Local program honored for nutritious meals for kids - KOAM TV 7

Local program honored for nutritious meals for kids

A local child care center is recognized for it's efforts in helping kids eat healthy.

A recognition ceremony honored Economic Security Head Start of Joplin today for achieving the advanced level of the state's Eat Smart guidelines.

Head Start has developed meals that give kids more whole grains, fruits and vegetables and less processed foods and fewer sweets.

Advanced is the highest of the three Eat Smart guideline levels.

Those levels were established by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

The local Head Start says it just wanted to pick the right level of it's kids.

"They encourage talk about nutrition and different food items, and from what the folks here said, the kiddos are actually teaching and training their parents on how to shop and get the food that makes their bodies grow better," says Sherry Cliffton, a nutritionist with the Child & Adult Food Program.

Economic Security serves at 16 sites in Jasper, McDonald, Newton and Barton counties.