CHILD NUTRITION

The Head Start program has always promoted proper nutrition because healthy eating enhances the young child’s ability to learn and enriches his quality of life. Since nutrition was one of the beginning principles of Head Start and remains so, the following services are offered to children and their parents.

ü      Staff work with parents to identify their child’s nutritional needs, possible eating difficulties or food allergies. This discussion is guided by completing a Family Nutrition Survey early in the program year.

ü      Head Start-Early Head Start children attending a center program or on-site socialization receive nutritious meals and snacks through the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

ü      Head Start provides family-style meals for children. This means that adults sit with children and engage in conversation, children are taught appropriate mealtime behavior and are assisted in serving themselves.

ü      Menus are planned considering the nutritional value of food and cultural preferences and are periodically reviewed by a Registered Dietician.

ü      Head Start works closely with the State’s Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) to ensure that children receive healthy food and family members are educated in the principles of good nutrition.

ü      Early Head Start refers all pregnant women enrolled in the program as well as parents of infants and toddlers to WIC.

ü      Head Start follows the USDA guidelines for food safety and sanitation practices.

ü      Early Head Start uses the Nutrition Education Aimed at Toddlers curriculum for discussion with parents about early nutrition, mealtime experiences and child health.