milk

Thursday

Salisbury steak

French fries

Applesauce

White bread

Whole milk

Let’s Practice!

Shopping & Ordering!

SHOPPING• Make a grocery list for a specific time period• Separate groceries by area of the grocery store• Be specific on your list - choose low-fat, low-

sodium items• Follow food safety guidelines when shopping• Perimeter shopping

Shopping & Ordering!

ORDERING• Discuss specifics with supplier – ask for

low-fat, low-sodium options

• Ask ahead of time about available ethnic items

Group Activity

• Consider variety of flavor, texture, color, and temperature

• Food presentation