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Teach Social Skills and Independence At Head Start meal time is a social affair. It is an opportunity to sit in
small groups and share ideas, learn simple table manners such as passing
food, serving themselves, and using a napkin. In many ways meal time is a
chance to discuss the lessons of the day. Broaden Tastes Young children are often reluctant to try new foods. Studies show that it
takes 7-10 times for a child to acquire a taste for something new and
different. Parents are often surprised that their child will eat foods at
preschool that he refused to eat at home. Often times it can be the
positive peer pressure of seeing other children taste and enjoy a new
food. Are Fun! Eating a meal in a Head Start classroom is fun !!! No child is ever forced
to eat or to clean her plate. At Head Start we realize that when a child
is just learning to like new foods, there will be more food waste. In
serving themselves children learn how to estimate their own level of
hunger and by taking repeated small helpings they'll take responsibility
for their own eating. Nutritious All of our lunches provide 1/3 of a preschoolers daily Nutritional
requirement including milk, a fruit and a vegetable, a bread or pasta and
a meat or other high protein food. Morning children are offered a
breakfast snack and afternoon children are offered a snack before they
leave. Our goal is to offer your child an opportunity to try a large
variety of new and different foods in a relaxed and enjoyable setting. We
hope to help you teach habits that will last a lifetime. |