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Teaching Nutrition to Preschoolers

Teaching Nutrition to Preschoolers. Why worry about nutrition?. Diet is linked with 5 of the 10 leading causes of death: Coronary heart disease Some types of cancer Stroke Type 2 diabetes Atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries). Childhood Obesity.

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Teaching Nutrition to Preschoolers

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  1. Teaching Nutrition to Preschoolers

  2. Why worry about nutrition? • Diet is linked with 5 of the 10 leading causes of death: • Coronary heart disease • Some types of cancer • Stroke • Type 2 diabetes • Atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries)

  3. Childhood Obesity • Data from NHANES surveys (1976–1980 and 2003–2006) show that the prevalence of obesity has increased: • for children aged 2–5 years, prevalence increased from 5.0% to 12.4% • for those aged 6–11 years, prevalence increased from 6.5% to 17.0% • for those aged 12–19 years, prevalence increased from 5.0% to 17.6% • Obese children and adolescents are more likely to become obese as adults.

  4. Good Nutrition • Assures optimal development and growth • Has positive effects on • Alertness • Attention • Enhances other skills important for academic success • Provides students with a solid foundation for lifelong health

  5. Teaching Nutrition Basics http://www.mypyramid.gov/preschoolers/index.html

  6. What are the components of the new pyramid? Food Groups Vertical bands instead of building blocks Wider at the bottom than the top Steps on the side Where’s the fats/sweets group?

  7. MyPyramid Coloring Activity

  8. Teaching Nutrition Basics • Encourage youngsters to: • Try new foods • Eat a variety of foods • Get plenty of playtime activity • Be a healthy role model • Healthy foods at class parties • Put away the candy dish • Eliminate soft drinks • Resources on www.mypyramid.gov

  9. Where does it fit? • If you don’t have extra time to devote to nutrition, how do you squeeze it into an already busy day? • Integrate with other subjects • Take advantage of lunchtime or downtime

  10. Science

  11. Nutrition and Science Plants give us food! Healthy food gives us energy and makes us strong! Use resources from MyPyramid for Preschoolers

  12. Math

  13. Nutrition and Math • Use nutritious foods as examples: • Learning numbers • Counting (1 glass of milk, 2 bananas, 3 carrots) • Adding • Shapes • Sizes

  14. Reading and Writing

  15. Nutrition and Reading/Writing • Storytelling through pictures • Gather nutrition-related books for story time • Use healthy foods to teach the alphabet: • N is for Noodles • O is for Orange • P is for Peaches

  16. Let’s give it a try! • Compiling an Alphabet Book of Healthy Foods • Assign each person a letter of the alphabet. • Write the letter and draw a picture of a healthy food beginning with that letter. • This activity can be continued over several weeks until all letters of the alphabet are used. • Compile all the pictures into a book. • Have the class decide what should be on the cover of the book and then read it together! • Discuss each food and what food group it belongs in.

  17. Art and Music

  18. Nutrition in Art/Music Coloring and painting MyPyramid collage Sing, create, play and dance

  19. Meal and Snack Time

  20. Nutrition Education at Meal or Snack Time Healthy food discussions Eat a variety of foods Be a healthy role model Use non-food rewards

  21. Mmmm Good! Activity • What are we having today? • Granola bar • Peaches • Milk • Do you know what food groups these foods are in? • Do you know how these foods are good for you? • Is everyone trying everything on their plate? • Why is it important to try one bite of all your foods?

  22. Mmmm Good! Activity Answers • What are we having today? • Granola bar- Grains Group • Peaches- Fruits Group • Milk- Milk Group • Do you know how these foods are good for you? Grains, like your granola bar, give you energy to run & play. Fruits, like your peaches, have many vitamins that help you grow & stay healthy. Milk helps give you strong bones & teeth. • Why is it important to try one bite of all your foods? You may discover you like it! It is important to eat many different foods so your body can get the many different nutrients it needs to stay healthy.

  23. Tasting New Foods: Offer new foods first Do a taste test Aim for at least “one bite” Prepare foods in different ways Try multiple times

  24. Time to Taste! What does it look like? Color? Shape? What does it feel like? Smooth? Rough? What does it smell like? Is the smell familiar? Does it smell sweet? Does it make a sound? Crunch?

  25. Resources MyPyramid for Preschoolers Preschool Rock Hearts N’ Parks Kids Health in the Classroom National Dairy Council Dole 5-a-Day Kids a Cookin’ Kansas Team Nutrition

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