The Lasting Impact of Child Nutrition
You can see children lining up around the vegetable garden at the Loving Kindness Education and Learning Center in Mt. Auburn. Elnora Morgan, the family child care program director, asks each child to pick one fruit or vegetable to taste and learn about during their Wednesday cooking class.
“I hear the children say, ‘Look that one has gotten really big!’” she said. “When I cut something open and ask the children what’s inside the pumpkin or pepper, they say there’s a tree or a flower. We have a lot of fun in their hats and aprons.”
Elnora joined the 4C for Children Child Nutrition Program (CNP) more than 15 years ago and has been helping children and families set the foundation for healthy eating ever since. The CNP program provides resources like a recipe book, guidelines on how to read nutrition labels, one-on-one coaching from specialists to providers—who then pass along those resources to families.
Many years ago Ke’Anna, a then new mother in the neighborhood, chose Loving Kindness as her son’s child care program. She quickly realized the advantages the food program had for both her and her son.
“I remember my son didn’t like proteins at that time,” Ke’Anna said. “He would gravitate towards fruits and veggies, but [Elnora] found a way to work in nuts (crushed) and other proteins for Kaleb. We all got on the same plan and introduced foods in small strides.” Elnora remembers that she and Ke’Anna did, “Everything we could to lay that foundation for Kaleb.”
Today, he’s 21 years old and living a healthy lifestyle. Elnora and the CNP program had a lifelong impact on Ke’Anna and her son.
“The time [Elnora] spent to make sure my son got the right nutrition helped make me a better mom.” Ke’Anna said. “It’s funny because to this day my son remembers the talks that we had about ‘eating the rainbow.’” (This is a phrase that describes eating colorful fruits and vegetables.)
Through the coaching and resources provided by CNP coaches, Elnora and other local early childhood educators are helping hundreds of children discover their own rainbows.