~Linda's Little Laboratory~

Linda's Little Laboratory
Childcare where we care about a child’s need to explore!

Monterey Bay Agency Food Program

Nutrition Awareness Grant

Grant History

In July 2002, Linda’s "Little Laboratory" Childcare together with Colleen's Child Care wrote a grant to raise the awareness of childhood nutrition within our child care programs. The grant was then awarded in October 2002 and was funded up to $2,610.00. The funds for this project came from Prop 10 funds (the tobacco tax) and was made available from the United Way of Stanislaus County and Stanislaus County Children and Families Commission.

Project Description and Goals

Linda’s "Little Laboratory" Childcare and Colleen’s Childcare feel that childhood nutrition is something that is often overlooked by parents and family child care providers alike. Many are not aware of what a balanced diet looks like nor what the proper serving sizes are for a child under the age of 5 years. Both child care facilities would like to change that and begin a year long project where proper nutrition is an everyday part of life both at home and in the childcare setting. In today’s families where both parents often have to work outside the home to pay the bills, it is often much easier to purchase “fast food” and eat in the car while running errands rather than cook a nutritious balanced meal at home where the prepared food is served at a dining room table with family members. Both facilities also would like to point out to parents that there is a benefit to serving family styles meals that goes far beyond childhood nutrition. The Stanislaus County Children and Families Commission has set their strategic goals to include “Improved Child Health: Healthy Children” and “Improved Family Functioning: Strong Families”. Linda’s "Little Laboratory" Childcare and Colleen’s Childcare feel that this project can and will focus on both of those strategic goals by focusing on how good nutrition aids in health and that families who eat together have stronger family relationships because of the quality time spent together around the dinner table. With that said, together with Linda Ludwig (operator of Linda’s "Little Laboratory" Childcare) and Colleen Stephansen (operator of Colleens’ Childcare), we would like to purchase items to enable both facilities to serve balanced nutritious meals in a family style manner rather than cafeteria style. We would like to purchase visual learning aids to enhance the children’s recognition of the food groups and what a balanced meal should look like. We would also like to purchase books to serve as a lending library in both facilities that would be available to parents and fellow child care providers that give healthy snack and meal ideas. We would also like to put together and invite parents of both facilities to a workshop that would give information on family style meal serving and the importance and benefits of good childhood nutrition. In addition, we would like to expose families to family style serving by inviting the families to join the child care facilities for a meal occasionally. This could be done in the form of a special breakfast where parents could come in and have breakfast with their child before leaving to go to work or school that day.

Parent Participation Requirements

Parent Letter

Recipe Submission Form

Nutrition Journal

For Nutrition Information

Team Nutrition

Dole 5 A Day

The Child Care Nutrition Resource System

Child and Adult Care Food Program