The experiences that I am having at my location are less than great but they are informative. I have found some many things become more prevalent when are not looking. Since my topic is childhood obesity and the food that daycare centers eat and have catered to them. I have looked at the menu that has been posted for about a month (same page) and the things that are suppose to be for lunch are not and the things that kids shouldn't eat they do. I can not even explain why we are allowed to chocolate cookies fro a snack!!! I was floored and then sad when they were served. I know we all like a little chocolate(not me) now and then but I never knew it was alright to serve at a daycare where kids clearly don't need anymore sweets(rotten teeth)or unhealthy snacks.
What do you think please post and let me know.
Marquitta-
ReplyDeleteMy daycare is the same way. Lunches are catered from Gourmet Gorilla (http://www.gourmetgorilla.com.php5-18.dfw1-2.websitetestlink.com/sample-menus/) but snacks are just garbage! It blows my mind, they are eating stuff chock full of artificial dyes, hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup! I've lobbied for change within the system to no avail.
Marquitta at our Pre-K program we serve poptarts, potato sticks, applesauce, dry cereal, pretzel, teddy grahams and carrots. Some of this has a good nutritional valus, but some does not. The snacks we serve are not monitored by anyone. The State of Illinois is not paying their part, so we have to use whatever we can get. I feel for the children, but what do you do when you do not have any money.
ReplyDeleteAt Head Start our menus are prepared by a nutrition specialist. For breakfast the children usually have cheerios, corn flakes, or rice crispies and always served with fruit. They also get bagels, whole wheat pancakes, and French toast sticks. The lunches are well balanced with fruits and vegetables but the main course can be questionable sometimes about its edibility. For snack we have whole wheat goldfish, yogurt and fruit, 100 calorie snack mix, fruit juice bars, cheese and crackers, chips and salsa, pretzels and the occasional oatmeal raisin cookie. The menu pretty much stays the same and they just rotate weeks. I have had worse food but as far as the nutritional value of the food it is very good. The children do not get hardly and sugar and there is no added salt in anything. Breakfast and lunch are always served with milk and at snack you may have milk, juice, or water. The parents help design the menus so the meals really do have the children’s best interests in mind.
ReplyDeleteYour story is incredible. The administration within that facility should be held accountable. I believe that in many instances, the individuals that are supposed to be responsible in monitoring what is best for the children have a lack of supervision, and as a result, do not feel the pressure to make the necessary changes for the benefit of the children. This is when parents, teachers should corroborate and petition to make these urgent changes.
ReplyDeleteI agree, the foods that are being served are not ok. I feel that there is so much processed food no wonder we have and issue with weight.
ReplyDeleteI also feel that there is a large issue with portions. I feel the girls I care for are always wanting more or want more snacks. I have started to put my foot down because I know a child's stomach is not that large. Plus I have been cooking healthier meals for them and we do taste test tuesday and thursday and on these days we try different meals or foods. I feel it brings healthier foods in and gives them a chance to try them and see if they like them.
Do you know who is in charged of the menu? Do they have a health and nutritional on site? Maybe you should advice them and provide them with some insights of why this menu should be important to kids. As a parent I would be really upset if I came into the classroom and saw my child eating a cookie as a snack. Their are so many other options. Also maybe they should try having the children serve themselves. This makes the portion part easier and less. When I was teaching at my center, I always had the children serve themselves, and if they wanted seconds then i would provide them with half of what they had taken before.
ReplyDeleteMarquitta,
ReplyDeleteThe menus being the same for the whole month is so wrong unless there is 4 weeks worth of menus. The center I am observing at and others I have worked at have 4 weeks of menus which are rotated throughout the month. This is so the center does not have to get them approved all the time which is very time consuming. I so agree with you about the content of menus and how much of each need to be served. The foods which I have seen served at my center is ridiculous. The children hardly touch the foods which are good for them knowing that later in the day they will receive a cookie for snack. The children do not eat the nutritious foods served it just goes in the garbage. Knowing they can have the sweet stuff later. The amounts served are terrible also. Children are not being offered kid friendly nutritious foods and that is the same of it all.
Thanks for all of the information.
ReplyDelete