Reduce the Salt in Child Care Menus

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1 Reduce the Salt in Child Care Menus The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 encourages meals with less sodium than are typically eaten by Americans today. Salt is the primary source of sodium in the American diet. Eating diets with too much salt can lead to the development of high blood pressure in some people. Although children are not at as great a risk for high blood pressure as are adults, childhood is the time to develop a healthy lifestyle that includes eating less salt and salty foods. Children develop a taste preference for salty foods very early if these foods are given to them on a regular basis. This could lead to a lifetime of eating too much salt. In child care children can learn to enjoy the natural goodness of foods without adding salt or other ingredients with sodium. According to the Dietary Guidelines nearly all Americans eat a lot more salt than they need. On average, the natural salt content of food is only about 10% of the total amount of salt we eat. Salt added at the table or added during cooking amounts to another 5 to 10%. Where does the rest come from? Approximately 75% of the salt we eat is added by manufacturers during food processing. This is important to understand because Americans eat more and more processed or purchased prepared foods each year. tuna 1

2 When reading the Nutrition Facts label on a food product look for the sodium content and choose the lower sodium options. Better still; prepare as many foods as possible in the child care facility. This will help control the amount of sodium children are eating in child care meals. Tips to Reduce Salt and Sodium in Child Care Menus Here are some tips to follow when planning child care menus to balance the salt and sodium. Meat and Poultry Limit how often cured meats, such as ham, or processed meats, such as chicken nuggets, are served. Prepare meat without added salt. Use herbs and spices for flavor. Avoid serving processed meats such as bologna, wieners, and luncheon meats. Take It a Step Further Meat and Poultry Read the Nutrition Facts label and look for lower sodium choices. Prepare chicken nuggets from scratch. Fish Canned fish is higher in sodium than un-breaded, frozen fish. Select un-breaded, frozen fish more often than canned. Use water-packed fish that is lower in sodium. Read the label to be sure. 2

3 Important Food Safety Tips for Fish and Shellfish Never serve undercooked or raw fish or shellfish to infants and young children. Remember shellfish is a common food allergy and should not be fed to children who are affected. Check with your local state agency or local health department for recommendations on how often to serve fish to avoid unsafe mercury exposure. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have published recommendations for pregnant women and children to safely enjoy fish and shellfish without over exposure to mercury ( waterscience/fish/files/methylmercurybrochure.pdf). Meat Alternates Dried Beans and Peas Rinse drained, canned beans to remove extra sodium. Look for lower sodium canned bean products. Dried legumes are naturally low in sodium. Cook beans and peas from scratch. Use herbs and spices for flavor with little or no added salt. Meat Alternates Nuts, Seeds, and Nut and Seed Butters It is not necessary to add salt to nuts, seeds, and nut and seed butters. Also, remember that some children are highly allergic to nuts and peanuts. Meat Alternates Yogurt and Cheese Be aware that cheese is made with salt. Natural cheese is lower in sodium than processed cheese. Read the label and look for lower sodium choices. Pair cheese with lower salt foods, such as eggs or cooked beans and peas. Grains and Breads Serve pasta, brown rice, and white rice cooked in lower sodium broth or seasoned with herbs and spices instead of salty seasonings. 3

4 Cook oatmeal and other cereal grains with little or no added salt. Salt serves no function in preparation of grains other than adding a salty taste. Prepare pancakes, muffins, and other bread items with the least amount of salt needed for the recipe to be a success. Yeast breads do need a certain amount of salt for the yeast to develop properly. Follow the USDA recipes for yeast and quick breads for excellent baked products without unneeded salt. Make your own bread crumbs and season with herbs and onion or garlic powder (not salt!). Choose lower sodium crackers. Take It a Step Further Grains and Breads When cooking pasta and rice dishes add fresh herbs at the end of the cooking time and dried herbs and spices at the beginning of the cooking time for best flavors. Vegetables Fresh vegetables are naturally low in sodium. Steam vegetables. It is an easy way to cook without added salt. Tip: If steaming equipment is not available, steam vegetables in the microwave oven. A regular oven makes an effective steamer, also. Place food in a perforated pan or oven-safe colander over a pan of hot water. Bake at a temperature high enough for steam to be produced. Most frozen vegetables are processed with little added salt. Canned vegetables are higher in salt. Look for lower sodium versions. Limit pre-prepared vegetables with sauces. Take It a Step Further Vegetables Encourage children to enjoy the natural flavors of fresh and cooked vegetables by not introducing dips and other condiments in child care. Dips and most condiments can be high in sodium. 4

5 The recipes in the USDA Recipes for Child Care have been revised to provide lower sodium content by reducing salt and other sodium containing ingredients. To download the recipes and to find other menu planning and preparation resources for healthful child care meals visit 5