H EALTHY S NACK F LIP - BOOK Balancing the Means of Parents with the Needs of Children

C HILDREN LEARN ABOUT FOOD & DIET … From their parents and guardians * at home * at daycare * with their grandparents

… F OR BETTER OR WORSE

W E ’ RE SEEING MORE OF THIS …

B ECAUSE ADVERTISING IS EFFECTIVE Isn’t it?

F EEDING OUR CHILDREN TO DEATH

B RAINS AND BODIES NEED NUTRIENT DENSE FOODS TO BUILD CELLS REQUIRED FOR OPTIMUM DEVELOPMENT

Y OUR BRAIN IS MADE OF APPROXIMATELY 100 BILLION NERVE CELLS, CALLED N EURONS WHICH GATHER AND TRANSMIT ELECTROCHEMICAL SIGNALS CELLS

P ROPER B RAIN AND BODY DEVELOPMENT DEPEND ON A LARGE VARIETY OF MINERALS & VITAMINS IN NUTRIENT DENSE FOODS

E SPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN VULNERABLE POPULATIONS Children with special needs Parents & guardians with special needs

B UT SOMETIMES … OFTEN … IT ’ S HARD To get the nutrients the brain & body needs Iron : important for making hemoglobin, Magnesium : Keeps bones strong and the heart rhythm steady, supports the immune system, and helps maintain muscle and nerve function. Potassium: Assists with muscle function and heart Essential fatty acids (EFAs): Help build cells, regulate the nervous system, strengthen the cardiovascular system, build immunity, and help the body absorb nutrients. Necessary for healthy brain function and vision.

Vitamin A : Plays an important role in vision and bone growth; helps protect the body from infections; promotes the health and growth of cells and tissues in the body Vitamin C: Helps form and repair red blood cells, bones, and tissues; helps keep your child's gums healthy and strengthens blood vessels, minimizing bruising; assists with healing, boosts the immune system, and keeps infections at bay. Also helps the body absorb iron from iron-rich foods. Vitamin D: Helps the body absorb minerals like calcium and builds strong teeth and bones. Essential for reaching growth potential and peak bone mass. Also functions as a hormone with roles in immune system health, insulin production, and regulation of cell growth. Vitamin E: Limits the production of free radicals, which can damage cells. Important for immunity, DNA repair, and other metabolic processes. Zinc: Needed by more than 70 enzymes that aid digestion and metabolism, and essential for growth

B ALANCING THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN WITH THE MEANS OF PARENTS CAN BE DIFFICULT BECAUSE : Parents sometimes have a variety of barriers - Financial, emotional, mental, physical, education, motivation, disabilities, language barriers Parents & children respond to advertising

B USY & STRESSED

I NCARCERATION, LACK OF MOTIVATION, LANGUAGE BARRIER

M ENTAL HEALTH, EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES

S OME PARENTS HAVE DISABILITIES & other special needs

G OVERNMENT LEVEL SOLUTIONS Center for Disease Control (CDC) “MY PLATE”

L OCAL LEVEL SOLUTIONS - SCHOOLS Budget ConstraintsSchools need to teach what foods are and what nutrient density means

I NDIVIDUAL LEVEL SOLUTION B EFORE SCHOOL AGE Healthy Snack Flip-book

C HILDREN NEED SNACKS From Parents.Com hy-snacks-why-kids-need-to-snack.htm?q=snacks

I T ’ S UP TO INDIVIDUALS

FEATURES Picture based for universal design Interactive, prompting children to be involved Price conscious (foods available at discount grocers) Bright & colorful ( children eat 1 st with their eye s ) creativity Promotes creativity Whole, unprocessed foods (protective phytochemicals with nutrients focused on brain & body development) Promotes parent/child bonding

I NCLUDES : A large variety of nutrient dense food choices Suggestions/options Chewing cautions & age recommendations (3+) Rational page Additional resources for children, parents, practitioners A grocery guide (color coded)