The daily schedule provides opportunity for a morning snack, lunch time, and afternoon snack. Therefore, CKH suggests that children should bring two snacks, a lunch with a snack, and three beverages. Nutritious meals and snacks are important for your child’s good health, performance at school, and overall feeling of well-being. Please make sure that all of the foods you pack for your child are nutritious. We will encourage your child to eat the healthiest snacks first. Our staff is trained in the USDA Nutritional guidelines. Sweet snacks could be replaced by healthier fruits or pudding to encourage proper nutrition. We are a PEANUT and NUT FREE center, so please plan your meals accordingly. Due to food allergies, we request that children do not share any food or drink items while at school.
We hope the following information will be helpful in planning meals and snacks your child will enjoy while meeting his/her need for nutrients.
| Food Group | # Servings Per Day | Serving Size for 3-5 Year Olds |
|---|---|---|
| Dairy | 2 ½ c | 1 cup milk 1 cup yogurt 1 cup fortified soy beverage 1 ½ ounces natural cheese or 2 ounces processed cheese |
| Protein | 3 oz | 1 ounce cooked/canned lean meats, poultry, or seafood 1 egg 1 Tbsp peanut butter 1/4 cup cooked beans or peas |
| Vegetables | 1 ½ c | 1 cup raw or cooked/canned vegetables; or 2 cups leafy salad greens; or 1 cup 100% vegetable juice |
| Fruit | 1 c | 1 cup raw, frozen, or cooked/canned fruit; or 1/2 cup dried fruit; or 1 cup 100% fruit juice |
| Grains | 4 oz | 1 slice bread; or 1 ounce ready-to-eat cereal; or 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta, or cereal |
For more information reflective of your child’s age and activity level, please refer to MyPlate.
You can also find more information in our Happy and Healthy Children section of the parents manual.
Meals and snacks should be planned to provide at least one-third of your child’s daily nutritional requirements. Additionally, the following principles of good nutrition should be kept in mind.
Tips:
☼ Choose foods for meals and snacks that contribute not just to good nutrition, but also to good dental health, i.e. limit overly sweet and sticky foods, especially those high in refined sugars.
☼ Children do not need salt added to their food. Limiting salty entrees and snacks (i.e. chips, popcorn, etc.) is beneficial in hypertension prevention.
☼ Whole grain breads are preferable to white for sandwiches.
☼ Fruit drinks and punches do not contain many of the vitamins and minerals found in natural juices and are high in sugar.
☼ Please do not include hard candy, nuts or peanut butter as these can be choking hazards for preschoolers and some children are allergic.
Entrees:
☼ Sandwiches: Lunches could include sliced meats, lunchmeats, tuna, chicken or egg salad, cheese, hummus and tabouli, and soy butter or cream cheese with jelly.
☼ Hearty soup or stew with crackers (Send in a thermos to keep soup warm)
☼ Hard boiled eggs
☼ Cheese and crackers
☼ Leftovers, i.e. casseroles, scrambled eggs, stir fries (Send in a thermos to keep warm)
☼ Yogurt or cottage cheese and fruit
Don’t forget the beverages!
Juice boxes, thermos of milk or water.
We do have refrigerators in each classroom. Label all items and place them in the refrigerator in the morning if needed. We would appreciate families utilizing ice packs to keep foods cold as often as possible. And please pack food in a thermos if it needs to stay warm. All food should be prepared at home and should include the necessary eating utensils so that your child can eat independently at school. Before leaving each night, please pick up any leftovers or containers from the refrigerator or cubby.