Nutrition and feeding

How childcare providers can promote healthy nutritional habits

• Providing children with opportunities to try foods made in several ways (raw carrot snacks vs. steamed carrots).
• Preparing food appropriate for the age and development of the child
• Have a friendly, comfortable place to eat, and make mealtimes a fun experience.
• Make children feel good about their healthy food choices.
• Do not rush children to eat. Give them time to finish eating.
• Observe eating behavior and talk with their parent/caregiver if they have concerns.
• Be a good role model – show children you enjoy eating various food options.
• Bottle feed infants whenever they are hungry.
• Offer food or snacks every 2 to 3 hours to prevent children from feeling hungry.

What and how much to feed children in childcare?

• At about six months, most children will be ready to integrate some solid foods, for example, infant cereal, alongside breast milk. Be sure to work alongside parents on their child’s progress.
• Older children (over 2 years old) should be encouraged to serve themselves if they’re able. It is ok if children do not eat everything they put on their plate.
• Sometimes a child’s appetite will fluctuate. This is normal. Do not try to force feed or reward them for eating. If the child wants more, it's okay to serve more.
• Offer and encourage variety in types of foods. Children may need 20 or more opportunities, free from pressure and force, to learn to like new foods.
• Alternatives
  • Instead of a hot dog, try a tofu or oven roasted turkey breast.
  • Instead of sugary drinks like soda or sweet juice, try milk or water.

When to feed children in child care?

• Establish routine times for eating breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks between meals. Eat every couple of hours throughout the day.
• Limit beverages (like juice) in between meals that could hinder appetite. Stick to water.
• For young infants, pay attention to hunger cues, such as sucking on their hand or light fussing.

Where and how to feed children in child care?

• Feeding should occur family style in a communal area, such as the dining table.
• Distractions should be limited. No TV or games
• Everyone should be seated.
• Eating is a time to learn both feeding skills and social skills.
• Offer new foods for kids to try, but don't pressure or force them to eat it if they don't want it. Continue to offer these foods to help them gain familiarity.
• Be patient, help them to enjoy eating and learning how to serve themselves and behave at the table.
• Involve older children in the process of food preparation and serving.
  • Be a role model.
  • Don’t cater to preferences (everyone eats the same thing), but allow them the choice of whether or not to eat something.
  • Use phrases that help, not hinder.
  • Instead of “Eat that for me”, try “This is kiwi fruit; it’s sweet like a strawberry.”
  • Instead of “No dessert until you eat your vegetables,” try “We can try these vegetables another time. Next time would you like to try them raw instead of cooked?”

Division of responsibility in feeding

In some childcare settings, the provider buys, prepares, and serves food. Children are responsible for what and how much they eat. Healthy children will tend to eat what they need and should not be forced to eat more than they want. Overfeeding will cause children to override their own hunger and fullness cues. If the child wants more, it's okay to serve more.

To help prevent under-feeding or over-feeding, providers must be sensitive to hunger and fullness cues.

For infants, hunger cues may include:

• Crying, excited arm movements, smiling, cooing, or gazing at the caregiver during feeding show a desire to continue.
• Moving forward as the spoon approaches, swiping food towards the mouth, moving the head forward to reach the spoon.
• Hungry toddlers may point at, ask for, or reach for food or beverages.

Infants' satiety (fullness) cues may include:

• Falling asleep
• Becoming fussy during feeding
• Slowing the pace of eating
• Stopping sucking
• Spitting out the nipple
• Refusing the spoon, batting the scoop away or closing the mouth as the spoon approaches
• Toddlers may slow their eating pace, become distracted or notice surroundings more, play with food, throw food, want to leave the table or chair, or leave food on the plate.