Nutrition Services

Good nutrition is essential to a child’s health, development, and long-term success. Through our strong partnerships with the U.S Department of Agriculture Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and Head Start, we are committed to ensuring that every child receives the nourishing meals they need to grow up healthy, active, and ready to learn.

Additional  partnerships include the University of New Mexico, Child Health Initiative for Lifelong Eating and Exercise (CHILE) PLUS, a comprehensive evidence-based nutrition curriculum designed for preschool-age children and their families to improve the nutrition and physical activity behaviors through meals, lessons, and activities; and New Mexico State University Ideas for Cooking and Nutrition (ICAN) program which offers classes at our centers to assist families in making healthy food and lifestyle choices.

Our collaborative efforts support nutritious, well-balanced meals and snacks for children enrolled in our programs, aligning with federal and state guidelines to meet daily nutritional needs. These partnerships also allow us to promote healthy eating habits that respect the diverse cultures and traditions of New Mexico families.

YDI provides Head Start staff and families with a wide range of nutrition-focused resources, including:

• Guidance on age-appropriate nutrition and portion sizes to support children’s physical and cognitive development.
• Affordable, easy-to-prepare meal and snack ideas, emphasizing fresh, locally available ingredients.
• Family-friendly nutrition education workshops that promote lifelong healthy eating habits.
• Access to nutrition assistance programs such as WIC, SNAP, and local food pantries.

Through our partnership with CACFP, UNM-CHILI PLUS, AND NMSU-ICAN, YDI not only ensures that children receive healthy meals each day but also empowers families with the knowledge and tools to make informed food choices at home.