Nutrition and Head Start

Children Today, Jan-Feb, 1992 by Francis Wardle, Nola Winegarner

For the last several years, Adams County Head Start has been undergoing a process of nutrition assessment, change and improvement. As part of this process, we examined our nutrition program and recognized the critical importance of good nutrition in the lives of our children. We also realized that life-long food habits are inculcated at the Head Start age.

In evaluating our component, we discovered that:

1. Food provided by our program was very high in sugar, salt, fat, and refined grains.

2. Holiday celebrations had become unintentional endorsements of consumption abuse--teaching the children to associate unhealthy eating and drinking behaviors with having a good time. This can lead to problems with overeating and excessive drinking when the children grow older.

3. By modeling poor eating behaviors, staff perpetuated deficient eating habits in the classroom and throughout the entire program. For example, when they ate with the children, staff members drank pop rather than milk.

4. Our total nutrition component tended to reinforce the poor food habits and choices of the families we serve, rather than educating these families about healthy alternatives.

5. Nutrition was not an integral part of the daily classroom curriculum.

6. We permitted parental involvement, cultural holidays, a simplistic notion of cultural sensitivity and fund raising activities to dictate what our nutrition policy would be.

7. We were not incorporating the most recent research about cholesterol, fats and childhood obesity into our nutrition component. Also overlooked were data demonstrating that minorities tend to have a high incidence of diabetes, hypertension, coronary and other diseases.

We clearly understood the flaws in our nutrition component. The question was: What could be done to improve it?

A Mandate for Improvement

First, a newly hired nutrition coordinator was given authorization to upgrade the component. A framework for improvement was identified through our manual, Policies for Parties, Celebrations and Festivals for Adams County Head Start, published in 1987, and strategies for change were approved by our policy council. While there was special emphasis on mental health and education, policy plans were developed in conjunction with all components because we wanted to guarantee that program celebrations would conform to the criteria delineated in Developmentally Appropriate Practice (Bredekamp, 1987) and the Head Start Program Performance Standards for "Education" and "Mental Health" (HHS, 1984).

Nutrition concerns were addressed within the scope of this plan of action and were based on relevant Head Start Program Performance Standards. Because nutrition issues are impacted by physical and mental health concerns, parents, staff attitudes and learning, it was clear that a solution should encompass all these areas.

1. First, we radically revised our menus and modified recipes to reduce salts, simple sugars, saturated fats, and refined grains. The practice of using table sugar for already pre-sweetened boxed cereals was discontinued, and hot cereals were pre-sweetened with honey in the kitchen. We also purchased fruits packed in fruit juice, and apple or apricot sauce replaced syrup for pancakes and french toast. Curried meats, high-salt content soups and products with high concentrations of fat have been nearly eliminated, and deep-fat-fried foods completely eliminated from the menu.

2. Our policy does not permit parties that are not an integral part of the ongoing curriculum. Celebrations that do occur are low-key, and such nutritious foods as milk and 100 percent fruit juices are served. Parents are asked not to bring typically high-sugar, high-fat cakes, cookies or other sweets to these activities.

3. We reinforced existing performance standards that require staff to interact with students during meals in a family style service arrangement. This was done through training and monitoring of staff by the nutrition coordinator, and by listing a nutrition item on the annual evaluation of teachers and teacher aides. Instructors have also been trained regarding the need and rationale for instilling good eating habits in children served by our program.

4. Soda vending machines in each center are placed in areas that are removed from the children. Staff and other adults consume pop in areas that are inaccesbible to children.

5. We provide parent training which stresses the reasons for our policies and underscores good nutrition for the entire family. Our monthly newsletter showcases articles about wholesome nutrition and food habits.

6. Our program does not accept donations of candy or other foods that are incompatible with our nutrition philosophy. Neither the need for in-kind contributions nor the requirement for parent activities outweigh the necessity for good nutrition.

7. Accompanied by a teacher, each child in our program visits a local store several times a year in order to stimulate the child's curiosity and enhance his or her awareness of food varieties. Together, teacher and child select fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grain products and other wholesome items that will be used in food preparation and activities and for stocking classroom refrigerators. As a result of ongoing food activities, children gradually become more willing to eat unfamiliar foods, and express increased appreciation of the need to be conscious of the food they eat.