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Eat Well Play Hard News
Fall 2011
In this Issue
Welcome to the Fall 2011 Eat Well Play Hard News. This time of year
brings us many wonderful fruits and vegetables and cool, crisp weather
that makes playing outdoors enjoyable.
This issue focuses on MyPlate, the U.S. government’s new food guide.
Inside you’ll find tips for using MyPlate in the classroom and at home.
You’ll also read about child care centers that have made physical activity
and healthy eating a priority. Please make copies of the Parent Page on
page 5 (Spanish version on page 6) and distribute to parents and
caregivers at your center.
Physical Activity Star
2
Nutrition Star
2
Physical Activity of the Quarter
3
Cooking with Children
4
Parent Page
5
Nutrition Activity of the Quarter
7
MyPlate
In June 2011, the U.S.
Department of Agriculture
(USDA) introduced a new
dietary icon, MyPlate, to
replace the MyPyramid
image. MyPlate is an easyto-understand visual
reminder to build a healthy
plate of fruit, vegetables,
grains, protein and dairy foods at every meal.
Promote MyPlate to parents and caregivers
This new tool, found at myplate.gov, can help child care
centers promote healthful eating.
Lead by example
Tips for Healthy Eating
• Enjoy your food, but eat less.
• Avoid oversized portions.
• Display the MyPlate poster in prominent locations –
for example, in the classroom and/or hallway. You
can download the poster here:
choosemyplate.gov/tipsresources/printmaterials.html.
• Encourage staff and families to go to myplate.gov
for healthy eating tips and for information on picky
eaters and cooking with children. Review the tips
and resources of myplate.gov at parent meetings
and staff workshops.
• Teachers are role models for children. Staff
members can use MyPlate to make their own food
choices and set an example for children during
mealtimes.
• At center events, serve foods and beverages that
MyPlate promotes.
• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
• Make at least half your grains whole grains.
• Switch to fat-free or 1% milk.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
• Compare sodium (salt) in foods like soup,
bread, and frozen meals, and choose
brands with less sodium.
Adapted from USDA 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Involve children and parents in food
preparation
• Prepare food with children in the classroom using
tips found on myplate.gov
• Encourage parents to cook with their children at
home.
• Check myplate.gov for updated activities and
resources.
Physical Activity Star: Easter Seals Child Development Center
The children at Easter Seals Child Development
Center in the Bronx enjoy physical activity in their
classroom every day. “The children love exercises in
which they can mimic the movements of animals,
especially since they’re learning about animals in the
classroom,” says Alyssa Fox, the Education Director.
The center’s staff incorporates many of the activities
from the Move-to-Improve curriculum into the
classroom.
integrated physical activity into the daily curriculum,
Ms. Fox has noticed an increase in confidence and an
eagerness to participate among the children. Ms. Fox
added, “Yoga also calms the children and promotes
body awareness.”
In addition, the center’s physical therapist, Karen
Centrowitz, teaches yoga to the children one day a
week. She guides the children on pretend trips
through the forest with yoga poses such as sun
salutation, tree, frog and mountain. Since the center
Nutrition Star: East Harlem Bilingual Head Start
At East Harlem Bilingual Head Start (EHBHS) in
Manhattan, good nutrition is very important. Inspired
by their participation in the NYC Health Department’s
Eat Well Play Hard program, the center integrates
gardening, nutrition and cooking activities into their
curriculum. By connecting with a local community
garden, children help grow, harvest, learn about and
cook fruits and vegetables. EHBHS has also changed
the food that is served to the children without
increasing the center’s budget. Rita Prats-Rodriguez,
EHBHS’ Director, noted, “Here, we cook! Our food
reflects the ethnicity of our families and it doesn’t cost
more.” Below are numerous changes the center has
made to create a healthier food environment for their
children:
• Eliminated sugary juice drinks and used
the money saved to buy more whole
grains.
• Purchases organic milk to serve to the
children. Instead of purchasing
individual 8-ounce cartons, the school
purchases half gallons. The teachers
pour individual servings for the
children, which saves on cost and
waste.
• Purchases locally-made food items,
such as yogurt.
• Serves cut-up fresh fruit daily and
cooks dried beans.
• Created a “Sugar-Free Zone.” Signs
inside and outside of the school
proclaim: “Sugar-Free Zone – Please do
not sell sweets in front of the school.”
• Created Healthy Celebration
Guidelines, which prohibits candy,
chewing gum, chocolate milk,
popsicles, lollipops, doughnuts, candy
bags and chips of any kind.
• Allows only healthy beverages in the
center. No soda is allowed in the
building, even by staff members.
Rita Prats-Rodriguez
2
Eat Well Play Hard News, Fall 2010
Physical Activity of the Quarter: Yoga for Kids
Yoga is an excellent activity for children’s bodies and health. Yoga promotes balance, flexibility,
coordination and strength. It also helps promote calmness.
Children will:
•
•
•
•
Learn to create a personal space centered on their spot
Practice breathing and develop spatial awareness
Learn to follow directions
Be able to discuss how they feel after exercise
Materials
• One poly spot for each child
• Music and music player
• Pitcher of cold water and plastic cups
Preparation
• Place spots on the floor so children will have enough free space to move. Turn on some music (optional).
• Introduce spots and allow children to explore them while seated before asking them to stand on their spots.
Instruct the class to:
• Sit on your spot.
• Curl your body into a little ball. Hug your knees into your chest and see if you can rock and roll up and
down on your back using your breath to help you. If using music: See if you can move to the rhythm of
the music.
• Do some yoga poses.
• Cat and Cow: Come onto your hands and knees on your spot. Drop your belly while arching your
spine, look up as you breathe in. Now do the opposite. As you breathe out round your spine, scoop
your belly up into your back and look at your belly button; make sure to drop your head and neck. Now
pretend every time you look up you are a cow and say, “Moo!” Imagine every time you round your back
you are a cat and say, “Meow.” Now can you move your hips side to side, to the right and to the left?
•
Walk Your Dog: Come back to your hands and knees. Tuck your toes, keeping your fingers and palms
spreading down and feet on the ground making an upside down V shape with your body (downward
facing dog). Let’s imagine you are a dog. Now let’s take our dogs for a walk. Can you walk forward on
your hands and toes? What about backwards? Side-to- side?
•
Surfing Warrior: Stand on your spot and jump your feet wide apart and spread your arms out like you
are riding waves on your magical surfboard. Now imagine a big wave comes underneath you! Try
bending your knees and keeping your balance on the water.
•
Tree Pose: Stand on your spot. Let’s imagine we are all trees. Can you balance on one leg and lift the
other leg off the ground like a big branch? Can you change sides and balance on the other leg?
Suddenly it became windy. How will the leaves and branches move in the wind? (Show with your arms
how you can sway in the wind)
•
Starfish Sivasana: Now let’s get quiet again. Can you lie on your back and pretend you are a starfish in
the warm beach sand. Open your arms and legs out to the side and make your imprint in the sand.
Afterwards
• Ask the class how they feel once they’ve finished and why exercise is good for their bodies.
• Pass out cups of water. Explain why drinking water when sweating and exercising is important.
3
Cooking with Children: Hummus Wraps
Cooking with children helps them learn about healthy foods. Children are more likely to try a new food if they
help prepare it. Try making this healthy recipe with your class.
Serves: 16 children
Yield: 16 small sample wraps
Ingredients
• 2 whole-wheat tortillas
• 1 cup store-bought or homemade hummus (chickpea spread)
• 2 medium cucumbers
• 10 ounces low-fat cheese
Supplies
• Grater, cutting board and knife (for teacher)
• Serving bowls
• Serving spoons
• Small plates, napkins, and plastic knives (one per child)
Preparation
• Grate cheese.
• Wash, peel and cut cucumbers into 2-inch thin strips.
• Place cheese, cucumbers and hummus in small serving bowls with serving spoons.
• Cut tortilla into 8 even triangles.
Steps
1. Tell the class that they’ll be making a
snack wrap.
2. Show everyone the ingredients.
Discuss how each ingredient comes
from a different food group and helps
our body in different ways.
3. Have the class wash their hands.
4. Pass out one plate, napkin, and knife
to each child.
5. Place one tortilla triangle on each
child’s plate.
6. Demonstrate making the wrap by:
a. Spreading a spoonful of hummus
on your tortilla with the plastic
knife;
b. Adding a spoonful each of cheese
and cucumbers to your tortilla; and
c. Rolling up the tortilla, starting at the point end, so everything stays inside.
7. Let children serve themselves hummus, cheese, and cucumber and make their snack wraps with your
assistance.
8. Enjoy.
4
Eat Well Play Hard News, Fall 2010
Eat Well Play Hard News
Parent Page
Fall 2011
Parent Spotlight: Melina Enriquez
Melina Enriquez has made dramatic changes in the way she feeds herself and her
family. After learning from a Eat Well Play Hard nutritionist that she may have to
offer a food many times before her four-year-old daughter, Jaylina, would like it,
Melina prepared carrots in many different ways until she found a winner: sautéed
carrots. In addition, Melina and her family eat less fast food and more homemade
meals featuring healthy foods—dark green, leafy vegetables like romaine lettuce
and spinach, low-fat yogurt and lower-sodium (salt) items. They have even switched
to low-fat mayonnaise. Melina also reads labels when she shops, and now feels
confident in finding healthy foods easily. Melina and her family also never eat in
front of the TV because mealtime is their time to talk to one another. With these
small changes, Melina lost four pounds and is looking forward to losing more.
MyPlate
In June 2011 the United States Department of
Agriculture replaced the MyPyramid image with
MyPlate. MyPlate reminds us to build a healthy plate
of fruit, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy foods at
every meal. Follow the recommendations included to
make your plate the healthiest it can be.
Jaylina
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Enjoy your food, but eat less.
Avoid oversized portions.
Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
Make at least half your grains whole grains.
Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
Compare sodium (salt) in foods like soup, bread, and
frozen meals, and choose brands with less sodium.
Go to myplate.gov for more information.
Healthy Snack Idea
Hummus Wraps
Ingredients
• 2 whole-wheat tortillas
• 1 cup store-bought or homemade
hummus (chickpea spread)
• 1/2 head romaine lettuce
• 2 medium cucumbers
• 10 ounces low-fat cheese
Makes 16 small snack wraps
Preparation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Grate cheese into bowl and set aside in refrigerator.
Cut tortillas into 8 triangles.
Wash lettuce and cucumber.
Peel skin off cucumber and slice into 2-inch strips.
Break lettuce up into 2-inch pieces.
Spread 1 tablespoon of hummus onto a tortilla triangle.
Add a few slices of cucumber, one piece of lettuce and 1
tablespoon of grated cheese.
8. Roll the wrap into a tube, starting with the point end, keeping
ingredients inside.
9. Repeat steps 5-8 with the remaining triangles.
10. Enjoy!
Have your child help with the bold steps.
Eat Well Play Hard News, Fall 2010
5
Eat Well Play Hard News
s padres
Página para lo
Otoño de 2011
Padre Destacado: Melina Enriquez
Melina Enriquez ha hecho cambios muy importantes en su alimentación y la de su familia.
Después de aprender de una nutricionista de Eat Well Play Hard que es necesario ofrecer una
comida varias veces antes de que su hija de cuatro años, Jaylina, la acepte, Melina preparó
zanahorias de muchas maneras hasta que encontró la receta ganadora: zanahorias salteadas.
Además, Melina y su familia comen menos comidas rápidas y más comidas caseras con
alimentos sanos: vegetales de hojas verdes como la lechuga romana y la espinaca, yogur bajo
en grasa y alimentos con menos sodio (sal). Incluso hasta han cambiado a mayonesa baja en
grasa. Melina también lee las etiquetas cuando va de compras y ahora se siente segura al
elegir alimentos sanos con facilidad. Además, Melina y su familia nunca comen frente al
televisor ya que la hora de comer es el momento para hablar unos con otros. Con estos
pequeños cambios, Melina bajó cuatro libras de peso y desea bajar más.
MyPlate
En junio de 2011, el Departamento de Agricultura de los
Estados Unidos reemplazó la imagen Mi pirámide (MyPyramid)
con Mi plato (MyPlate). MyPlate nos recuerda que debemos
preparar un plato saludable con frutas, vegetales, cereales,
proteínas y productos lácteos en cada comida. Siga las
recomendaciones a continuación para que su plato sea lo
más saludable posible.
Jaylina
• Disfrute su comida, pero coma menos.
• Evite las porciones de gran tamaño.
• Asegúrese de que la mitad de su plato sean frutas y
vegetales.
• Asegúrese de que al menos la mitad de sus cereales sean
integrales.
• Cambie a leche sin grasa o baja en grasa (1%).
• Beba agua en vez de bebidas azucaradas.
• Compare el sodio (la sal) en alimentos como la sopa, el pan
y las comidas congeladas y elija marcas con menos sodio.
Para más información visite myplate.gov .
Wrap de humus en tortilla
Ingredientes
• 2 tortillas integrales
• 1 taza de humus comprado o
casero (puré de garbanzos para
untar)
• 1/2 cabeza de lechuga romana
• 2 pepinos medianos
• 10 onzas de queso bajo en grasa
Rinde 16 wraps pequeños
Preparación
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Ralle el queso en un tazón y guárdelo en el refrigerador.
Corte las tortillas en 8 triángulos
Lave la lechuga y los pepinos
Pele los pepinos y corte en tiras de 2 pulgadas
Parta la lechuga en trozos de 2 pulgadas
Unte una cucharada de humus en un triángulo de tortilla.
Agregue algunas rebanadas de pepino, un trozo de lechuga y
una cucharada de queso rallado.
8. Enrolle el triángulo en forma de tubo; comience por el extremo
de la punta y mantenga los ingredientes adentro.
9. Repita los pasos 5 a 8 con los triángulos restantes.
10. ¡Disfrútelo!
Pídale a su hijo que le ayude con los pasos que están en letra negrita.
6
Nutrition Activity of the Quarter: MyPlate
Objectives
Students will be able to:
• Recognize foods from each of the five basic food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy and protein.
• Understand that is important to eat foods from all five food groups every day.
Supplies
• MyPlate coloring sheet downloaded from
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/foodgroups/downloads/MyPlate/ColoringSheet.pdf
or or blow up the image on this page and photocopy:
• Pictures of foods from magazines
• Scissors
• Glue
• Markers
Preparation
• Download MyPlate coloring sheet or blow up the image on
this page, and photocopy one for each child.
• Cut out pictures from magazines of fruits, vegetables,
grains, dairy and protein foods.
Steps
1. Tell the children they are going to be making healthy and delicious plates of food.
2. Talk briefly about each food group (fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, dairy):
a. Name the food group and show a picture or two of foods that belong in the food group.
b. Ask the children:
• Can you name the food in the picture?
• What color and shape is the food?
• Have you ever eaten this food? Do you like this food?
c. Tell the children about the foods in the food group (see below).
Fruits come in many shapes and colors. They give us energy to work and play, so it’s important to eat
lots of colorful fruits every day.
Vegetables, too, come in many shapes and colors. They keep us healthy and strong, so it’s important to
eat lots of colorful vegetables every day.
Grains are foods like bread, pasta, rice and crackers. Grains give us energy and are important to eat
every day.
Proteins make our muscles strong. Foods like chicken, beef, eggs, fish and beans are proteins.
Dairy foods are made from milk, and include yogurt and cheese. Dairy foods make our bones and teeth
strong.
3. Give each child some of the cut-out pictures of foods and the MyPlate handout. Ask children to glue
the pictures onto their plates. Invite them to draw other foods they like that belong on the healthy plate.
Other Ideas
•
•
•
•
For older children who recognize letters, ask them to glue the foods on the correct food group.
Have children find foods in various food groups and cut them out themselves.
Make one gigantic MyPlate for the whole class.
Sample healthy foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables while creating a MyPlate.
Eat Well Play Hard News, Fall 2010
7
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Physical Activity and Nutrition
Presorted First Class
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Gotham Center
42-09 28th Street, 9th Floor, CN-46
Department of Health
& Mental Hygiene
Queens, NY 11101-4132
Call 347-396-4237 or email [email protected].
Questions? Need more information?