Early Childhood Mealtime Curricula: Adaptation for Inclusive Environments Elizabeth Koss, B.S, S/OT, Ashley Bronston, B.S, Marcia Nahikian-Nelms, PhD, RDN, LD, CNSC, Kelly Tanner, PhD, OTR/L, Katherine Walton, PhD The Ohio State University Nisonger Center Introduction Selection of Curricula Implementation Nutrition education in early childhood education centers are vital to the development of healthy nutrition behaviors in children. A child’s food preferences are generally established before the age of 5. Children spend a significant amount of time in school settings and therefore, it is important that classrooms role model optimal nutrition behaviors. Factors that impact the development of food preferences include: The foods that are offered. The number of times that the food is exposed. The environment in which the food is given. Objectives: Literature review for evidence based curricula. Use national evidence based guidelines to assess curricula for appropriate nutrition content. Provide guidance to current ECE faculty with for adaptation of selected curricula for children with special needs. Benchmarks for Curricula Selection Color Me Healthy More than Mud Pies Nutrition Matters! Early Sprouts Chef Combo Models Healthy Eating Promotes eating as a family with no TV; uses MyPlate Promotes a variety of healthful foods in a fun and exciting ways Goal is to increase fruit and vegetable intake while increasing physical activity Encourages children’s food preferences for 6 selected vegetables (bell peppers, butternut squash, carrots, green beans, Swiss rainbow chard, and tomatoes) Teaches simple nutrition concepts and demos healthy foods Teaches Hunger Cues/ Portion Sizes Teaches appropriate portion sizes Teaches children how to understand their feelings of hunger and fullness Specifically states how much of each meal should be that specific food card for your child Not specifically Incorporates Families Parent newsletter; info on shopping/ meal planning Sends menus home with the children, has families serve on a menu planning committee with teachers and food service staff, and encourages families to observe the lessons whenever possible, they also give nutrition info at family meetings Mealtime parenting cards available, as well as “Mom Messages” accessible online; includes many cards on how to engage child in meal time, child growth, and child reward for proper eating; many parenting tips free online as well Promotes social modeling by the family, they support families in encouraging children to make healthy food choices at home. They also provide monthly newsletters. Families are also Parent newsletters – information on program, nutrition, featured recipe, mealtime tips Encourages Active Play/PA Fitness module; suggests President’s Challenge for families No Goal to increase physical activity Not specifically; there is outdoor activity when gardening Dance sessions and play with food items Offered F/B are Nutritionally Adequate “Rethink your drink” Yes; there are snack and drink pamphlets available Yes  Yes; develops willingness to taste foods that may be new to them Limits foods high in sugar/sodium Not specified Yes through promotion of increasing fruits and vegetables Incorporates Food Variety  No Yes; discusses the food groups and promotes variety Yes for each food group card they promote a variety Focus on six specific vegetables Yes; variety of foods involved in curriculum Food Prep Meets Safety Yes; food safety module Cleanliness/ sanitation module and kitchen safety module Teaches you to look at the labels when buying; no cooking safety or cooking modules Organic gardening techniques and hand picking garden pests. Yes; focuses on being clean and careful with foods – BUT teachers will have to practice food safety with activities Teaches Origin of Food Yes ex: Baked Apples module they discuss where they come from and where apple trees come from. Yes; they are gardening beginning with the seeds of the vegetable Yes; farm modules Hands on Experiences Yes, gives children the opportunity to cook and prepare meals. Helps children follow recipes and measure ingredients. Gardening module Yes; gardening and preparing the meal Includes “Make It Myself Recipes” and I Can Help Recipes Engages their Senses Coloring, dancing, singing Books to read, songs, pictures, drawings, food games engaging touch, etc. Music, play outside, play with ball, less TV pamphlets all available Each recipe has an accompanying sensory exploration activity that features the same vegetable and involves children in exploring the plant parts by using all of their senses Tasting, dancing, identifying food shapes and colors. Also has “5 Sense Theme Modules” Culturally Sensitive Newsletters in English and Spanish; “Spanish add-on kit” Couldn’t find a Spanish add-on or any other languages English and Spanish version They have information on how to adapt Early Sprouts at your center Yes; guides and newsletters in English and Spanish Lend Trainees: Ashley Bronston (left) and Elizabeth Koss (right) are holding the finished Mealtime Curricula to be used in the Early Childhood Center classes. LEND trainees taught a sample lesson from the Mealtime Curricula in classes at the ECE. The lesson was modified in each class based on age, and the cognitive/physical capabilities of the children. Literature Search We conducted a systematic and thorough search of published literature on curricula designed to encourage healthy mealtime behaviors for preschool aged children. Electronic databases were searched using MEDLINE, PUBMED, CINAHL, PyschInfo, ERIC, and Google Scholar, to find research supporting any existing mealtime curriculums. 48 articles were assessed by four reviewers and then compared to the American Dietetic Association: Benchmarks for Nutrition and Child Care (2011). Benchmarks and research articles were used to guide our selection for choosing appropriate curriculums. Articles were excluded if designed for children under 5 years of age, or if the mealtime curriculum was developed in another country. Lend Trainees implementing a sample lesson from the Mealtime Curricula in the Growing Buckeyes class at the ECE. Future Directions Table 1. Row 1 under the heading identifies the curriculums we chose, based on supporting literature. Column 1 represents the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Benchmarks for Nutrition and Child Care. Each curricula was compared against the benchmarks. To evaluate the efficacy of the curricula using pre/post measure of food acceptance. Conduct a qualitative analysis to identify teacher satisfaction. Evaluate the need for other modifications. Four of these curricula (More than Mud Pies, Color Me Healthy, Nutrition Matters! Chef Combo) were presented to the teaching staff at the Early Childhood Education Center at Nisonger. The staff voted anonymously and selected Color Me Healthy (CMH). Nutrition Matters was also selected for its family educational materials to be used in adjunct with CMH. Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau Grant T73MC00049

Contact Information: Ashley Bronston: Bronston.5@osu.edu Elizabeth Koss: Koss04@osumc.edu