Little Bites, Big Steps

Little Bites, Big Steps Workshops

If you are interested in hosting a Little Bites, Big Steps training contact Lisa Cohne.

The Little Bites, Big Steps: Nutrition and Fitness for Young Children program comes from KERA’s Ready for Life Project. The goal of this program is to make a difference for nutrition and eating habits among children ages 0-6. The Little Bites, Big Steps program provides Utah parents and caregivers with nutrition information on this web site as well as access to workshops for parents and educators who want to teach young children healthy eating habits from the beginning.

Utah has a young and growing population. A 2006 Utah child weight study conducted by the Utah Department of Health, local school districts, and school nurses found that 22.5% of all elementary students were at an unhealthy weight. Because of Utah's continued population growth and the rise in unhealthy weight among younger children it is important to address healthy lifestyles with parents and the Little Bites, Big Steps program helps provide this important information.

The Little Bites, Big Steps program supports healthy lifestyles including early literacy, nutrition and fitness and naturally fits with the national award winning Utah Kids Ready to Read! program as well as the Crossroads Urban Center Community Food Co-op program. With the help of UEN, the Utah State Library, and the Crossroads Urban Center the Little Bites, Big Steps program has been brought to Utah parents and caregivers.

Little Bites, Big Steps Workshops
If you are interested in hosting a Little Bites, Big Steps training contact Lisa Cohne.

Workshop Information:

The Little Bites Big Steps workshop consists of two sessions. The first session focuses on healthy nutrition, including information on how much to feed your child, as well as menu planning and how to effectively read food nutrition labels. The second session will give you great ideas and information for encouraging your children to be active and fit. Both session are two hours in length and feature a variety of interesting and hands-on activities. The Little Bites, Big Steps workshop and material are also available in Spanish.

Video: Little Bites, Big Steps

The following are video segments that go along with the Little Bites Big Steps training and can be used as a resource by parents and caregivers interested in this program.

Feeding Your Child
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In this video you will learn to teach your children the difference between needing food when they’re hungry versus wanting food when it is in front of them. Let your children eat until they are full. Listen to their cues. They need to learn for themselves the difference between hunger and fullness.

How Much?
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In this video you will learn tablespoon sized portions will prevent children from feeling overwhelmed. Selecting a variety of food and letting them serve themselves allows them to be in control of what they eat as well as experience new types of food. It is important as a parent that you still try to incorporate healthy eating habits.

Snack Attack
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In this video you will learn snack time should be 1-2 hours before meal time. Snacks give light eaters a steady support of energy during the day. Snacks prevent children with big appetites from over eating. It is important to give healthy snacks instead of food with empty calories.

A Drop to Drink
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In this video you will learn children need at least 3 servings of milk a day. After the age of two children should be drinking reduced fat milk or skim/fat free milk. Experts only recommend 4-6 oz of juice a day because juice provides a lot of extra calories. The best kind of drink for children is water.

Energy Balance
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In this video you will learn to be realistic about your child’s weight in correlation to their exercise. Maintaining a healthy weight is not about appearance, it is about health. Children who have too much fat on their bodies are exposed to the same risks as adults such as diabetes, joint problems, and health disease.

Move!
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In this video you will learn children love to dance, so turning on the radio for music is a good alternative to television. Going outdoors provides children with a way to explore and be active. If the neighborhood is unsafe or there is bad weather outside, be creative with indoor activities to keep children moving.

Baby Steps
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Congratulations! You are on your way to giving your child a healthier lifestyle. It is important to know that learning healthy habits now will benefit children for a lifetime. You must set the example yourself and work at it until it becomes a habit. Every success is a reason to celebrate.

Nutrition and Fitness Resources

Little Bites, Big Steps Partners