Infant Feeding Education and Professional Development
Nutrition education empowers healthy choices.
The best practices (per GO NAPSACC) and the related resources in this section focus on educating child care providers and families about healthy eating so that they can understand the "why" behind nutrition. This allows for better implementation and alignment of healthy choices at child cares and at home. A strong knowledge foundation can also support children as they grow and help prevent obesity and chronic diseases in the long term.
Best Practices
Select each GO NAPSACC best practice goal below to find related resources.
"Teachers and staff receive professional development on infant feeding and nutrition 2 times per year or more."
Education and Training Resources
Summary: In-person, virtual, and on-demand training courses and educational material related to CACFP meal patterns are available for professional development credit. Registration is free.
Source: Institute of Child Nutrition
Family Style Meal Service with Children
Summary: Toolkit on how to hold family style meal service in child care, meeting federal CACFP guidelines.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services
Go Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAPSACC) Bilingual Self-Assessments
Summary: Free for providers. Contacting a consultant and completing the online version of the social emotional assessment opens a suite of planning, learning, professional development, and implementation tools to understand further what the best practices are and how to make them happen in your child care.
Source: Go Nutritional and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (Go NAPSACC)
Great Start to Quality Resource Center Lending Libraries
Summary: Covering all counties in Michigan, the 10 Resource Centers give providers of all program types and professional affiliations as well as parents free access to lending libraries with books, curriculums, CDs, child manipulatives and toys, and more. Find resources that will support child and adult learning on a variety of health topics.
Source: Great Start to Quality
MiRegistry Course Catalog
Summary: By entering “nutrition” or other terms in the “Course Title, Competency, or Qualification” search box, professional development classes related to nutrition in young children will appear, many of which are free. Click on “View Course Detail” for each class to read more.
Source: MiRegistry
Nutrition
Summary: Articles, videos, events, classes, and more. If you are unsure what in-person or virtual education opportunities are available in your area, call your county Extension office or search on the website for "Ask Extension" and fill out the form to receive more guidance.
Source: Michigan State University Extension
Team Nutrition Resources for Child Care
Summary: Training and technical assistance to child care providers and program operators, CACFP best practices, nutrition and developmental education for providers and families, and resources to support a healthier environment. Educational or promotional material can be downloaded for free, or ordered from Team Nutrition.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service
"Professional development on infant feeding and nutrition covers a variety of topics related to how, when, and what to feed infants."
Education and Training Resources
Summary: In-person, virtual, and on-demand training courses and educational material related to CACFP meal patterns are available for professional development credit. Registration is free.
Source: Institute of Child Nutrition
Family Style Meal Service with Children
Summary: Toolkit on how to hold family style meal service in child care, meeting federal CACFP guidelines.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services
Go Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAPSACC) Bilingual Self-Assessments
Summary: Free for providers. Contacting a consultant and completing the online version of the social emotional assessment opens a suite of planning, learning, professional development, and implementation tools to understand further what the best practices are and how to make them happen in your child care.
Source: Go Nutritional and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (Go NAPSACC)
Great Start to Quality Resource Center Lending Libraries
Summary: Covering all counties in Michigan, the 10 Resource Centers give providers of all program types and professional affiliations as well as parents free access to lending libraries with books, curriculums, CDs, child manipulatives and toys, and more. Find resources that will support child and adult learning on a variety of health topics.
Source: Great Start to Quality
MiRegistry Course Catalog
Summary: By entering “nutrition” or other terms in the “Course Title, Competency, or Qualification” search box, professional development classes related to nutrition in young children will appear, many of which are free. Click on “View Course Detail” for each class to read more.
Source: MiRegistry
Nutrition
Summary: Articles, videos, events, classes, and more. If you are unsure what in-person or virtual education opportunities are available in your area, call your county Extension office or search on the website for "Ask Extension" and fill out the form to receive more guidance.
Source: Michigan State University Extension
Team Nutrition Resources for Child Care
Summary: Training and technical assistance to child care providers and program operators, CACFP best practices, nutrition and developmental education for providers and families, and resources to support a healthier environment. Educational or promotional material can be downloaded for free, or ordered from Team Nutrition.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service
"Families are offered education on infant feeding and nutrition upon request, at 1 set time during the year, and at other times as infants reach developmental milestones."
Go Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAPSACC) Bilingual Self-Assessments
Summary: Find many nutrition education and farm-to-table curriculums. Free for providers. Contacting a consultant and completing the online version of the social emotional assessment opens a suite of planning, learning, professional development, and implementation tools to understand further what the best practices are and how to make them happen in your child care.
Source: Go Nutritional and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (Go NAPSACC)
Making Healthy Choices: Newsletters for Parents
Summary: Nutrition newsletters designed for parents, featuring tips for healthier diets. In particular, see Week 3 – Love your veggies, Week 4 – Enjoy Fruit, Week 5 – Whole grains, Week 6 – Plan for protein, Week 7 – More than meat, Week 8 – Don’t forget diary, Week 9 – Don’t fear fat, Week 10 – Think about your drink, Week 11 – Beyond Fresh, Week 17 – Pleasing Picky Eaters, and Week 21: Get more veggies.
Source: Michigan State University Extension
Milestone Tracker Mobile App
Summary: Track children’s milestones from age 2 months to 5 years with this easy-to-use check list. Includes a video and flyers explaining how to use the app.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Nibbles for Health: Nutrition Newsletters for Parents of Young Children
Summary: Reproducible newsletters that can be given to parents to address many of the challenges they face every day. These can also reinforce the lessons being taught to children in child care. Topics include portion sizes, reducing sugar, reducing sodium, picky eating, increasing nutritious food groups, and more. Newsletters can be downloaded, or hard copies may be ordered.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Nutrition
Summary: Articles, videos, events, classes, and more. If you are unsure what in-person or virtual education opportunities are available in your area, call your county Extension office or search on the website for "Ask Extension" and fill out the form to receive more guidance.
Source: Michigan State University Extension
Nutrition and Health for Families
Summary: Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) online lessons and digital resources for families cover a wide variety of topics regarding family and children health. Browse through the documents, sign up for the free classes, or contact an expert for more help on your nutrition question.
Source: Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Tips for Feeding Young Kids
Summary: Free, printable fact sheets to help address common feeding issues such as getting children to try new or less preferred foods, feeding schedules, and responsive feeding techniques. Available in both English and Spanish.
Source: Healthy Family Connecticut
"Education for families on infant feeding and nutrition covers a variety of topics related to how, when, and what to feed infants."
Go Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (NAPSACC) Bilingual Self-Assessments
Summary: Find many nutrition education and farm-to-table curriculums. Free for providers. Contacting a consultant and completing the online version of the social emotional assessment opens a suite of planning, learning, professional development, and implementation tools to understand further what the best practices are and how to make them happen in your child care.
Source: Go Nutritional and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (Go NAPSACC)
Making Healthy Choices: Newsletters for Parents
Summary: Nutrition newsletters designed for parents, featuring tips for healthier diets. In particular, see Week 3 – Love your veggies, Week 4 – Enjoy Fruit, Week 5 – Whole grains, Week 6 – Plan for protein, Week 7 – More than meat, Week 8 – Don’t forget diary, Week 9 – Don’t fear fat, Week 10 – Think about your drink, Week 11 – Beyond Fresh, Week 17 – Pleasing Picky Eaters, and Week 21: Get more veggies.
Source: Michigan State University Extension
Milestone Tracker Mobile App
Summary: Track children’s milestones from age 2 months to 5 years with this easy-to-use check list. Includes a video and flyers explaining how to use the app.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Nibbles for Health: Nutrition Newsletters for Parents of Young Children
Summary: Reproducible newsletters that can be given to parents to address many of the challenges they face every day. These can also reinforce the lessons being taught to children in child care. Topics include portion sizes, reducing sugar, reducing sodium, picky eating, increasing nutritious food groups, and more. Newsletters can be downloaded, or hard copies may be ordered.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service
Nutrition
Summary: Articles, videos, events, classes, and more. If you are unsure what in-person or virtual education opportunities are available in your area, call your county Extension office or search on the website for "Ask Extension" and fill out the form to receive more guidance.
Source: Michigan State University Extension
Nutrition and Health for Families
Summary: Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) online lessons and digital resources for families cover a wide variety of topics regarding family and children health. Browse through the documents, sign up for the free classes, or contact an expert for more help on your nutrition question.
Source: Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Tips for Feeding Young Kids
Summary: Free, printable fact sheets to help address common feeding issues such as getting children to try new or less preferred foods, feeding schedules, and responsive feeding techniques. Available in both English and Spanish.
Source: Healthy Family Connecticut
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