The results will be relevant to nutritionists in the development of effective resources and training for childcare centre menu planners.

Well-designed menus in child care centres include nutritious meals and snacks necessary for the optimum health, growth, and lifelong healthy eating behaviours of young children. With pending government food and nutrition standards, a need was identified for comprehensive, relevant, user-friendly menu planning resources. Therefore, guided by an action research model, this study identified current menu planning practices, determined the needs and expectations for menu planning resources, and developed menu planning resources that incorporate these standards and other relevant factors. Menu planners from regulated child care centres in Nova Scotia (n=330) were invited to participate by responding to an online survey and/or volunteering as a member of a collaboration group. Survey respondents (n=83) indicated that they wanted their menus to be more interesting, practical, and cost effective. Menu templates, sample menus, and costed recipes were the most requested resources. Two-thirds indicated a preference for webbased resources and about one-third expressed interest in an interactive blog. The collaboration group participants (n=21) met twice and provided valuable input for the development of a menu planning model, menu template, sample menus, recipes, and information sheets. The model unified the menu planning considerations and served as a framework for the Child Care Centre Menu Project website (http://www.msvu.ca/menuproject/). The follow-up evaluation indicated that approximately half of respondents (n=39) had consulted the website and that the sample menus were the most useful resource. The website, blog, and online survey enable ongoing development supported by input from the menu planners. The resources should be transferable, with minor adaptations, to other provincial child care centres, elementary schools, or even licensed senior care facilities.

Purpose: To describe the energy (E), sodium, saturated fat, sugar, and fibre intakes of a sample of children attending regulated childcare (RCC) in Nova Scotia. Methods: Nutrient analyses from 79 food records were compiled and grouped by intakes in and outside of RCC, age, sex, location of the RCC (urban or rural), and nutrient intake data. Descriptive statistics and independent t tests were conducted. Results: Mean E and macronutrients were within recommended ranges and, for days attending RCC, 45%E was consumed in RCC. Saturated fat intake was 12%E on average. Mean sodium intake exceeded or approached the tolerable upper limit for 3-year olds (1726 mg/day) and 4–5-year olds (1770 mg/day), respectively. Total sugar was 27%E intake and significantly more sugar was consumed outside RCC and by boys compared to girls. Mean daily dietary fibre intake was below recommended levels (15 g/day). Conclusions: On average dietary intakes of children exceeded recommendations for sodium, saturated fat, and sugar with higher intakes outside RCC. The foods provided by RCC have a positive influence on children’s intakes, but given the pervasiveness of sugar and sodium in the food environment and the challenges of feeding children, support is needed for both RCC and families to encourage healthy eating behaviours for positive growth and development.

Given the current climate of accountability, teachers must collaborate across disciplines to meet the diverse needs of students. Few, however, are prepared to collaborate in school settings upon completing teacher preparation programs. In this article, a participatory action research study undertaken by teacher educators who approached the lack of cross-disciplinary collaborations in two teacher preparation programs by developing and implementing a co-taught course on collaboration for general and special education teachers is presented. The described process was informed by interviews, observations, and analysis of course materials. Results contribute to the development of a framework for educator collaborations in higher education.

Photo elicitation was determined to be an effective technique to engage participants. Despite many supports, members of the university community still found it difficult to follow healthy eating and active lifestyle behaviours; however, a number of practical future supports were identified. This study also provided valuable insight into the role that dietitians can play in the development of successful wellness programs.