By: Jack Bodle, Nutrition Specialist
At Starfish Family Services, our Nutrition Specialists play a crucial role in ensuring the children in our care receive the nourishment they need to thrive. Working alongside our dedicated food service team, they carefully source ingredients, prepare nutritious meals, and distribute them daily to over 800 children. However, their impact goes far beyond serving meals.
Supporting Every Child’s Unique Needs
Nutrition Specialists at Starfish accommodate both medical and non-medical dietary needs, including allergies, intolerances, and religious or cultural food preferences. They develop menus aligned with USDA guidelines, closely monitor children’s growth and development, and ensure that food safety remains a top priority. This commitment means every child has access to balanced meals that meet their specific needs.
The Power of Family-Style Dining
At Starfish, mealtime is about more than just eating. Our Family-Style Dining approach creates a warm, inclusive environment where children and teachers sit together, share food, and engage in conversation. This experience encourages autonomy, fosters social skills, and promotes mindful eating habits. Research has shown that positive eating environments like these are linked to lower rates of obesity and chronic illnesses.
Nutrition Beyond the Classroom
Recognizing that healthy habits start at home, our Nutrition Specialists support families through nutrition education. From parent meetings and support groups to health fairs and hands-on cooking classes, we provide families with practical tools and knowledge. Topics include maximizing SNAP and WIC benefits, managing selective eating behaviors, and preparing quick, nutritious meals.
We’re thrilled to partner with Gleaners Community Food Bank to offer “Cooking Matters” courses this spring and summer. These interactive classes will teach families how to prepare affordable, healthy meals while shopping in a mock grocery store environment. Participants even take home groceries to recreate the recipes at home!
Addressing Food Insecurity
Food insecurity is a challenge faced by many families, including 30-60% of those participating in the National Head Start Program. At Starfish, we respond through strengthened partnerships with organizations like Gleaners and Forgotten Harvest. Through initiatives like our monthly Gleaners Food Drive at the Covenant House, we connect families to essential resources and provide direct access to nutritious food.
Additionally, our Nutrition Specialists collaborate with community organizations in Health Services Advisory Committee (HSAC) meetings to explore effective strategies to combat food insecurity and promote long-term health.
Growing Together: The Garden Grant Initiative
This year, we’re taking a fresh approach to hands-on learning with the resurrection of our on-site gardens. Thanks to the 2024-2025 Grow More Good Garden Grant, sponsored by the National Head Start Association, Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation, and KidsGardening, we’re excited to install two new garden beds at our Livonia Early Childhood Education Center this spring. Children have already started growing seeds in their classrooms, eagerly anticipating the opportunity to nurture their plants outdoors.
Gardening provides an excellent opportunity for children to explore where food comes from, develop responsibility, and enjoy the natural world. We believe that by connecting children to the growing process, we can inspire a lifelong appreciation for nutritious foods.
Honoring Families First
At Starfish Family Services, we are committed to building a foundation of health and well-being for every child and family we serve. Our holistic approach to nutrition ensures that children are supported in the classroom, at home, and within their communities. Together, we’re growing healthier futures, one meal and one seed at a time.