Nutrition Services in Head Start...
Then And Now
Robin Brocato, MH.S., Health and
Disabilities Branch, Head Start Bureau
Providing nutritious meals to children is a fundamental Head Start service. Did you know that nutrition was one of the founding Head Start principles? According to the book "Project Head Start, A Legacy on the War on Poverty," by Professor Edward Zigler, the effects of malnutrition on the intellectual development of mentally retarded children led those responsible for running the War on Poverty to theorize that perhaps there were similar effects on low-income children. Today family lives are more hectic and there is less time to get together for meal times. So meals served to children in Head Start are still as important now as they were when the program was founded.
The first guidelines of the Head Start nutrition program focused on the importance of providing children with nourishing food and opportunities to promote intellectual and social development. The important role of parents in their children's nutrition was also stressed. Over time the nutrition component evolved to include nutrition education to children, parents, and staff; nutrition staff qualifications; community nutrition problems and resources; and introducing a variety of foods to young children.
Today, providing nutrition services in Head Start is becoming increasingly more complex. We are constantly being presented with new and, at times, conflicting information about what constitutes a healthy diet and how best to achieve a healthy lifestyle.
But in this issue of the Bulletin, you will find information to assist you in implementing the Head Start nutrition component. This includes information on the new food pyramid, dietary guidelines and food labels, family meal style service, nutrition and dental health, cultural sensitivity, food safety and sanitation, and nutrition resources.
Remember
March is National Nutrition Month!