March is National Nutrition Month – CACFP Week

Jackson Child Care Summary Celebrating March as National Nutrition Month and CACFP Week. The 2023 theme is “Fuel for the Future.” Since the CACFP is about children’s future, using this 4-week approach, our curriculum includes activities and ideas to celebrate and educate the children and their families on healthy eating habits! For more information – CACFP 2023 Tool Kit https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/child-and-adult-care-food-program/cacfp-week-toolkit/.

Mealtime accounts for one-third of the time children spend in care. These times are predictable. With the intentional use of CACFP resources, we create fun learning times. Mealtime is a time to learn about nutrition, build socialization relationship skills, and develop early learning foundations across learning domains. And develop life skills. Mealtime accounts for one-third of the time children spend in care. These times are predictable. With the intentional use of CACFP resources, we create fun learning times. Mealtime is a time to learn about nutrition, build socialization relationship skills, and develop early learning foundations across learning domains. And develop life skills.

March is National Nutrition Month! This year’s theme is “Fuel for the Future. Throughout the month, we learn about making informed food choices and developing healthy eating and physical activity habits. Resources  https://www.cacfp.org/campaign/.

During March 13-17, 2023, we celebrated CACFP Week. During CACFP week, our curriculum theme is “Healthy Eating Habits.” The week’s celebrations include introducing new foods and promoting healthy meals and snacks. We learned about different fruit inspired by the book Fast Food by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers. We engaged in cooking activities daily to foster nutritional knowledge and motor and life skills. During the week, we focused on healthy eating and made the connection to February Dental Hygiene Month. We discussed how healthy and unhealthy foods affect our bodies and made connections to Dental Hygiene Month. Teeth begin the digestive system, and the intestine in the system works. We discussed with the children how healthy and unhealthy foods make our bodies feel—using the MyPlate five food groups to guide healthy eating. We used the MyPlate five food groups to teach healthy eating to foster nutritional knowledge through cooking skill-building activities.

Monday – https://photos.app.goo.gl/cgjBHqsdwQ4jjJJy8

Tuesday – https://photos.app.goo.gl/k1PP2KMdmi5ZopL17

Wednesday – https://photos.app.goo.gl/aJERkzRAf8PUakuf7

Thursday – https://photos.app.goo.gl/efMsqM4NxhbfvzKq5

Friday – https://photos.app.goo.gl/ngA3jKyDkCJDfWw78

An example of a fun, the dramatic play was building a restaurant that offered only healthy food choices -take a peek https://photos.app.goo.gl/Gv4dNsxdrBJtuEt4A

This strategy helped enhance our efforts and Parent involvement coverage in our daily parent report and the monthly newsletter, sharing handouts with parents and explaining the importance of CACFP. We encourage parents to join the activities by providing pictures of our healthy meals and snacks. Mealtime is a fun and interactive learning experience that helped develop life skills and early learning foundations skills.”On Saturday, March 25, 2023, we attended an interactive Food and Nutritional Fair hosted by Office for Children CACFP to learn about saving money and eating better, Photo Album Link-  https://photos.app.goo.gl/h4E8rP5F4Ghc1frPA. Additionally, the fair promoted healthy eating habits and nutritional education that we can bring back to our program. Promoting a healthy lifestyle is essential to our children’s well-being and academic success!

 

 

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