Ask The Expert – Managing Concerns About Daycare Food

Ask The Expert is a weekly column on Littlestomaks.com. The idea is to have a reader-submitted question answered by a nutrition expert or a pediatrician. Feel free to submit your question in the comments section below.

This week, Pediatrician Dr. Joanna Dolgoff offers a few ideas on what to do if you are concerned about the quality of food your child is getting at the daycare.

Joanna Dolgoff, M.D. BA Molecular Biology, Princeton, Graduated Cum Laude MD, NYU School of Medicine Pediatric internship and residency at Presbyterian Children’s Hospital of New York 5 years private practice in Pediatrics CBS News Online correspondent: childhood obesity expert Child & Adolescent obesity and weight management expert Website:Online Weight Management Program Twitter:@joannadolgoffmd LinkedIn Profile Contact: via email from website

Question: My child does not get nutritious food at the daycare. How can I improve her daily nutrition?

Answer:

As the economy continues to sour, many moms are returning to work to help make ends meet financially.  Many working mothers are also working longer hours.  The result is that child daycare centers are often responsible for providing meals and snacks for many children.  Many families have expressed concern that foods provided by daycare are not as nutritious and wholesome as expected.  Snacks are often sugar-laden and high in calories and fat.  Kids are usually given juice and whole milk to drink.  And fruits and vegetables are often scarce.  When it comes to our children’s health and nutritional status, this is a recipe for disaster!

To be fair, daycare centers vary in what they provide.  How do you know if your day care center measures up?  The first step is to find out what your center provides for meals and snacks.  Don’t be shy to ask questions.
Here are a few questions to ask:

1. Is there is a dietitian overseeing the menu planning and meal preparation to ensure that balanced meals are being served?
2. Are foods fried or baked?
3. Are fruits and vegetable served with meals and snacks?
4. Will they provide water instead of juice or whole milk?
5. Is there a menu available for review?

If you determine that your daycare center is not up to your standards, speak up!  Let the center know your concerns.  You may need to stress the importance of a well balanced diet, exercise, and teaching children to eat healthy foods.  Often, if enough parents complain, the day care will make some changes.

Unfortunately, some facilities may not be willing to change.  Sometimes they are resistant due to financial reasons.  Fresh produce, for example, is more expensive than other snacks.  If your daycare is not willing to accommodate your requests, you should provide your child with a bagged lunch and snacks to make sure he is getting enough nutrition during daycare hours.

Here is a sample of a healthy day:

Breakfast:
1 cup Raisin Bran + ¼ cup skim milk
1 cup of mixed berries

Snacks:
12 almonds
1 medium pear

Lunch:
5 slices turkey breast
1 slice fat-free cheese
2 slices whole wheat bread
2 pretzel rods
½ sliced cucumber

Snack:
1 piece of string cheese
1 cup of grapes

Dinner:
1 cup whole wheat spaghetti with marinara sauce
1/3 cup ground chicken meatballs
1 cup Broccoli

It is important to eat a variety of different types of foods to ensure kids are getting enough vitamins and minerals.

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Disclaimer – Information provided in Ask The Expert column on Littlestomaks.com is intended to give you general guidance on a question related to toddler nutrition. It is not meant to be treated as medical advice. You are welcome to contact this expert for a detailed consultation on your specific situation to determine what actions, if any, you should take regarding nutrition and health of your toddlers. We do not recommend you to take any action based solely on the information presented in this column. Experts have agreed to provide their professional opinion on toddler nutrition related questions on a voluntary basis and no compensation is offered to them by Littlestomaks.com.

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Tagged as: Ask The Expert, Daycare, healthy eating, Healthy menu, Kids Nutrition, Snacks