March is National Nutrition Month

Whether it’s starting the day off right with a healthy breakfast or fueling before an athletic event, the foods you choose can make a real difference. March is National Nutrition month.  The theme for the month is “Go Further with Food”.  Preparing your foods to go further, by planning meals and snacks in advance can also help to reduce food loss and waste. This year’s theme for National Nutrition Month® encourages us to achieve the numerous benefits healthy eating habits offer, but it also urges us to find ways to cut back on food waste. Learning how to manage food resources at home will help you “Go Further with Food”, while saving both nutrients and money.

So how can you “Go Further with Food”?

1. Include a variety of healthful foods from all of the food groups on a regular basis. Consider trying a new healthy food like quinoa or kale.  Grill or bake rather than fry your foods.  Choose colorful vegetables.
2. Consider the foods you have on hand before buying more at the store. Planning ahead is so important.  Always prepare a list before going to the store.  It saves time and money.
3. Buy only the amount that can be eaten or frozen within a few days and plan ways to use leftovers later in the week.  Plan your menus for the week.  Choose a night for leftovers whether it is made into a casserole or an addition to a meal.
4. Be mindful of portion sizes. Eat and drink the amount that’s right for you, as MyPlate encourages us to do.
5. Continue to use good food safety practices. Remember to wash your hands regularly.  While in the kitchen always wash your hands before preparing foods and when starting a new task.
6. Find activities that you enjoy and be physically active most days of the week. Take a walk around the park with your family after dinner.  Try taking the stairs instead of the elevator.  Remember that all of your physical activity does not have to be done at one time; break your activity up into 10 minutes increments.
7. Realize the benefits of healthy eating by contacting your local University of Georgia (UGA) extension office to find more information on nutrition related programs are offered and available resources.

Special thanks to Rhea Bentley, UGA Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, Columbus, GA, rbentley@uga.edu for providing this article.  Please share with your parents and kick off nutrition month with some activities for the children in your care.

 

 

Keeping Cool in Summer Heat

It’s July in Georgia and that means one thing:  HEAT!  In South Georgia, we not only have the high temperatures, but humidity too.  As temperatures are beginning to soar, it is important to remember our body’s fluid needs to prevent dehydration.  When the body’s output of water exceeds its input dehydration can occur.

Children age five and under are extremely susceptible to dehydration or other heat-related illnesses.  Some signs and symptoms to watch for include:

• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Stomachache

Fluid Tips for Summer Heat

1.  Increase fluid intake before, during and after playtime.  When playing in the sun, have a water or juice break every 30 minutes.
2. Plain, cold water should be the beverage of choice; the body absorbs it quickest.
3. Encourage children to drink or sip water even when they are not thirsty.
4. Stay away from caffeinated beverages such as soft drinks and iced tea.  Caffeine is a diuretic, which causes the body to loose more water.

Extra Information for you:

According to the USDA, water is essential for good health. Did you know….Water has a number of functions for our bodies.  The Mayo Clinic says “every system in your body depends on water.”  It regulates body temperature, maintains muscle tone, cushions joints and protects organs and tissues, aids in digestion and removal of waste, helps the kidneys and liver work effectively to metabolize fat, keeps you energized and at peak performance and protects our bones and joints.  Another advantage that readers may like is water helps keep your skin clear and minimizes wrinkling and sagging.  As we age that becomes more of a concern for many of us.  Other advantages water has no calories (simply cutting back on soda is an excellent first step toward weight loss), is naturally low in sodium and has no fat or cholesterol and water is preferred method of hydration.

1. Keep a refillable water bottle with you. They have the cutest water bottles now; you can even get them monogrammed! You are more likely to refill it, if you have it.
2. Make water the only choice. Keishon Thomas, UGA Extension Agent in Bibb County stated “My husband and I have made water the only choice in our home a number of times. I stopped purchasing sodas and limited the juice. As if by magic “mom magic,” if you will, water is consumed regularly in large amounts.”
3. Not crazy about the taste of plain water? Try infused water by adding lemon, limes or in season berries. It’s delicious, beautiful and you are doing your body a favor.

Ideas for Infused Water

Add fruits, herbs or spices to flavor your water.  When using herbs tear the leaves so the flavor will be enhanced.  Try different combinations to see what you prefer.  There are infuser pitchers and bottles available to purchase, but you can just make your own infusion in something you already have.  Here are some idea to get you started…the possibilities of combinations are endless.

Add peeled fruit and other ingredients to a ½ gallon or whole gallon of water.  Leave at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator to let the flavors infuse.  Here’s a few suggestions:

• Strawberries & Mint Leaves
• Strawberries & Jalapenos
• Cucumber & Mint
• Oranges & Blueberries
• Ginger & Peaches
• Watermelon & Basil

Dramatic Play Ideas

Dramatic play allows children to assign and accept roles and act them out.  It’s pretending to be someone or something else.  Sometimes they take on real world roles of someone they know and other times they take on fantasy roles, such as a super hero.  It is important to encourage all children to engage in dramatic play.  Here’s some ideas for your classroom:

• Provide a dress-up area with clothes, hats, props, pretend food, shopping carts, arranging play scenes such as a grocery store, hair salon, restaurant, doctor’s office, etc.

• Observe carefully and ask questions such as “What will happen if the baby gets sick?”

• Add new props to expand play and encourage new challenges.

• Have a theme for an area, such as grocery store,  pizza restaurant and change it out each month.  Use the theme throughout the classroom with all activities.
  • Flower Shop
  • Bakery
  • Pirate Ship
  • Home Supply
  • Fire Station
  • Nursery
  • Library
  • Post Office
  • Vet Clinic
  • Ice Cream Parlor
  • Space Center
  • Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, India or any other Restaurant
  • Apple Orchard
  • Pumpkin Patch
  • Garden

There are many ways to create an area for dramatic play.  Check with your local grocery store or retail to see if they have items from their displays that they would donate.  Change out activities from time to time to challenge the children in their creativity.

Dramatic play can be very empowering to children.

To learn more about dramatic play visit  http://articles.extension.org/pages/25723/dramatic-play-in-child-care

Refrigerator Power Outages – Keep or Toss

When it comes to serving food to children proper food safety is crucial.  Some of you may have experienced the recent Hurricane Matthew.  If not this time, there is some time that a national disaster may hit your area.  This could have a influence on your food, especially when there is a loss of power.  It is always best to have a chart on hand with some guidelines if you experience this.  In Savannah, we had to discard all of our refrigerator and frozen goods due to power loss and not being able to get in our building.  This cost up front may seem like a lot, but in the future much less expensive than an outbreak of food borne illness to do spoiled food.  This will provide guidelines for a power loss.  One way to keep our children safe is through safe food practices.  For more information contact your local County Extension in Georgia: 1.800.ASK-UGA1

food-in-fridge-keep-or-toss

 

_____?____, Lunch, and Dinner

What did your kid have for breakfast this morning? If they’re like most kids, you wouldn’t know the answer to that question because they probably didn’t have breakfast this morning. Now there could be multiple reasons as to why your child didn’t eat breakfast: you were in a rush, you weren’t hungry, or you just didn’t have anything to prepare. This doesn’t just happen to you, but most American families. Studies show that kids skip breakfast more than any other meal for those reasons, which can be a problem when you think about that some of those kids will go over 15 hours before eating a meal. Now this can take a toll on a child’s body, but it also affects their performance in school and activities as well.

Kids who eat breakfast in the morning before heading to school do much better performance wise, compared to kids that don’t eat breakfast in the morning. Kids who eat breakfast can concentrate longer, have fewer behavior problems, and have better overall grades. Those who skip breakfast tend to be disruptive, being unable to concentrate, and have worse grades as this is usually triggered by the child’s hunger. Now getting anyone, especially children, to eat breakfast can be challenge so here are a few tips:

• Nix late night noshing: Many kids aren’t hungry for breakfast because they snack at night. Try telling your kids the kitchen is closed after dinner and you’ll be surprised how much hungrier they are in the morning.
• Prep the night before: Getting breakfast on the table is tricky for most busy families. Setting the breakfast table at night can make your morning a little smoother. While you’re at it, why not put out a few boxes of whole-grain cereal for kids to pick and choose from? All they’ll have to do in the morning is pour and add milk.
• Start small: If your family doesn’t usually eat anything in the morning, it may take a while to develop the habit. Starting with a mini meal of yogurt topped with low-fat granola or a small slice of whole-wheat toast can make the transition easier.
• Set the alarm 10 minutes earlier: Hectic mornings can make it difficult for kids (and parents) to find time for breakfast. Waking up just a few minutes earlier provides time to squeeze in a quick morning meal.
• Dress first, eat second: Kids are more likely to feel hungry once they’ve had a chance to wake up.
• Make sure you’re well stocked: No time to cook? No problem. Quick-fix foods like whole-grain cereal, string cheese, berries, yogurt, whole-wheat toast, mini bagels and English muffins make grabbing breakfast a cinch.
• Be a good role model: “Kids mimic their parents’ behavior,” says Dobbins. “So make it a habit to sit down and eat breakfast with your kids every morning.”

Resources came from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Read more at: http://www.eatright.org/resource/food/nutrition/eating-as-a-family/breakfast-the-key-to-learning

Memorial Day Children’s Books

Introducing new topics is important for children and sometimes a daunting task for providers.  Memorial Day can be a little difficult to talk about.  I have reviewed some books to encourage conversations on this day for honoring those people who lost their lives serving our country.  I commend each of you for serving all children, but especially those that are working daily with our military families.  The families serving our country are so important and sharing through stories can help children learn more about this important holiday.  It can also provide a greater understanding for children of non-military families to learn more about others in their classroom.  I encourage you to plan some activities this week with Memorial Day as the theme.

Babies and Toddlers

Dear Baby, I’m Watching Over You by Carol Casey and Mark Braught. This book was written specially for children of military families, this book reassures little ones that even if a family member isn’t near, they are still loved.

My Mommy Wears Combat Boots by Sharon McBride.  Daddies aren’t the only ones who serve in the military. Many moms are also part of America’s armed forces and this book is about those moms.

Red, White and Blue Good-Bye by Sarah Wones Tomp and Ann Barrow.  It’s hard to say good-bye when it’s time for a parent to deploy, but one parent and child have found a special way to bid farewell. The red, white and blue good-bye is a way for this dad and his daughter to remind one another of their love.

Daddy is a Soldier by Kirsten Hallowell.  Simple and rhyming text helps little ones understand the important job Daddy is doing when he’s far away.

Preschoolers

Memorial Day Surprise by Theresa Golding . A mom tells her young son, who sweetly mistakenly yet very fittingly calls the holiday “Memory Day” that she has a surprise for him. After a number of would be surprises he finally receives his true surprise, seeing his grandfather, a veteran, in the parade.

The Wall by Eve Bunting.  A boy along with his father goes to visit the Vietnam Veterans wall to locate his grandfather’s name.

 

 

Trick or Treat Smell my Feet…Let’s talk Saftey for Halloween

Its Halloween time, pumpkins, fall weather, and all the cute costumes.   Look out for ghosts, super heroes, princesses, animals, tv characters, pirates, cowboys  and many more in your neighborhood.  I think most of us can remember some costume we wore in the past, even if it was just putting a sheet over your head and being a ghost.  While it can be a fun time, we need to keep safety on our mind at all times.  One great resource for safety is Safe Kids Worldwide which gives great tips on Halloween Safety      They also have Halloween Safety tips in Spanish.  Even though you may not be going Trick or Treating with the children in your child care center, you can always share tips for safety with your parents during the month, so try to share a few tips along with the activities in your classroom.  You can increase the knowledge of children in your care on keeping themselves safe, while encouraging safety in the community.  Look for upcoming posts with fun classroom activities for October.