NUTRITION

Nutrition plays a critical role in supporting the wellness, health, and development of children. As an early child care provider, NWA Head Start and Early Head Start recognizes its powerful opportunity to instill healthy habits in young children that serve as a foundation for health choices in life. NWA Head Start and Early Head Start implements nutrition services that are culturally and developmentally appropriate, meet the nutritional needs of and accommodate the feeding requirements of each child, including children with special dietary needs and disabilities. NWA Head Start and Early Head Start children are provided with meals and snacks that:

●      Provide a minimum of ½ of the child's daily nutritional needs as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture;

●      Are high in nutrients and low in fats, sugar, and salt;

●      Contain at least 1 serving of whole grains per day.

Nutritional Services:

●      Nutritional and growth assessments for each Head Start Child

●      Nutrition education and training for families, children, and staff

●      Monthly Nutrition Experiences consisting of food preparation and activities to expose children to new foods

●      Counseling resources for families whose children are at nutritional risk

●      Nutritional resources (books, pamphlets, posters, videos, and other material)

● Family-style meals (adults sit with the children and engage in conversation)

●      Breastfeeding resources for Early Head Start and Head Start families

 In order to foster healthy eating habits, all children who participate in the program will eat "family style" with classroom staff and volunteers, sharing the same menu as nutritional and dietary requirements allow. The nutrition program is funded by the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).