Nutrition Tips for Growing Kids: What We Serve & Tips for Home

Good nutrition is the foundation of healthy development. At Nurture with Care Kids Academy, we take mealtime seriously—not just filling tummies, but nourishing growing bodies and minds. Here's what we serve and how you can support healthy eating at home!

🍎 What We Provide at the Academy

Every day, we serve nutritious meals and snacks that meet USDA guidelines:

• Breakfast: Whole grain options with fruit and protein
• Morning Snack: Fresh fruits or vegetables with a protein
• Lunch: Balanced meal with protein, grains, vegetables, and fruit
• Afternoon Snack: Healthy options like cheese, crackers, and fruit

We always offer water and milk, and we accommodate food allergies and dietary restrictions.

🥗 Building Healthy Eating Habits

Beyond what we serve, we focus on HOW we eat:

• Family-Style Meals: Children serve themselves, learning portion awareness
• Trying New Foods: We encourage (never force) trying one bite
• Conversations: Mealtime is social time—we talk and connect
• Independence: Children use utensils, pour from small pitchers, and clean up

🏠 Tips for Healthy Eating at Home

1. Make It Colorful

Kids eat with their eyes first! Offer a "rainbow plate" with foods of different colors. Red tomatoes, orange carrots, green broccoli, purple grapes—the more colorful, the more nutrients.

2. Involve Kids in Cooking

Children are more likely to eat foods they helped prepare. Even toddlers can wash vegetables, stir ingredients, or arrange food on plates.

3. Keep Healthy Snacks Visible

Put cut-up fruits and vegetables at eye level in the fridge. Keep a fruit bowl on the counter. Make healthy choices the easy choices!

4. Model Healthy Eating

Children learn from watching you. If they see you enjoying vegetables and trying new foods, they're more likely to do the same.

5. Don't Use Food as Reward

Avoid "clean your plate to get dessert" dynamics. This can create unhealthy relationships with food.

🚫 Dealing with Picky Eaters

Picky eating is NORMAL in toddlers and preschoolers. Here's how we handle it:

• Offer new foods multiple times (it can take 10-15 exposures!)
• Serve new foods alongside familiar favorites
• Keep portions small so it's not overwhelming
• Stay positive—no pressure, no battles
• Let children see others enjoying the food