[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-detail-140327-en":3,"doc-seo-140327-105":30,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":92},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",{"doc_id":7,"user_id":8,"nickname":9,"user_avatar":10,"doc_module":4,"category_id":11,"category_name":12,"doc_title":13,"doc_description":14,"doc_content":15,"file_id":16,"file_url":17,"file_type":18,"file_size":19,"view_count":20,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":20,"is_downloadable":20,"audit_status":20,"page_count":21,"language":22,"language_code":23,"site_id":24,"html_lang":23,"table_of_contents":25,"faqs":26,"seo_title":27,"seo_description":14,"update_tm":28,"read_time":29},140327,1099513958762,"Logic","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/1000023916a998db790?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1784791008015729253",7,"Healthcare","BUL 1006 - Building Healthy Eating Habits through Taste Testing in Early Childcare Centers","Building Healthy Eating Habits through Taste Testing in Early Childcare Centers (BUL 1006) supports preschool and early childcare providers with strategies to introduce vegetables and fruits through structured taste-testing activities. The publication links repeated, fun exposures to healthier eating patterns, addressing nutritional needs of ages 3–8 and the high risk of preventable conditions tied to obesity. It includes guidance and tools, such as a printable Taste-Test Worksheet, aligned with Idaho quality and learning guidelines.","BUL 1006  \nBuilding Healthy Eating Habits through Taste Testing in Early Childcare Centers  \nMaureen Toomey  \nArea Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development  \nAlleah Schweitzer  \nFarm to Early Care and Education Program Coordinator  \nAriel Agenbroad  \nArea Extension Educator, Food Systems and Small Farms  \nContents  \n1 Introduction  \n3 Taste Tests  \n3 Abilities of Young Children (3–5 years old)  \n4 Step-By-Step Taste Testing Vegetables and Fruits  \n7 Tools  \n7 Notes  \n7 Further Reading  \nIntroduction  \nTHE PRESCHOOL YEARS are a time when children begin to develop their own taste preferences and model adult habits and behaviors. A simple method for sharing new foods and flavors with young children is the taste test. Taste testing in childcare centers, preschools, or Head Start centers helps young children develop healthy eating patterns and become more open to trying new foods. With planning, children can benefit from family-style taste-testing activities that introduce them to vegetables and fruits in a fun and engaging way. Not only do children try unfamiliar foods, but repeated food exposures encourage positive interactions that have long-lasting effects.  \nChildren, ages 3–8 years old, have different caloric and nutritional needs based on their age, growth patterns, development, and physical activity. But obesity puts all children at high risk for developing preventable health problems like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. How does the Gem State fare in these child health statistics? In Idaho, 11. 3% of children in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program and 12.1% of youth aged 10–17 are obese.1 The rate is higher among Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black children.  \nEarly positive actions that focus on healthy behaviors can encourage children and their families to make healthy choices. Emphasizing a nutrient-rich, well-balanced diet, high in vegetables and fruits, can contribute to healthy habits that extend into adulthood. Healthy food exposure in childcare facilities is linked with children’s greater willingness to try eating vegetables and fruits at school and at home. With 61% of children ages 3–5 years old enrolled in full-day preschool and childcare in the United States,2 sampling new foods in childcare centers is important for building lifelong healthy eating behaviors.  \nDid you know?  \n“Eating a rainbow” means eating vegetables and fruits that are green, red, orange, white, brown, blue, and purple. The colorpigments in fresh vegetables and fruits are linked to healthy benefits.  \nHow Childcare Providers Can Use This Publication  \nBecause Building Healthy Eating Habits introduces best strategies to familiarize young children with vegetables and fruits, early childcare providers can use this publication as a “how-to” for organizing taste-testing activities in their centers. The included, printable Taste-Test Worksheet and tools provide a simple step-by-step approach for taste testing with young children.  \nProviders may also find it helpful that the guidelines for family-style taste testing in this bulletin align with  \n• IdahoSTARS QRIS Steps to Quality: Strategies for Nutrition and Active Play (2020)  \n» At least one staff sits at tables with the children for MOST of the mealtime.  \n• Idaho Early Learning Guidelines » Domain 2 Physical Well-Being, Health  \nand Motor Development, Nutrition and Feeding Goal 24: Children eat a variety of nutritious foods.  \n» Domain 4 General Knowledge, Science Goal 42: Children observe, describe, and collect information by exploring the world around them.  \n» Domain 5 Communication, Language, and Literacy, Subdomain Literacy, Goal 59:  \nChildren demonstrate comprehension of printed materials and oral stories.  \n• Idaho Building Blocks for Out-of-School Time Quality, Building Block Standards » Youth Safety and Wellness, Section C:  \nProgram promotes positive health, nutrition, and safety.  \n• Healthy Kids Healthy Futures Goal » Improve Food Choices: A fruit or vegetable","cbCaisqwoAJzo1DP","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaisqwoAJzo1DP","pdf",376513,1,11,"English","en",105,"# Introduction\n# Taste Tests\n## Abilities of Young Children (3–5 years old)\n## Step-By-Step Taste Testing Vegetables and Fruits\n# Tools\n# Notes\n# Further Reading","[{\"question\":\"What is the purpose of taste testing in early childcare centers?\",\"answer\":\"Taste testing helps young children develop healthy eating patterns and become more willing to try new vegetables and fruits through repeated, engaging exposures.\"},{\"question\":\"Which age group does the taste-testing approach target?\",\"answer\":\"The document focuses on young children, with specific attention to ages 3–5 for abilities and age-appropriate taste testing, and it also references children ages 3–8 in general context.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the publication guide childcare providers to run taste testing?\",\"answer\":\"It provides planning guidance and a step-by-step approach, including a printable Taste-Test Worksheet and tools for organizing family-style taste-testing activities in centers.\"}]","BUL 1006 - Building Healthy Eating Habits through Taste Testing in Early Childcare Centers | PDF",1787573339,28,{"code":4,"msg":31,"data":32},"ok",{"site_id":24,"language":23,"slug":33,"title":13,"keywords":34,"description":14,"schema_data":35,"social_meta":87,"head_meta":89,"extra_data":91,"updated_unix":28},"bul-1006-building-healthy-eating-habits-through-taste-testing-in-early-childcare-centers","",{"@graph":36,"@context":86},[37,54,69],{"@type":38,"itemListElement":39},"BreadcrumbList",[40,44,48,51],{"item":41,"name":42,"@type":43,"position":20},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":45,"name":46,"@type":43,"position":47},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":49,"name":12,"@type":43,"position":50},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/",3,{"item":52,"name":13,"@type":43,"position":53},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/bul-1006-building-healthy-eating-habits-through-taste-testing-in-early-childcare-centers/140327/",4,{"url":52,"name":13,"@type":55,"author":56,"headline":13,"publisher":58,"fileFormat":61,"inLanguage":23,"description":14,"dateModified":62,"datePublished":63,"encodingFormat":61,"isAccessibleForFree":64,"interactionStatistic":65},"DigitalDocument",{"name":9,"@type":57},"Person",{"url":41,"name":59,"@type":60},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-08-26","2026-08-24",true,{"@type":66,"interactionType":67,"userInteractionCount":20},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":68},"ViewAction",{"@type":70,"mainEntity":71},"FAQPage",[72,78,82],{"name":73,"@type":74,"acceptedAnswer":75},"What is the purpose of taste testing in early childcare centers?","Question",{"text":76,"@type":77},"Taste testing helps young children develop healthy eating patterns and become more willing to try new vegetables and fruits through repeated, engaging exposures.","Answer",{"name":79,"@type":74,"acceptedAnswer":80},"Which age group does the taste-testing approach target?",{"text":81,"@type":77},"The document focuses on young children, with specific attention to ages 3–5 for abilities and age-appropriate taste testing, and it also references children ages 3–8 in general context.",{"name":83,"@type":74,"acceptedAnswer":84},"How does the publication guide childcare providers to run taste testing?",{"text":85,"@type":77},"It provides planning guidance and a step-by-step approach, including a printable Taste-Test Worksheet and tools for organizing family-style taste-testing activities in centers.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":52,"og:type":88,"og:title":13,"og:site_name":59,"og:description":14},"article",{"robots":90,"canonical":52},"index,follow",{"doc_id":7,"site_id":24},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":93},[94,98,102,106,111,116,119,124,129,132,136],{"id":20,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":95,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":97},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":47,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":99,"show_sort_weight":100,"slug":101},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":53,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":103,"show_sort_weight":104,"slug":105},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":107,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":108,"show_sort_weight":109,"slug":110},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":112,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":113,"show_sort_weight":114,"slug":115},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":11,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":12,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},40,"healthcare",{"id":120,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":121,"show_sort_weight":122,"slug":123},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":125,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":126,"show_sort_weight":127,"slug":128},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":130,"show_sort_weight":127,"slug":131},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":133,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":134,"show_sort_weight":133,"slug":135},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":137,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":138,"show_sort_weight":107,"slug":139},19,"General","general"]