Nutrition
&
Wellness Tips for Young
Children: Provider Handbook for
the Child and Adult Care Food
Program
Need creative ideas for meal
planning, shopping, and food
preparation? Or fun suggestions
for active play?
This handbook was developed by
USDA’s Food and Nutrition
Service and the Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS)
Administration for Children and
Families, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, and
Health Resources and Services
Administration to help CACFP
child care providers create
healthier environments for the
children in their care. It
includes a series of tip sheets
addressing wellness
recommendations from the Dietary
Guidelines for Americans, 2010
and Caring for Our Children:
National Health and Safety
Performance Standards;
Guidelines for Early Care and
Education, 3rd Edition. Each tip
sheet focuses on a specific
topic and includes a practical
application section to help
providers apply the tips to
their child care program. By
using the tip sheets when
planning meals and activities
for children ages 2 through 5 years
old, providers can incorporate
key recommendations and best
practices into their menus and
daily schedules.
The success stories shared in
the handbook highlight examples
of new and exciting ways CACFP
child care programs have
improved the food they serve
children and the activities they
plan. Links to additional
resources are also included in
the publication, which features
a new CACFP Wellness Resources
Web page. As part of the USDA
National Agricultural Library,
the Web page is designed to help
CACFP participants find the
resources they need to meet
wellness recommendations.
Target Audience: CACFP
Child Care Providers caring for
children 2 through 5 years old
Available: only in PDF. Print
copies will be available for
online ordering in the Summer of
2013.
Note: USDA is in the process of
finalizing the handbook for
printing. Larger sections of the
handbook will be available in
PDF when the final revision is
complete.
Download Individual Sections and Tips
Sheets
• Background and
Acknowledgements
• Table of Contents and
Introduction
• How to Use This Handbook
• Build a Healthy Plate With
Fruits
• Build a Healthy Plate With
Vegetables
• Build a Healthy Plate With Dry
Beans and Peas
• Meat and Meat Alternates:
Build a Healthy Plate With Protein
• Build a Healthy Plate With Whole Grains
• Build a Healthy Plate With
Milk
• Build a Healthy Plate With
Less Salt and Sodium
• Fats and Oils: Build a Healthy
Plate With Options Low in Solid Fats
• Build a Healthy Plate With Less Added Sugars
• Make Water Available Throughout the Day
• Practice the Basics of Food
Safety To Prevent Foodborne Illness
• Provide Opportunities for
Active Play Every Day
• Encourage Active Play and
Participate With Children
• Promote Active Play Through
Written Policies and Practices
• Limit Screen Time
• Appendix A: Practice Choking
Prevention
• Appendix B: Care for Children
With Food Allergies
(updated 1/17/13)
• Best Practices: CACFP Success
Stories
• Additional Resources
(updated 1/17/13)
Download Covers and Dividers
• Front Cover
• Back Cover
• Section Dividers
(updated 1/25/13)
• Binder Spine Insert
(updated 1/25/13)
Download Promotional
Materials
• Promotional Flyer
(updated 2/7/13)
• Promotional PowerPoint Slides
(updated 2/7/13)
• Provider Handbook Cover
Graphic
Last modified:
02/08/2013 |