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  • About Us
    • Early Childhood Across our Region
    • Our Team
    • Collaborative Center & Center Based EHS Yearly Calendar
  • Teachers
    • Attendance
    • Monthly Paperwork
      • In Kind
      • In-Kind at Home
    • Transitions
  • Families
    • Family Engagement
    • Parent Contacts
    • Family Supports and Resources
    • Your Journey Together
  • Education
    • Curriculum
      • The Creative Curriculum for Preschool
      • The Creative Curriculum for Infants, Toddlers, and Twos
    • Assessments and Screeners
      • CLASS
      • GOLD
      • e-DECA 2.0
      • ASQ
      • ESI-R
    • Behavior Management
    • Concerns and Referrals
  • Center Directors
    • Hiring Staff
    • Professional Development
    • APOT
  • Health & Wellness
    • Active Supervision
    • Nutrition
    • Mental Health
  • NMCAA
    • EHS Center-based Provisional Services
    • Applications
    • Enrollment/Orientation
    • Health
    • Practice Based Coaching
    • Program Information Report (PIR)
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Nutrition


NMCAA Early Childhood Nutrition Plan

Our nutrition plan provides a framework for supporting healthy food choices as well as nutritional resources for families and staff.  Additionally, our plan encompasses regular communication regarding nutrition topics, which is so important in supporting the family-to-school connection. All child and family programs currently participate with the Child and Adult Care Food Program and follow CACFP guidelines, Head Start Program Performance Standards, Licensing and GSRP regulations, and use a nutrition analyst.  

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Photo by Karolina Grabowska

Food and Nutrition Requirements for Head Start and Early Head Start


Knowing What to Serve
  • Programs must enroll in and bill a USDA Food and Nutrition Services Child Nutrition Program for meal services. Meals and snacks must conform to USDA requirements and be high in nutrients and low in fat, sugar, and salt.
    • Food Fact Sheet
    • Natural Cheese Chart
    • Approved Cereals List
    • Choose Yogurt Low in Sugar
 
  • Menus must be posted in the classroom and updated if any changes or substitutions are made. Please mark out the planned item on the menu and write in the substituted item using blue ink. Click here to access blank menu templates.
    • Sample Snack Menu
    • Sample Breakfast Menu
 
  • Each month submit served menus to your Coordinator and Program Support.
​
  • Programs with morning HS/EHS program hours will serve HS/EHS children who have not received breakfast upon arrival a nourishing breakfast.
 
  • Providing a child's daily nutritional needs for programs operating:
    • >6 hours per day = 1/2-2/3 of nutritional needs.
    • <6 hours per day = 1/3-1/2 of nutritional needs.

Reminders
  • Ensure bottle fed infants are never laid down to sleep with a bottle.
  • Meal/snack time must include opportunities for learning.
  • Family style meals are encouraged.
  • Make safe drinking water available for children throughout the day.
  • Nutrition tips and resources for classrooms and families can be found at eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/nutrition.

Direct-Operated Early Head Start Center-based CACFP Food Program: Forms and Guidance


​Overview
For a complete overview of the NMCAA Early Childhood Nutrition Plan, click on the link below.
                          NMCAA Early Childhood Nutrition Plan

Meal Pattern Requirements and Instructions
  • Infant Menu Instructions
  • Infant 0-5 Month Meal Patterns
  • Infant 6-11 Month Meal Patterns
  • Children 1-2 Meal Patterns
  • Children 3-5 Meal Patterns

Menu Templates
  • Infant Menu 0-5 Months
  • Infant Menu 6-11 Months
  • Breakfast Menu (Children 1-3)
  • Lunch Menu (Children 1-3)
  • Snack Menu (Children 1-3)

Special Food Considerations
  • For children under 12 months, staff will include the 'CACFP Formula/Food Sign-Off Statement' as a part of the enrollment process. This form informs families of the type of formula and meals provided by the center for infants.   
                          CACFP Formula/Food Sign-Off Statement 

  • If a child requires a special diet due to allergies or other medical needs, a licensed physician, physician assistant, or an advanced practice registered nurse, such as a certified nurse practitioner must complete the 'Special Diet Form below. *Document food allergies and sensitivity in the red folder. 
​                                                 Special Diet Statement
​
  • When parents are providing specific food (e.g. parent provides breastmilk in place of formula provided by the center), complete the 'EHS Partent Request to Provide Food' form with the parent and send a copy to Program Support and place original in child's file. 
                                 EHS Parent Request to Provide Food
 
Financial Requirements
When planning meals it is important to not only consider the nutritional quality of the meals and snacks provided, but also it is important to make the most of every dollar by seeking the most affordable prices for quality nutrition and foods. To assist and monitor this process Center Assistants are required to use the following forms.
                              Weekly Food Allotment/Receipt Process
                                       Informal Procurement Log EHS


Nutrition Activities to Support the Areas of Development


Food Experiences: Cognition and Science

"When children cook, you can talk about what they are doing, and why. They are scientists, observing what happens to flour when they add water to it and predicting how high we should fill a muffin tin, so the batter doesn’t overflow. In addition, cooking sets the stage for lifelong healthy eating habits, and when children are involved in food preparation they tend to eat better.” 
​~Creative Curriculum for Preschool Vol. 2 pg. 230
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Photo by Alizee Marchand
Pineapple:
Explore a whole pineapple and the process of getting to the yummy middle.

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Photo by Shutterbug75
Mango:
Children use their 5 senses to explore a mango and it's parts.


Snack and Mealtime Conversations: Language and Social Emotional

Snack and mealtimes present a unique opportunity to bond with peers and teachers, expand vocabulary, and develop skills in every domain. Here are a few easy ideas to help extend learning.
  • Check out these easy conversation starters on this place mat from  Talking Is Teaching resource bundle called, "Let's Talk about Food".
  • If you are looking for ways to engage older children in more in depth conversations during mealtimes or throughout the day, check out this list of conversation starters from The Early Childhood Academy.

Literacy and Nutrition Experiences

Parents and teachers can enhance literacy, mathematics, social studies and critical thinking by expanding stories from children's books with cooking activities. Bring the following suggested books alive by clicking on the activity link next to each book. (The Creative Curriculum for Preschool®, Sixth Edition, Volume 3)
*When applicable activities are tied to Teaching Strategies® The Creative Curriculum for Preschool®, Mighty Minutes® and GOLD® Objectives for Development and Learning.
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Activity Idea
Make your own Potion Card Template
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Graph Template for Taste Testing Green Eggs and Ham
AND...
Graph Template for Like vs. Dislike
Activity Idea for Promoting Data Analysis using Graphs and Charts

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Activity Idea
See the end of the book for recipe and cooking instructions.
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Fruit Kabobs: Choose a variety of fruits, plastic knives and pretzel sticks. Help children cut fruit and slide onto pretzel sticks.
ABC Smoothie Recipe

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Activity Idea
See the end of the book for recipe and cooking instructions.
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Activity Ideas
Banana Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

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Activity Idea
Pork Tamales Rojos Recipe
​
Discussion Ideas:
  • Ask children about a time when they lost something dear to them.
  • How did it feel when you couldn't find it?
  • How did it feel when you found it?
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Activity Idea
Free Resources from Conscious Discipline® for the home and classroom. Login required.

HSPPS 1302.44 Child Nutrition
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  • About Us
    • Early Childhood Across our Region
    • Our Team
    • Collaborative Center & Center Based EHS Yearly Calendar
  • Teachers
    • Attendance
    • Monthly Paperwork
      • In Kind
      • In-Kind at Home
    • Transitions
  • Families
    • Family Engagement
    • Parent Contacts
    • Family Supports and Resources
    • Your Journey Together
  • Education
    • Curriculum
      • The Creative Curriculum for Preschool
      • The Creative Curriculum for Infants, Toddlers, and Twos
    • Assessments and Screeners
      • CLASS
      • GOLD
      • e-DECA 2.0
      • ASQ
      • ESI-R
    • Behavior Management
    • Concerns and Referrals
  • Center Directors
    • Hiring Staff
    • Professional Development
    • APOT
  • Health & Wellness
    • Active Supervision
    • Nutrition
    • Mental Health
  • NMCAA
    • EHS Center-based Provisional Services
    • Applications
    • Enrollment/Orientation
    • Health
    • Practice Based Coaching
    • Program Information Report (PIR)