Are you worried about what your child is getting to eat at day care? Knoxville Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Member, Sarah Griswold, RD, recently wrote a blog article for MomsRising.org.
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By trade, I am a registered dietitian. So, I know a lot more than the average mom about what to eat and what not to eat. In fact, my mother is also a registered dietitian, so the basics of a healthy diet were part of everyday life for me growing up.
As a dietitian, I know the importance of healthy diet for proper physical and mental development. I also know the importance of having family meals for social and emotional development. Giving my daughter the best possible start in life is a priority for me and began even before she was born. I ate a wide variety of nutritious food during my pregnancy and breastfed my daughter for 2 years. Extended breastfeeding is not something that is celebrated in my part of the country. Most breastfed infants born in the Southeast are lucky to be breastfed for the first 6 months of life. Research has clearly shown the health benefits of being breastfed; yet, we live in an environment that is not always supportive of mothers who are trying to do this.
As a working mom, my toddler attends child care. I give her fruit before “school,” then they feed her a morning snack, lunch and an afternoon snack. My problem is the selection of snacks. I look at the menus and see Oreos along with other items that I don’t consider nutritious being given to her at snack time. As with many good Americans (including her parents), my little girl’s favorite foods are simple carbohydrates. Crackers, cookies, pancakes, and pizza top her list. She also happily eats fruit, veggies, and many other nutritious foods, but I worry about her preferences and the precedent being set at the child care facility.
Read the rest of the article here.
As a dietitian, I know the importance of healthy diet for proper physical and mental development. I also know the importance of having family meals for social and emotional development. Giving my daughter the best possible start in life is a priority for me and began even before she was born. I ate a wide variety of nutritious food during my pregnancy and breastfed my daughter for 2 years. Extended breastfeeding is not something that is celebrated in my part of the country. Most breastfed infants born in the Southeast are lucky to be breastfed for the first 6 months of life. Research has clearly shown the health benefits of being breastfed; yet, we live in an environment that is not always supportive of mothers who are trying to do this.
As a working mom, my toddler attends child care. I give her fruit before “school,” then they feed her a morning snack, lunch and an afternoon snack. My problem is the selection of snacks. I look at the menus and see Oreos along with other items that I don’t consider nutritious being given to her at snack time. As with many good Americans (including her parents), my little girl’s favorite foods are simple carbohydrates. Crackers, cookies, pancakes, and pizza top her list. She also happily eats fruit, veggies, and many other nutritious foods, but I worry about her preferences and the precedent being set at the child care facility.
Read the rest of the article here.
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