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Discover the power of nutrition
March is National Nutrition Month, an annual observance that encourages everyone to adopt a healthy eating pattern that includes nutritious and flavorful foods. As a child care provider, you play a critical role in creating long-lasting healthy eating habits.
Here are some simple nutrition tips:
- Eat the rainbow: The different colors of fruits and vegetables aren’t just pretty, they signal different nutrients, so choose a rainbow of produce to get a variety of vitamins and minerals.
- Persistence matters: A child may need to see a new food 10 times before they try it. So, if they reject something at first, keep trying. “No” today may be “yes” tomorrow…or next week.
- Appetites change: Worried a toddler seems to eat a lot one day and almost nothing the next? It’s totally normal. Toddler appetites change from day to day. Just keep offering healthy food and respect their ability to know if they are hungry or full.
Visit the Minnesota Department of Health’s WIC nutrition tips webpage for downloads and ideas about healthy choices for children, great snack ideas, and easy meals.
The Minnesota WIC program helps eligible pregnant women, new mothers, babies and young children by providing nutrition education, nutritious foods, and breastfeeding support. Please encourage eligible families to apply.