Healthy Eating For Children at Your Childcare Center

It is important to set a healthy, structured eating plan for the children at your center. The routine should include three appropriately portioned meals scheduled throughout the day. Because children are so impressionable at a young age, it is important to help them establish good eating habits.

Educating children on why certain foods are better for them than others, and showing them the importance of healthy eating at a young age will greatly benefit their lives in the future. When they grow older and make their own eating decisions, they will have learned the fundamentals of what they should be eating and why. Poor eating habits from a young age can result in obesity and even contribute to developing diabetes, which will have a negative effect on their quality of life as they grow up.

One major consequence of a poor diet is the affect that it will have on a child’s development. The affect will be negative physically and mentally. When a child eats well, their bodies can function at full capacity, enabling their body and brain to develop. Although not every child can have the same diet, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are primary examples of dietary standards. These foods contain nutrients which are very important for children in their early years.

Parents also play a big role in the way children eat every day. Life is busy today and there often isn’t a lot of time to spare. Encourage parents to work alongside you, and take the time every day to do what is best for their children and their future. For more information on this topic, take a look at "The Importance of Healthy Eating in Children" by Julie Webb Kelley.

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