Encourage Healthy Eating: With a Craft!

 Encourage Healthy Eating: With a Craft!

Forget the paints! It's time for some edible arts and crafts! Getting kids to eat their fruits and vegetables can be tricky, especially when introducing unfamiliar foods for the first time. Tackle this challenge by incorporating healthy foods into multiple activities in your classroom. The more kids form positive associations with foods, the more likely they will be to try them at lunch time and snack time. Check out these neat food crafts below to help you get started!

Peanut Butter Celery Butterflies

 

These butterflies really are made out of butter! 

What You Need:
Pretzels
Celery
Peanut Butter (or other substitute)
Googly Candy Eyes

1.Slice your celery sticks into desired lengths.
2.Fill each celery stick with peanut butter.
3.Use two small pretzels for the wings on your butterfly or break one large pretzel in half and stick one half on each side of the celery stick.
4.Stick your candy eyes on with peanut butter.

Owl Toast

You'll be wise like this owl if you eat your fruits and whole grains.

What You Need:
Whole Grain Sliced Bread
Strawberries (sliced)
Blueberries
Bananas (sliced)
Cheerios
Peanut Butter (or other substitute)

1.Pre-slice the bananas and strawberries and put them into two separate bowls.
2.Give each child a slice of bread (toasted if you prefer).
3.Have each child spread the peanut butter over the toast.
4.For the owl eyes, stick two slices of banana at the top of the toast with one blueberry on each banana slice.
5.Use the sliced strawberries for wings by placing one strawberry slice on each side of the toast, toward the bottom.
6.For the nose, place a small strawberry slice underneath and between the eyes, in the center of the toast.
7. The cheerios can be used to decorate the remaining space on the toast.

Grape Caterpillars

You can prepare these cute critters ahead of time or let the kids make them.

What You Need:
Skewers (for young children, try coffee stirrers, mini straws, or popsicle sticks; we wouldn't want anyone poking their eyes!) 
Grapes
Strawberries (cherry tomatoes will work too!)
Googly Candy Eyes
Peanut Butter (or other substitute)
Black Icing Gel or Edible Black Food Marker (optional)
Parsley/Cilantro Stalks (optional)

1.Stick your strawberry onto one end of the skewer. Then string the grapes onto the skewer behind the strawberry.
2.Stick your candy eyes onto the strawberry using peanut butter or other substitute.
3.Use your icing gel or food marker to draw a smile if desired.
4.Your parsley/cilantro stalks will make perfect antennae! 

Ladybug BLT

What an easy way to spruce up a BLT or tomato sandwich!

What You Need:
Whole Grain Bread
Bacon (optional)
Lettuce
Tomato
Black Olives
Googly Candy Eyes
Parsley/Cilantro Stalks

1.Simply cut your tomato slice in half to make the wings.
2.Slice up one black olive to make the dots on the wings, and use a whole black olive for the ladybug's head.
3.Stick your candy eyes onto the olive using peanut butter or other substitute.
4.Your parsley/cilantro stalks will make perfect antennae!

**Tip: For any of these crafts, feel free to substitute other fruits/ingredients based on your children's needs and preferences. Substitute ingredients as needed to accommodate food allergies. Some good substitutes for peanut butter include sunflower seed butter, tahini butter, soynut butter, and almond butter.**

Remember that PureFUN! Supply is here to help with all your childcare supply needs! 
Any snack above would pair great with PureFUN! 100% Juice!  

Share with us ideas that you use to encourage healthy eating in your school!!

CACFP: What It Does and Why It Matters

CACFP: What It Does and Why It Matters

 

What is the CACFP?

The CACFP began in 1963 as the Special Food Service Program for Children, a government-funded initiative designed to provide children from low-income families with meals when schools were not in session. Since that time, the program, now known as the Child and Adult Care Food Program, has greatly expanded to provide grants to child care centers, after school care centers, day care homes, adult day care centers, and emergency shelters serving meals and snacks. These cash reimbursements are contingent upon each center's compliance with established federal regulations. Food may be free, reduced, or paid for at a certain rate depending on each center's needs. This program is important because it provides at-risk children and adults with nutritious meals they may not have access to otherwise.

Generally, reimbursements may be provided for the following:

Centers and Day Care Homes: Up to 2 meals and 1 snack per day (for eligible children and adults)

Emergency Shelters: Up to 3 meals per day

At-risk After School Care Centers: Up to 1 meal and 1 snack per day

Generally, the program assists:

Child Care Centers & Day Care Homes: Infants and Children up to age 12
Adult Day Care Centers/Homes: Adults ages 60 or older or those who are physically or mentally impaired
After School Care Centers & Emergency Shelters: Children up to age 18
Children of Migrant Workers: Up to age 15

New guidelines on servings and meal patterns were put into place in April of 2016, and centers had until October 1, 2017 to be in compliance with these new standards. Updated servings and meal patterns by age division can be found here.

What types of food do the CACFP meal guidelines recommend?

Fruits

Most are naturally low in fat, sodium, and calories and contain no cholesterol.

Essential nutrients include potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin C, and folic acid.

Vegetables

Most are naturally low in fat and calories and contain no cholesterol.

Essential nutrients include potassium, dietary fiber, folic acid, vitamin A, and vitamin C.

Dry Beans and Peas

These provide plant protein, iron, and zinc, as well as dietary fiber, folic acid, and potassium. 

They can count as either a vegetable or a protein.

Protein

Essential nutrients include protein, B vitamins, vitamin E, iron, zinc, and magnesium.

Proteins build up bones, muscles, skin, blood, and cartilage as well as enzymes, hormones, and vitamins.

 

Whole Grains

Whole grains retain many nutrients, such as B vitamins and vitamin E, which are stripped out of refined grains by the refining process.

Fiber in whole grains helps to lower cholesterol.

Both bran and fiber prevent spikes in blood sugar by slowing starch breakdown.

Milk (Dairy)

  

Essential nutrients include calcium, potassium, protein, and vitamin D.

Hydrate with Plenty of Water

Make clean drinking water accessible throughout the day. 

What are the benefits of these nutrients?

Potassium: helps maintain a healthy blood pressure
Vitamin A: battles infections and keeps skin and eyes healthy
Dietary Fiber: helps reduce cholesterol
Vitamin C: aids the growth and repair of body tissues and maintains healthy gums and teeth; helps the body absorb iron
Folic Acid: aids the formation of red blood cells
Iron: carries oxygen in the blood
Zinc: aids biochemical reactions and the immune system
B Vitamins: aids in energy release, nervous system functioning, formation of red blood cells, and the building up of tissues
Magnesium: builds up bones and releases muscle energy
Calcium: builds strong bones and teeth
Vitamin D: regulates levels of phosphorus and calcium, thereby maintaining overall bone health

What does the CACFP recommend decreasing in your meal servings?

Less Salt and Sodium

High sodium intake increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. 

Low Solid Fat

 

 

Solid fats are fats, such as butter, shortening, and beef fat, that are solid at room temperature.

These fats usually raise "bad" cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease. 

 

Less Added Sugar

Too much added sugar, which is present in many processed foods, can result in increased blood pressure and chronic inflammation, which may result in heart disease later on in life. Tooth decay and obesity have also been linked to high sugar intake.

More information on the CACFP can be found on the USDA Food and Nutrition website at this link.

More information on healthy eating--options, tips, and benefits--can be found on the USDA Choose My Plate website at this link.

Memorial Day Craft Ideas!

 Memorial Day Craft Ideas!

Memorial Day is just around the corner, and your kids can join in the celebration with these patriotic crafts designed just for them! These fun activities are a hands-on way to begin a discussion on the importance of Memorial Day and why we celebrate the men and women who have served in our armed forces.

Hanging Star Streamers

Great to use as door hangers and window decorations, your kids can proudly display these at home or at school.

What You Need:
Popsicle Sticks (Red and Blue or paint your own)
Ribbon (Red, White, and/or Blue in the pattern of your choosing)
Scissors
Tissue Paper (Red and Blue, cut into small strips)
Glue (glue pen preferred for young children)
Embellishments (buttons, sequins, stickers, glitter, pom-poms, etc.)

1.Glue your popsicle sticks together in the shape of a star. You will need five sticks per star. Start by making an upside down "V" with two of the sticks. At each end point of this upside down "V," glue the end point of an additional stick so that these next two overlapping sticks form an "X" shape over the top of the upside down "V." Finally, glue a horizontal stick across the top two end points on the "X." Make sure all of your popsicle sticks are attached to each other by their end points. To add stability, put a bit of glue in the extra places where the popsicle sticks overlap.

2.Cut your tissue paper into strips of your desired length and glue them to the back of your star so that they hang down from different points.

3.To make your hanger, cut a small loop of ribbon, and glue both ends of the ribbon to the top point of the star.

4.Once the glue has dried on your streamers and ribbon, glue your embellishments on the front of your star. Let the star dry, and display wherever you wish!

Star Bubble Wands

What You Need:
Small Star Cookie Cutter
Pipe Cleaners (Red, White, and Blue colors)
Craft Beads (Red, White, Clear, and/or Blue colors)
Bubble Solution
Small Dish

1.Wrap a pipe cleaner around the star cookie cutter, making sure to fit it tightly into all the grooves. Leave a little excess cleaner at the end to close off the star. The remaining length of pipe cleaner is your wand handle.

2.String the handle with beads. Then bend the end of the handle and roll it into a ball to hold the beads in place.

3.If your star has lost a bit of its shape at this point, simply place it around the cookie cutter again and re-tighten its shape.

4.Now pour your bubble solution into a dish, and use your star wand as you would any other bubble wand! 

Make these wands in any color or shape for all kinds of occasions!

Dot-Painted American Flag

A spin on traditional flag painting, this quick and easy craft utilizes pom-poms instead of paintbrushes.

What You Need:
Clothespins
Plain White Index Cards (use 5" x 8" for larger flags)
Small Pom-Poms
Acrylic Paint (Red, White, and Blue colors)

1.You will need three clothespins. Each clothespin will clamp onto a pom-pom. Make sure enough of the pom-pom is exposed to properly dip it into the paint. Use each pom-pom to dip into a different paint color.

2.Dot the top left corner of your index card with blue paint to make a solid square.

3.Using your red paint, dot evenly spaced horizontal lines stretching from one end of the card to the other. Do this from the top to the bottom of the card.

4.Once your blue paint has dried, make several rows (however many you can fit) of evenly spaced white dots on top of your blue square.

5.Now you have an American flag! Glue it onto a popsicle stick, and display it proudly!