Thanks to You...
Many of our programs wouldn't be possible without great community partners like...
The Wells Fargo Foundation
A $5,000 grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation supported "A.M.A.Z.E.D. Kids" - LVCC's summer Allentown Art Museum and Lehigh Valley Zoo discovery program that benefited more than 195 school-age children. Marla Walczak and Patty Scheirer of Wells Fargo Bank visited LVCC's South Mountain to present the check to our children and staff. |
Healthy Living Menu
for Special Events
LVCC's Central Food Service Department (CFS) has designed low fat, low sodium, and low sugar snack options that you can order for your child's birthday or special event. CFS delivers the delicious treats to your child's center with the daily lunch runs. Choices include the following:
- Low fat carrot cupcakes
- Vegan low fat chocolate applesauce cupcakes
- Low fat banana cupcakes
- Fresh fruit trays
- Fresh vegetable trays
The cupcakes also come in cute train shapes.
Click here to download the special event brochure.
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Give Lehigh Valley Children the Highest Quality Early Education Available
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Nutrition Education for Healthy Minds & Bodies |
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Recently recognized by the Allentown Board of Health for adopting nutrition and physical activity policies as part of the Healthy Kids - Healthy Allentown initiative, Lehigh Valley Children's Centers (LVCC) is committed to promoting the wellness of children. While parents have the greatest influence on children's eating habits, other caregivers also have an important role to play. That's why LVCC serves nutritious meals and snacks, teaches children about healthy eating, and gets them moving and playing every day.
LVCC has improved our meals and snacks:
- We offer a variety of healthier options at snack time - fruits, vegetables and low fat dip, cheese sticks, and whole grain cereal bars.
- We increased fresh foods and reduced processed foods on our menus.
- We serve water, 100% fruit juice, and milk (1% low fat or nonfat for children over two years), eliminating sugary beverages.
In addition, LVCC continues to promote physical fitness, including:
- 60 minutes of physical activity per day (preferably outside play, weather dependent).
- No screen time (electronic games, computer, video) for children less than three years of age and strictly limited use for older children.
LVCC teachers understand the positive impact of educating young children about their health. They incorporate nutrition into their lesson plans at every age. |
Toddlers 
Daily conversations about the color and taste of different foods introduce proper nutrition.
During snack time, Dawn Herbst, head teacher of older toddlers at LVCC at Stones Crossing, asks her class questions. "Today we are having green beans," announces Dawn. "What other foods are green?" Through this process, young children begin to associate shapes and colors to fruits and vegetables.
When asked why nutrition matters to a toddler, Dawn explains, "Using comprehensible things like food is one way that toddlers learn about their own bodies and the world around them." |
 Preschool
Deann Kahler, head teacher of older preschool at LVCC's Judith Chase Early Learning Center, uses the many interests of her preschoolers in promoting nutrition education.
Among the many books included in the class's library, a favorite is "Eating the Alphabet" by Lois Ehlert. After reading the book, the children conduct a food taste test using vegetables described in the book. They then make a graph and take turns listing which vegetables they like or dislike.
Deann states, "Nutrition can be merged with other areas of study - science when we learn how vegetables grow in a plant's lifecycle; math when we total our 'likes' and 'dislikes' on the graph; and social and emotional development because the children learn sharing skills when taking turns." |
 School-Age
"Cooking and eating are always favorite activities among the school-age children," comments Pam Schaffer, center director of LVCC at Western Salisbury School.
Giving the class the opportunity to play chef, she introduces high fiber ethnic foods from places around the world. The class talks about the people, culture, and lifestyle. After making fruit salad, the children play popular games from Africa. For Mexico, they read a book about the agriculture and make guacamole or salsa. The children help cut up the fruits and vegetables, then measure and mix the ingredients.
Pam adds, "They like to eat more than cook." |
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