Nutrition and Health Education

Below, you will find materials that can be used for North Carolina families participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). For many of these resources, there are both English and Spanish versions.

Tab/Accordion Items

Meal Planning

Weekly Meals | Comidas Semanales: a weekly meal planner to help save time, money, and prevent waste.
Healthy Breakfasts | Desayunos Saludables: starting the day well.
Healthy Lunches | Almuerzos Saludables: build and pack a balanced lunch.
Healthy Snacks | Refrigerios Saludables: benefits of and ideas for balanced snacks.
Food Groups | Grupos Alimenticios: differences between groups and benefits of eating a variety of foods.

Grocery Shopping and Food Preparation

Healthy Drinks | Bebidas Saludables: Families learn about smart drink choices.
Kids in the Kitchen | Minos en la Cocina: engaging young children food preparation.
Food Safety | Seguridad de Alimentos: shop, store, prepare, and cook foods safely.

Oral Health

Teething | Denticion: Families learn the signs of teething and how to make baby feel better.
The First Set | Primera Dentadura: Families learn the importance and recommendations for caring for baby teeth.

Take Care of Yourself Booklet | Cuide su salud en 7 pasos: being active daily, eating healthy and taking a multivitamin with folic acid.*
Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy | Consejos para un embarazo saludable: prenatal care, eating healthy, managing weight gain, pregnancy discomforts, staying active, keeping baby safe, and breastfeeding.*
Eating for Two | Comiendo Por Dos: tips and recommendations for prenatal weight gain based on pre-pregnancy weight.
Your Body, Your Mind: Caring for Yourself after Pregnancy Loss | Tu Cuerpo, Tu Mente: Cuidándote a ti misma después de la pérdida de un bebé: For women whose pregnancy did not result in an infant to take home from the hospital. The brochure covers nutrition, physical activity, breastmilk donation, suppressing lactation, emotional health, when to seek professional help, and a list of national resources.

*meets 4 of the 5 required WIC education topics.

Considering Breastfeeding? | ¿Considerando la lactancia materna?: Caregivers learn important information to consider when interested in or considering breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding and WIC: WIC Makes a Healthy Difference | Amamantar y WIC: ¡WIC hace una diferencia en la salud!: healthy food and breastfeeding support from WIC.
Making a Difference for WIC Families | Haciendo la diferencia para las familias del programa: Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program
Making More Milk | ¿Estoy Haciendo Suficiente Leche?: signs of adequate milk production and tips for making more milk if needed.
USDA WIC Breastfeeding Support

Protecting from Choking and Lead Poisoning

Reduce the Risk of Choking in Young Children | Reduzca el riesgo de atragantamiento de los niños pequeños en las comidas: tips on preparing foods and avoiding choking hazards for young children.
Lead Poisoning Prevention: How to Keep Your Family Safe | Prevención del envenenamiento por plomo: Cómo mantener a su familia Segura: sources of lead, harmful effects, and strategies to prevent lead poisoning

Infant Nutrition

Bringing Baby Home | Bienvenido a casa bebé: feeding newborns, understanding their feeding cues, and finding ways to soothe them.
How to Prepare Formula for Your Baby | Cómo preparer fórmula para su bebé: appropriate techniques for preparing infant formula.
Weaning from a Bottle to a Cup I Pasar del biberón al vas: benefits of and tips for teaching a baby to drink from a cup.
Development of Infant Feeding Skills | El desarrollo de las destrezas de alimentación infantile: appropriate foods for infants based on age and feeding skills.
Starting Solid Foods | Incorporar alimentos sólidos: baby's signs of readiness for starting solid foods.
Let’s Eat | A comer: appropriate foods based on infant age and feeding skills.
Out and About | De paseo: going out with a baby, returning to work or school, and choosing childcare.

Help Me Be Healthy | ¡Ayúdame a estar saludable!

From birth to 1 year old:

Birth to 6 months | De 0 a 6 meses: signs of hunger and fullness and feeding frequency based on age.
6 to 12 months | De 6 a 12 meses: introducing solid foods, choosing healthy foods, and drinking from a cup.

From 1 to 5 years old: food groups, meal and snack ideas, skill development, health and safety, and physical activity:

1 to 1½ years |  1 a 1½ Años – includes tips for feeding toddlers
1½ to 2 years | 1½ a 2 Años – has ways to introduce new foods
2 to 2½ years | 2 a 2½ Años – with tips for setting limits
2½ to 3 years |  2½ a 3 Años - highlights the importance of play
3 to 3½ years |  3 a 3½ Años – ideas to involve kids in meals
3½ to 4 years |  3½ a 4 Años – with tips for teaching children about food
4 to 4½ years |  4 a 4½ Años – featuring physical activity ideas
4½ to 5 years |  4½ a 5 Años – with encouraging words for kids

WIC Foods
- Value of WIC | El Valor de WIC: WIC benefits with examples of the WIC food package.
- WIC Meals of the Month: recipes focusing on specific nutrients and using foods in the WIC food packages.
- What Do I Do With My WIC Foods
- Shopping for Beans, Peas, and Lentils | Compra de frijoles, guisantes y lentejas: Tips for how to shop for these WIC foods
Resources for Recipes and Including WIC Foods
- MyPlate Kitchen: searchable recipes in English and Spanish as well as cooking videos. Create an account to save recipes and create cookbooks.
- NC State Extension, Steps to Health: recipes organized by meal type.
- SNAP Recipes: healthy low-cost recipes.
- Meal Plan from WIChealth.org
- Health eKitchen: Log in to WICHealth.org to use this searchable library of healthy recipes that use WIC-approved foods.
WIC Recipes: recipes and nutrition information that focus on WIC foods.
Smart Bites by WIC: recipes with healthy meals for pregnancy.

Choosing Foods with Iron | Selección de alimentos con hierro: learn about the role of iron and ways to choose more foods with iron.

Sugar Swap: Reducing Added Sugars in Your Diet | Cambio de azúcar: Reducir el azúcar añadido en tu alimentación: Learn about ways to reduce added sugars in your everyday diet.

Sugar Swap: Reducing Added Sugar in Beverages | Cambio de azúcar: Reducir el azúcar añadido en las bebidas: Learn about ways to reduce added sugar in beverages.

Why and how to get enough of these nutrients:

Also in these languages:

Cooking Up Healthy Habits: A Guide to CACFP Meals: Childcare providers can use this great menu planning tool with four 2-week cycle menus and recipes.
Drinking Water: Providers learn about ways to increase water consumption in childcare.
Eating More Fruits and Veggies: Providers learn about easy ways to increase fruit and vegetable consumption in childcare.
Fruit and Veggie Quantity Cookbook: Childcare providers and families will enjoy these healthy recipes that provide at least one-half cup of fruits or vegetables in each portion.
Keep Children Active: Providers learn about keeping children physically active in childcare.
Physical Activity Standards for Child Care: learn about the physical activity standards for children in childcare.
Picky Eating: Providers learn about ways to assist picky eaters in childcare.
Rewarding Children: Providers learn about appropriate ways to reward children.

Off

Mini Lessons

Pregnancy: Before, During, and After

Breastfeeding

From Birth to 5 Years old

WIC Foods and Recipes

Getting Enough Nutrients

Why and how to get enough of these nutrients:

Also in these languages:

State and National Organizations

Nutrition and Health Education for Childcare Providers