Best Practices for Healthy Eating Guide - Nemours

Rationale
Why serve fruits and vegetables
n The Dietary Guidelines for Americans
encourage consumption of a variety of
fruits and vegetables weekly.
n Fruits and vegetables provide essential
vitamins and minerals, fiber, and other
substances that may protect against many
chronic diseases.
n They are high in fiber.
n They help children feel fuller longer.
n They provide children with the opportunity
to learn about different textures, colors,
and tastes.
n They help children to develop life-long healthy eating
habits.
Why no commercially-prepared mixtures of fruits or
vegetables and another meal component
n In commercially-prepared mixtures, it is difficult
to figure out how much of each meal component
the mixture contains. There may not be enough
of a required component; therefore; it cannot be
reimbursed by the CACFP. Mixtures of peas and
chicken cannot be reimbursed, for example, but
mixtures of fruits and/or vegetables can because
they are currently counted as one meal component
in CACFP (e.g., apples and squash, or pears and
blueberries).
n Mixtures may contain a new food that the child has
not tried and may cause an allergic reaction. If a child
has been introduced to all foods in the mixture, it is
fine to serve; however, it will not be reimbursed if it
contains two or more meal components.
Portion Size
Watch for hunger and fullness cues.
Age Item Meals
Birth through 3 months Fruits and/or vegetables None
4 through 7 months Fruits and/or vegetables 0–3 Tbsp
8 through 11 months Fruits and/or vegetables 1–4 Tbsp
Best Practices for Healthy Eating 11