CHILD CARE / PRE-SCHOOL FOOD ENVIRONMENT
ENACT STRATEGY: Food Policy
Adopt a comprehensive food policy that develops nutrition, health, and environmental guidelines for purchasing to ensure meals, snacks and beverages include healthy and sustainable choices
Eating habits are shaped early in life and the healthy habits formed during early childhood can carry into adulthood and decrease the risk for chronic disease. Many children spend a great deal of their day in a preschool or daycare setting and the foods, snacks and beverages offered in these settings can contribute significantly to children’s overall nutritional intake. Nutrition is one element in developing standards for food purchasing, but childcare centers can also establish policies that support foods that have been produced in a sustainable manner. Purchasing sustainable food has multiple health benefits. Elements of a policy that supports a sustainable food system includes encouraging or requiring the purchase of local and regional foods, organic food or food produced without pesticides, chemicals and hormones, or food that ensures the health and safety of those growing and producing the food. By adopting specific nutrition, health and environmental standards for foods available in child care settings, child care centers can ensure that all foods served to students are healthy and tasty. Preschools and daycares should also establish food purchasing policies and nutrition standards that take into account promoting a child’s positive relationship to food by establishing a pleasant eating environment in addition to specific guidelines around nutrition and portion size.
- Purchasing of local/regional foods for child care programs;
- Education of the sustainable food system and nutrition;
- Fresh, healthy, and seasonal fruits and vegetables;
- Organic and/or food produced without pesticides, hormones, or chemicals;
- Support farming of antibiotic-free meat and poultry and humane treatment towards animals;
- Supporting farms that practice just treatment of farm workers.
Sustainable Table has developed 8 reasons why it’s important to purchase and eat sustainable foods.
This quick overview provides information, suggestions and FAQ on developing a healthy food purchasing policy in daycare settings.The New Day School in Portland, OR has established a comprehensive food policy that addresses a holistic approach to food in their preschool. This policy includes the rationale behind their food choices as well as complete guidelines outlining the availability of drinking water at all times, balanced vegan meals throughout the day, and intolerance for processed and GMO foods.
Cambridge Child Development Center Nutrition and Food Service Policy (PDF)
A child care center in Concord, CA has adopted a policy to only adhere to specific nutrition standards for all foods served that are more rigorous than USDA guidelines for young children. This is in response to the rise in childhood obesity, especially in the minority ethnic and low income groups that they serve.
Building a Successful Local Food Model – Tips for Institutional Buyers
This is a quick guide for food purchasers for larger institutions that would like to start purchasing sustainable foods and establish a sustainable food purchasing policy.
This resource from the USDA focuses on food procurement, types and examples of farm-to-school distribution models, how to find locally-grown food and farmers, menu planning considerations, and strategies for success.
Student Wellness: A Healthy Food and Physical Activity Policy Resource
Developed by California Project Lean in collaboration with the California School Boards Association, this policy resource guide is designed for use by school board members and school administrators who want to positively affect the health of students. The guide offers a step-by-step approach for creating a healthy school environment so students can practice healthy eating habits while at school. This resource can easily be adapted for a child care setting.
Developed by The Center for Ecoliteracy in collaboration with Slow Food USA and Chez Panisse Foundation. This guide provides recommendations and model language for development of a comprehensive school Wellness Policy. The Guide is structured in numbered sections that correspond to the minimum requirements of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004.
New York City Operation of Day Care Services Amendment
Amends the health code to include stricter guidelines for nutrition standards, quality physical activity and television viewing at all public and private group day care services operating within New York.
City of LA Child Nutrition Policy
The Child Nutrition Policy requires City of Los Angeles departments to provide healthy meals and snacks, including fresh fruits and vegetables, at City-funded programs for pre-school and school-aged children.
Contra Costa Childhood Obesity Board Order
Directs the Health Services Department to conduct a range of activities to promote healthy eating and activity in schools, child care facilities, after-school programs, restaurants, and park and recreation facilities.
in ENACT Local Policy Database
Child and Adult Care Food Program
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federal program that provides supplemental funds for meals and snacks served to low-income children in childcare centers. These meals must adhere to specific nutrition standards. If you are interested in participating, please contact your respective State agency.
This organization provides readers with many resources pertaining to equitable and sustainable food. Resources on Farm-to-Cafeteria range from an introduction, to related articles and suggested reading. This resource is specific to cafeterias which can be very valuable to afterschool and child care programs that work with cafeterias or just wish to adopt some of these tips into the food the program provides.
National Network for Childcare
The network contains nutrition and diet resources ranging from best practices, to meals and snacks and mealtime behavior.
Food and Nutrition Information Center
The center's website contains a compilation of resources for people involved in the child care profession. It includes food and nutrition education print materials, audiovisuals, and other resources for child care and classroom use. Topics covered are general nutrition, food preparation, and food safety. Teaching materials for children and adults include: food models, games, kits, videocassettes, CDs and lesson plans.
Positive Link Between Childhood Nutrition and Literacy**
This study found that students who ate an adequate and varied amount of fruit, vegetables, protein, fiber, and other components of a healthy diet were significantly more likely to perform well on literacy tests. Read the press release.
Michelle D. Florence MSc, PDt, Mark Asbridge PhD, Paul J. Veugelers PhD (2008) Diet Quality and Academic Performance, Journal of School Health 78 (4) , 209–215
Creating Healthy Food and Eating Environments: Policy and Environmental Approaches**
This review describes an ecological framework for conceptualizing the many food environments and conditions that influence food choices, with an emphasis on current knowledge regarding the home, child care, school, work site, retail store, and restaurant settings.
Story M, Kaphingst K, Robinson-O’Brien R, and Glanz K. Creating healthy Food and Eating Environments: Policy and Environmental Approaches. Annual Review of Public Health. 2008. 29: 6.1–6.20
Child Care Centers Play Important Role in Obesity Prevention (PDF)
This article provides evidence demonstrating the importance of child care settings in shaping children’s’ nutrition and activity levels, gives an overview of best practices, and discusses the importance of more uniform standards and evaluation in this setting.
Story M, Kaphingst K, French S. The Role of Child Care Settings in Obesity Prevention. Childhood Obesity Edition of The Future of Children. 2006; 16(1): 143-168.
** We can only provide links to the article abstracts and not the full text.