Food Choices

Back to School in the Kitchen with Cloverbuds

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What a busy time of year as youth start back to school.  As schedules get busier with school events and activities, Cloverbud age youth can help in a variety of ways, especially in the kitchen.

Cloverbud age youth want to help.  For instance, you can pack lunches together.  Allow the youth to select a fruit or vegetable for their lunch.  When you are at the grocery, see if they can find a fruit or vegetable they have not tried.  Encourage them to help you make a snack.  Or do you have a garden so you can try a new recipe that includes some vegetables you grew?

Cloverbud age youth enjoy planning a menu, and possibly even making a meal.  When families ask youth to be part of the decision-making process, their self-esteem is higher since that gives youth a sense of accomplishment.

Cooking can help children develop those important math, language, art, fine motor development skills and more.  They are having fun while learning.  Children can also be creative in the kitchen when cooking.  Allow them to decorate a pizza for dinner or make kebabs. Give them the option what to put on the pizza and kebabs.

For a variety of healthy recipes, visit MyPlate.

A fun recipe in my house with a Cloverbud is kebabs.  My daughter loves to pick out what color peppers we are going to use, the tomatoes, mushrooms, meat, and more.  She loves to put the food items on the kebabs.  It can easily be changed or adapted to meet family needs and preferences.

Have fun with your Cloverbud age youth and try something new this fall!

 

All images are from stock.adobe.com.

Cloverbuds and School Lunches

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Welcome Back to School

 Welcome Back to School surrounded by several different colored pencils in bright colors

Fall is rapidly approaching and that means the beginning of school is right around the corner. This is such an exciting time for your Cloverbud! A new classroom and teacher, and an opportunity to sit with friends and enjoy lunch together.

Many parents struggle with questions about school lunches. Sometimes it’s difficult to decide what to pack. Should your Cloverbud buy lunch, or should they pack? Do you have time to pack their lunch each day? Plus, it can be difficult to come up with healthy foods they will eat. Then there’s the challenge of packing food that will taste good hours later. You need to consider food safety, food allergies, picky eaters, short lunch periods, and not wanting to waste food. All these things together can be downright overwhelming!

Buying lunches can help take some of the pressure off. When deciding on whether to pack or buy, begin with buying lunch one or two days a week when you know there will be foods your Cloverbud likes to eat. As the year goes on, your Cloverbud will see other foods and decide whether to try them or switch days to buy. This can help streamline the week, remove a few days of packing from your schedule, and allow children to try new foods for a relatively low cost.

If you’re brand new to the world of school lunches or looking to find new ideas, here are some tips to remember when deciding whether to pack your Cloverbud’s lunch.

Keep it simple! There are many new things going on and lunchtime can provide familiar comfort. Avoid foods your Cloverbud has never seen or tasted before. Now is not the time to try to be a superhero. Other students will not judge you or your child for having chips instead of celery and carrot sticks that look nice but won’t be eaten. You do not need to be a gourmet chef or spend tons of time in the kitchen to put together lunches your Cloverbud will enjoy. Ask for feedback. Did your Cloverbud have enough time to eat their lunch during their lunch period? Do they need more to eat? Was there anything that didn’t taste good?

Practice. Practice packing and eating from the lunchbox a few days before school starts. Check to see if the school prefers all disposable items in the lunchbox. Many children are focused on things other than remembering which containers to throw away or bring home.

Keep a list. To reduce decision making fatigue and to remember what foods are good, keep a physical list on the fridge. Be sure to decide on this list before school starts so shopping trips can be easier.

Food allergies. If your Cloverbud has a food allergy, discuss lunchroom set up with their school. Set-up may vary on a case-by-case basis and can change from one building to the next. Communication with the school is key.

Image of the five good groups: dairy, protein, fruits, vegetables, and grains

Image of the five good groups: dairy, protein, fruits, vegetables, and grains

Mix it up. Do your best to include food from all food groups. Short lunch periods and picky eating habits may dictate this. Do your best to provide a healthy lunch that your Cloverbud will enjoy.

Prep when you can. Some sandwiches can be made a few days in advance. Add condiments the morning of. Sides can be measured, chopped, or sorted at the beginning of the week. Involve your Cloverbud as much as possible in lunch preparation. Prepping in advance allows your Cloverbud to pick out items from each food group and to pack their own lunch.

Adjust as needed. You may have to adjust your ideas a time or two in the first few weeks. That is normal, especially when Cloverbuds find new foods they like.

There is no right or wrong way to approach a school lunch. Through trial and error, you will discover what works best for you and your Cloverbud. Remember, school is about learning, and you can learn about healthy lunches right along with your Cloverbud!

Have a great school year!

MyPlate Activities for Cloverbuds

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Happy birthday, MyPlate! MyPlate is 10 years old this year. It’s a good reminder to think about how MyPlate concepts can be incorporated into Cloverbud activities.

What is MyPlate? MyPlate is a nutritional food guide that was developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help people become more aware of what they eat and to assist them in making better food choices. The MyPlate icon shows the five food groups: Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein Foods, and Dairy. It features a simple picture of a plate, which offers a visual cue that is easy to relate to, with sections of a plate representing how much of each food group people should consume relative to the other groups.

The 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans emphasizes the importance of an overall healthy eating pattern with all five groups as key building blocks. Each food group includes a variety of foods that are similar in nutritional makeup, and each group plays an important role in an overall healthy eating pattern.

Why emphasize healthy eating patterns? Because we know diets early in life can shape food habits into adulthood, our Cloverbud members are at the ideal age to foster good habits. However, recent studies show there is a cause for concern.

Current intakes show that from an early age, dietary patterns are not aligned with the Dietary Guidelines. Five- to 8-year-olds are generally within the range of recommended intakes for protein, fruits, and grains (although this is achieved with refined grains, not whole grains), but below in vegetables and dairy. Vegetable intake is especially low in children, and increasing vegetable consumption tends to be particularly difficult. In addition, most diets exceed the recommended limits for added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium.

A recent study found that diets of children in the U.S. have improved modestly but remain poor for most. This improvement in diet quality is promising. However, another report found that more than a third of U.S. children and adolescents consumed fast food. Other researchers have examined sugar-sweetened beverages and junk foods. The results of these studies are cause for concern because fast food,  sugar-sweetened beverages, and junk food have been associated with higher caloric intake and poorer diet quality. These dietary patterns contribute to overweight and obesity, as well as increasing the risk for chronic diseases later in life.

MyPlate Activities for Cloverbuds

4-H volunteers have the opportunity to help children meet guidelines for healthy eating by regularly incorporating healthy living activities into 4-H club meetings. If you’re looking for activities for Cloverbuds, the “Making Healthy Food Choices” in The Big Book of 4-H Cloverbud Activities (4-H 710GPM) is a great place to start. The Food and Nutrition Service has the Serving Up My Plate curriculum. The MyPlate website also contains activity sheets than can be downloaded. Here are some more to try.                              

Eat the Rainbow of Colors. Draw columns on a large sheet of paper labeled red, orange, yellow, blue, green, purple, and white. See how many fruits and vegetables the group members can name for each color.

Category Match. Divide the group into five smaller groups. Give each group one of the five food groups from MyPlate. Have the group members brainstorm as many foods as they can that fit into each category. Share lists with the whole group.

MyPlate Picnic. Have each person say their name, a food that begins with the first letter of their name, and the group it fits in. For example: “My name is Theresa, I’m going to bring tomatoes to the picnic, and they are in the vegetable group.

”What’s on Your Plate” Food Collage. Gather grocery store ads and old magazines. You will also need paper plates, markers, scissors, and glue sticks. Divide the paper plate to match the divisions on MyPlate. Cut out foods and fit them into the appropriate section of the plate.

Taste Test. Children may be reluctant to taste new foods, so taste testing can improve children’s dietary intake.

Eating the Alphabet. Use the idea from the book Eating the Alphabet (by Lois Ehlert): Name and illustrate a food for each of the letters of the alphabet. This activity can tie in with the “Planning a Community Art Exhibit” in The Big Book of 4-H Cloverbud Activities.

Read All About It.  Build literacy skills while learning about the five food groups.  Picture books can be effective when children are actively involved.  Having them answer questions about the story exercises their critical thinking skills.  There are several websites that feature selected children’s books.  Here are a few to get you started.

MyPlate Talking Points

MyPlate is not perfect–for one thing, the size of the plate matters. The specific amounts of food needed in each group vary by age, gender, and activity level; the Dietary Guidelines provides more detailed information on this topic. Some foods contain ingredients from multiple groups, making them difficult to classify.

The MyPlate icon focuses on incorporating healthful foods; however, all foods in a group are not the same. The key is choosing a variety of foods and beverages from each food group—and making sure that each choice is limited in saturated fat, salt, and added sugars, including cakes, cookies, ice cream, candies, sweetened drinks, and fatty meats like sausages, bacon, and hot dogs. Use these foods as occasional treats but not everyday foods (“sometimes foods”). 

  • Fruits – Make half your plate fruits and vegetables: Focus on whole fruits.
  • Vegetables – Make half your plate fruits and vegetables: Vary your veggies.
  • Grains – Make half your grains whole grains.
  • Protein – Vary your protein routine. Choose protein foods like beans, fish, lean meats, and nuts.
  • Dairy – Move to low-fat or fat-free milk or yogurt. Drink fat free or low-fat milk or water instead of sugary drinks.

4-H volunteer leaders working with Cloverbuds can encourage children to make healthy food choices. Developing healthy eating habits can go a long way to ensure a better lifestyle now and in the future.

References
de Droog, S. M., Buijzen, M., & Valkenburg, P. M. (2013). Enhancing children’s vegetable consumption using vegetable-promoting picture books. The impact of interactive shared reading and character-product congruence. Appetite, 73, 73–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2013.10.018
Fryar, C. D., Carroll, M. D., Ahluwalia, N., & Ogden, C. L. (2020). Fast food intake among children and adolescents in the United States, 2015–2018 (NCHS Data Brief No. 375). https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db375.htm
Gold, A., Larson, M., Tucker, J., & Strang, M. (2017). Classroom nutrition education combined with fruit and vegetable taste testing improves children’s dietary intake. Journal of School Health, 87(2), 106–113.  https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12478
Leung, C. W., DiMatteo, S. G., Gosliner, W. A., & Ritchie, L. D. (2018). Sugar-sweetened beverage and water intake in relation to diet quality in U.S. children. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 54(3), 394–402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2017.11.005
Liu, J., Rehm, C. D., Onopa, J., & Mozaffarian, D. (2020). Trends in diet quality among youth in the United States, 1999-2016. Journal of the American Medical Association, 323(12), 1161–1174. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.0878
Liu, J., Lee, Y., Micha, R., Li, Y., & Mozaffarian, D. (2021). Trends in junk food consumption among US children and adults, 2001-2018. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, nqab129. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqab129
Snelling, A. M., Newman, C., Ellsworth, D., Kalicki, M., Guthrie, J., Mancino. L., Malloy, E., Van Dyke, H., George, S., & Nash, K. (2017). Using a taste test intervention to promote vegetable consumption. Health Behavior and Policy Review, 4(1), 67–75. https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.4.1.8
U.S. Department of Agriculture. MyPlate. https://www.myplate.gov/
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Service. (2020). Dietary guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025 (9th ed.). https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/
Williams, K., Dill, A., & Lindberg, S. (2019). Changes in nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and behavior after implementation of Serving Up MyPlate and vegetable taste tests. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 51(7S), S31–S32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2019.05.589

Cloverbuds in the Kitchen

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During this time of virtual learning and meeting remotely, it may feel difficult to keep Cloverbud members engaged during club meetings or find activities they can do virtually. A great activity for Cloverbuds is to encourage them to help with a simple recipe. A club favorite is making chocolate chip cookies which teaches younger members kitchen basics, such as measuring, as well as how to follow directions.

Use the recipe below and write each step out on a note card.  You can number them on the back in order to make sure the steps are correct. Once you have all the steps written, lay the cards out and ask the members to read the cards with you. Remember that some of the words may be new to younger members and they may need your help reading.  After reading all the cards, ask the members to put the steps in order. Use the cards to match the ingredient to each step. If you have Cloverbuds in the kitchen with you, this is a step that will keep little hands busy while waiting to mix the cookies.

After all the steps are lined up and the ingredients matched, have Cloverbuds help you add the ingredients and make the cookies. If you are using this activity while meeting in person, you can have each member take turns adding an ingredient.

While cookies are baking, you can talk to Cloverbuds about MyPlate https://www.choosemyplate.gov/, the importance of proper nutrition, and why cookies should only be a treat in our daily diets.

If your members have the “My 4-H Cloverbud Year” activity book, here are some suggested phrases they can record for this activity:

  • We made chocolate chip cookies.
  • We learned to work together.
  • We learned to share.
  • We learned how to take turns.
  • We learned to measure ingredients.
  • We learned to read new words.
  • We followed directions.

Working with Food Allergies in the 4-H Club Meeting

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Food allergies can be very serious, especially among children. With so many young children being diagnosed with food allergies, it is very important that all understand what to look for.  According to the Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), one in every 13 children is being diagnosed with a food allergy and every three minutes, a food allergy sends someone to the emergency room.

FARE states that there are eight major food allergens which causean estimated 90% of all allergens.  These foods include: egg, milk, peanut, tree nuts(almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, and pistachios), soy, fish, wheat, crustacean shellfish(crab, lobster, crayfish, and shrimp).  These are the allergens which typically cause the most serious food allergy reactions but there are more than 170 foods known to cause allergic reactions.

If your county utilizes online enrollment, please encourage 4-H parents to put any kind of health consideration into 4-H Online when completing their child’s enrollment.  Health forms for camp must also be fully completed.  This is the first, and sometimes only, way to find out this information. Volunteers need to be aware of any food allergies which put children at risk.

Think about club meetings and snacks.  Make sure all parents know of any foods that must be avoided.  This needs to be enforced at the club meetings so there is never a chance of an allergic reaction.

A great option would be to serve fruits or vegetables at the meeting.  Typically, these are not common allergens among children.  This would also promote healthier eating at club meetings.  Cloverbuds love to help make food. What are some snacks that are appropriate for them to help prepare?  Some fun ideas include a relish tray, fruit tray, hummus, ants on a log, guacamole, or animals made out of fruit/vegetables.  Have fun and be creative.  Don’t know where to begin?  Check the library or do a search on line.  And be mindful of serving healthy drinks as well such as water, 100% juice, or unsweetened tea.

For more information on food allergies, please visit www.foodallergy.org.

Focus your Head, Heart, and Hands on the 4th H at the Fair!

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Although fairs might have a reputation for deep fried foods and rides, there are plenty of ways to make a day at the fair healthier for you and your young child.

Here are some suggestions:

HEAD

  • Plan ahead. Before you head to the fair, offer your child a healthy meal or snack.  Fresh or frozen fruit is a good choice, since it might be difficult to find at the fair.
  • Seek out healthier food options at the fair. Most fairs offer some or all of these items. Although some contain added sugar or a fair amount of sodium, they are healthier choices than corn dogs, fries, and elephant ears.
    • Corn on the cob
    • Roasted nuts
    • Dipped fruits
    • Pickles
    • Popcorn
    • Turkey leg (often big enough for the whole family!)
  • Don’t be fooled! For example, before you order a “fruit smoothie” ask if it has real fruit in it or if it comes from a mix.
  • Avoid smoking areas and ask that tobacco and e-cigarette policies be enforced so children won’t breathe secondhand smoke.

HEART

  • Getting your heart rates up by walking depends on comfortable feet. You and your child will see and do more at the fair if you both wear the right shoes.  Athletic shoes might be better than sandals, as you might need to walk through gravel, dirt, grass, straw, or even mud.
  • Help your child identify one thing he or she really loves about the fair, and spend plenty of time making the most of that experience. It might be a ride, a game, a certain barn, or a petting zoo. If it involves a sweet or fried treat, choose a reasonable serving size or consider splitting it among several people. For example, one funnel cake can serve up to 4-6 people. After the treat, enjoy some lower sugar and lower fat items at the fair.

HANDS

  • Carry a water bottle so your child can stay hydrated without loading up on sugary soda with empty calories. Save money by refilling the water bottle at the drinking fountain. For a fun beverage, order a hand-shaken lemonade with half the usual sugar.
  • Slap on a hat and spread on plenty of sunscreen to avoid getting sunburned, even when the day is a little cloudy.
  • Avoid spreading disease by not eating in the barns, washing hands (yours and your child’s) before you eat, and washing hands after touching animals. If you can’t find hand-washing stations with soap and water, use hand sanitizers.

Campus Connections

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Hello again! Great to make this 4-H Cloverbud Connections with you.

This Cloverbud Connections issue is about healthy living. Living healthy is not something that should only be thought about later in life or as an adult, but across the lifespan, including childhood. Cloverbud kids are at a perfect age to start learning and living healthy.
Hopefully you have used and seen The Big Book of 4-H Cloverbud Activities which is the latest curriculum written for you, the 4-H Cloverbud advisor. It contains many activities to use with Cloverbud participants. One of the sections is on Healthy Living and contains six curriculum pieces including “Fitness is Fun” and “Making Healthy Food Choices.” There are numerous activities in each curriculum piece to use with Cloverbud children to promote healthy living. If you are not familiar with The Big Book of 4-H Cloverbud Activities please check with your local 4-H Youth Development professional.

Thanks for your commitment to the 4-H Cloverbud program as we enhance the healthy development of children throughout the state!