Implementing the CACFP meal patterns helps to ensure children receive wholesome and nutritious meals. We know many Head Start children live in communities where access to affordable, fresh, nutritious food can be a challenge, and CACFP helps make it possible for programs to offer children wholesome meals and snacks while in care.

The meal patterns themselves focus on providing a variety of nutrient-dense foods, including whole grains, a variety of fruits, vegetables, fat-free foods, low-fat dairy products, milk is provided daily, all while reducing added sugar intake and saturated fats.

CACFP plus healthy meals supports a child's development and learning. Carolina Martinez: CACFP Provider play a critical role in supporting nutrition security, which is having consistent access to safe, healthy, and affordable food and beverages to promote optimal health and well-being.

Serving nutritious meals is incredibly important. We have the opportunity to positively impact our participants' health in the long term. Our goal is to not only provide healthy meals for children — which each and every one of you is doing and making a significant impact — but to teach kids early in life about the importance of good nutrition and healthy behaviors.

Melissa Daigle Katz: We have heard that Head Start providers would like guidance on providing meal pattern accommodations when requested by parents. CACFP rules allow you to make modifications for children with disabilities on a case-by-case basis.

If a requested modification doesn't meet the meal pattern, the parent must provide a written statement from a state-licensed health care professional, like a physician or nurse practitioner.

This is required in order for you to claim the meal for reimbursement. The return statement should include a description of the child's physical or mental impairment so that you understand how it restricts their diet.

It should also include an explanation of what must be done to accommodate the disability, including suggested substitutions. You can choose to meet their request for accommodation without a medical statement if the requested modifications are within the meal pattern.

You're not required to provide the exact substitution or other modification that's requested. For instance, if a child needs a gluten-free bread, you don't have to provide the particular brand of bread, just a bread that's gluten-free.

However, you must work with the parent or guardian to offer a reasonable modification that effectively accommodates the child's disability. In fact, we strongly encourage providers to take a team approach and include other Head Start staff with training in this area, such as nurses or registered dieticians.

We have a policy memo with guidance on the subject, and we'll make sure that you get a link to it. We've also heard that you have questions about responding to requests from parents to make meal modifications based on religious needs or parental preferences.

FNS strongly encourages providers to work with families to ensure that their children receive meals that meet their needs, including for religious reasons or for the parents' preference. All substitutions and modifications must meet the meal pattern. If the Head Start center serves a meal that doesn't meet the meal pattern or a non-disability, then the center would not be able to claim the meal for reimbursement.

Accommodating request just for milk substitutions is its own hot topic lately. Regular meals and snacks allow for more opportunities in the day to give our body the energy and nutrients it needs to function optimally, allowing us to engage in all the things we need to do in the day.

Ever feel absolutely drained by 3pm and ready to take a nap? protein, calcium, iron, fibre. Or skipping an afternoon snack might result in being overly hungry, eating more quickly, and possibly eating past your comfortable fullness level at dinner time.

Regular meal timing also helps to promote regular digestion. Going extended periods of time without eating can increase our likelihood of eating more quickly or eating more than we may need at our next meal, which can negatively impact digestion.

The MMC is an electromechanical wave of muscle contractions through your gut that acts to sweep through leftover undigested food. Consistent meal timing has been shown to promote regular circadian rhythms. Studies have shown that people with irregular eating patterns may have more difficulties processing insulin and may experience increased inflammation.

The average person experiences a fast anywhere from hours each day naturally, without needing to put a restricted time on it. Feeding your body regularly throughout the day helps to reassure your body that you do have access to adequate food.

This reassurance helps to build trust between you and your body. I recommend having something to eat within 2 hours of waking up in the morning. This will break your fast from overnight and provide your body fuel to start the day.

When we wake up and ask our bodies to engage in work meetings, getting kids ready, a morning workout and more, without providing it any fuel to do so, it has to try to get by in its fasted state. After the first meal of the day, depending on what was had and how balanced it was, most people find that they need to eat again every hours or so.

Whereas a smaller, less-balanced meal might only keep you satisfied for an hour or so. Your body has an innate wisdom to guide your eating throughout the day, we just need to develop and strengthen our ability to hear it. In our last blog post, we introduced the different types of hunger and different ways to respond to them.

Consistent nourishment builds trust with your body by letting it know that you are able to nourish it regularly. Some days we'll need to eat more often and bigger portions and other days we might find we aren't as hungry, and that's okay! You must be logged in to post a comment.

Your body has an innate wisdom to guide your eating throughout the day, we just need to develop and strengthen our ability to hear it.

In our last blog post, we introduced the different types of hunger and different ways to respond to them. Consistent nourishment builds trust with your body by letting it know that you are able to nourish it regularly. Some days we'll need to eat more often and bigger portions and other days we might find we aren't as hungry, and that's okay!

You must be logged in to post a comment. We promise we won't spam you. You can unsubscribe at anytime. HOME ABOUT SERVICES FAQ NOURISHED COURSE NUTRITION BLOG FREE EBOOK! The Importance of Meal Timing August 30, Thai Curry Noodle Soup with Crispy Tofu February 15, Why does meal timing matter?

Starting Somewhere I recommend having something to eat within 2 hours of waking up in the morning. Sample Meal Schedule 6am: Wake up am: Breakfast am: Morning Snack pm: Lunch pm: Afternoon Snack pm: Dinner 10pm: Bedtime.

Becoming an Intuitive Eater Your body has an innate wisdom to guide your eating throughout the day, we just need to develop and strengthen our ability to hear it. Written by Joy Tang and Liz Powell, RD References: Leproult, R. Circadian Misalignment Augments Markers of Insulin Resistance and Inflammation, Independently of Sleep Loss.

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