Feeding young children

Mealtimes for the estimated 13 million children in U.S. day care centers can be hasty exercises in getting children fed or one of the richest times of the childrens’ day. To help day care providers make it the latter, the University of Idaho this fall broadcast "Feeding Young Children in Group Settings" via satellite to a national audience of more than 6,000 viewers.

Left: Janice Fletcher, left, and Laurel Branen provide guidance for day care centers at mealtime. Photo by Michele Kimberling, UI Photographic Services

In four live, two-hour sessions, UI nutritionist Laurel Branen and child development specialist Janice Fletcher, along with invited guests, discussed developmental opportunities at mealtime, child nutrition, and food safety.

To supplement the broadcasts, they have developed a website devoted to feeding young children, http://www.aee.uidaho.edu/feeding. They plan to further develop the site, which already includes coursework for students viewing the series for credit; practical research-based advice, facts, and activities; and scores of links to other pertinent websites.

People wishing to order the $140 videotape series can email feeding@uidaho.edu or write to Feeding, School of Family and Consumer Sciences, PO Box 443183, UI, Moscow, ID 83844-3183.

—Diane Noel