Food training hits the spot

The lunch table at North Idaho College Children’s Center was a thriving classroom on Tuesday.

At the 2-year-olds’ table, the children carefully scooped homemade chicken noodle soup into their bowls. When they wanted more, teachers reminded them to say “please.” And when they were done, they cleared their plates.

“Meal times are important. They’re a really critical part of a curriculum,” said Jolie Wenglikowski, the children’s center director. “A lot of learning can happen there.”

Later this month, child care providers from throughout North Idaho, including four from NIC’s child care center, will gather to learn more about how to prepare tasty, healthy foods for children while staying within a budget. The University of Idaho Extension Nutrition Program is hosting free training after receiving a grant from Share Our Strength, a national program sponsored by the ConAgra Foods Foundation.

When Miranda Hamilton, a UI Extension nutrition adviser, heard about the grant, she tested the interest level among child care providers, and the response was overwhelming. Before the grant funding came in, two 30-person classes in Coeur d’Alene and Lewiston were full and a wait list had started. Now Hamilton is seeking matching funds to help pay for supplies.

“In any setting today, there’s a lot of convenience foods,” Hamilton said. “We’re just encouraging going back to the basics and making food from scratch.”

The 10-hour training will include information on building positive attitudes about food, cooking safely with confidence, choosing healthy and appealing foods for children and managing a menu on a budget. The class also will include hands-on cooking instruction on items such as Asian noodles with peanut sauce, yogurt parfaits and sweet-potato fries.

Child care providers who attend will receive credit for training hours that will improve their standing through IdahoSTARS, a statewide child care registry and quality ranking system. Jennifer Ross, an IdahoSTARS consultant in North Idaho, said a free nutrition training program her agency offers, Color Me Healthy, also routinely fills up, unlike training programs on some other subjects.

“For some reason, with nutrition people just jump on it,” Ross said. “There just must be a need for the information.”

Christ the King child care center in Coeur d’Alene is sending several staff members to the UI Extension class and has sent others to Color Me Healthy, said Barbi Harrison, the center’s administrator. She said habits kids learn at child care, such as trying new foods they see their classmates eating, can help parents reinforce positive eating habits at home.

“We really want to support healthy eating habits,” Harrison said. “We really want to educate the teachers as well as the parents.”