Playful Activities for Picky Eaters
As a way to help parents and caregivers provide fruits, vegetables, and healthy drinks every day, the CDC Foundation has produced a series of playful activities for use during meal and snack time.
Healthy Iron Intake
Our bodies only need a small amount of iron, but without it, a child can appear pale in color; suffer from frequent headaches; or feel cranky, tired, and weak. Our partners at ICN review good sources of iron and how the CACFP Meal Pattern supports a healthy intake of iron.
Explore the World Through Books
To help combat learning loss in the summer, our partners at Read Aloud 15 Minutes are encouraging children to “Explore the World Through Books.” They’ve created colorful posters, a reading log, and worksheets.
Free Meal Finder
Ensuring that children have access to nutritious meals is the top priority for the CACFP community. However, some children may still be missing out on meals, whether it’s on the weekend, during child care closures, or simply for their third full meal of the day. That’s why our partners at No Kid Hungry have developed a Free Meal Finder Map.
Me Moments
Me Moments are practices students (and adults!) can use to address their needs at any moment in school and at home. Our partners at Alliance for a Healthier Generation have created a virtual hub of Me Moments you can use in classrooms, at day care, or in your home.
Team Nutrition Quizzes
Team Nutrition Quizzes can be used for self-paced knowledge assessments, at trainings, or at other nutrition events as a fun and engaging learning activity. Upon completion of each quiz, quiz takers receive a score along with a link to resources that can help expand their knowledge on the topic and build their menu planning skills.
Boost Vocabulary with Rhyming
Rhymes are a great way to boost vocabulary. And it’s sure to make a child smile for miles! If you work with young children and are looking to enhance their language abilities, try these rhyming activities created by our partners at Vroom.
Emotional Well-Being
In response to the growing mental health crisis, Sesame Workshop has launched a multi-year initiative to support the emotional well-being of young children and families. The new resources include three videos, articles, printables, and a digital storybook.
Standardized Recipes
How often do you hear, “This looks different than last time!” or “This doesn’t taste the same as it usually does!”? Using standardized recipes can help to ensure your recipe turns out the same way each time you make it. It is a good practice to use a standardized recipe when a menu item has two or more components. That’s why our partners at the Institute for Child Nutrition made these resources on creating a standardized recipe for simple menu items.
National Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Month
It’s Asian American Pacific Islander Month! Discover AAPI inspired recipes and learn more about Qigong, a traditional Chinese practice for movement.