Early Care and Education Professionals' Perspectives on Mealtime in the US and Taiwan

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Early Care and Education Professionals' Perspectives on Mealtime in the US and Taiwan
Language: English
Authors: Ling-Ling Tsao (ORCID 0000-0002-0893-3425), Yu-Ching Yeh (ORCID 0000-0002-9530-6226), Hsin-Hui Lin (ORCID 0000-0001-9743-7935)
Source: Early Years: An International Journal of Research and Development. 2025 45(3-4):502-515.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 14
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Teachers, Teacher Attitudes, Lunch Programs, Dining Facilities, Food Service, Nutrition, Child Care Centers, Federal Programs, Low Income Students, Social Services, Child Behavior, Eating Habits
Geographic Terms: United States, Taiwan
Laws, Policies and Program Identifiers: Head Start
DOI: 10.1080/09575146.2024.2373369
ISSN: 0957-5146
1472-4421
Abstract: Many children today are in full-time early care and education settings; they may obtain one-half to two-thirds of daily nutrient needs during their time at the centers. Because of that, early care and education professionals can play a key role not only to offer nutritious food but also to help children establish healthy eating habits. The purpose of this study was to explore 344 early care and education (ECE) professionals' perspectives on feeding young children during mealtimes at center-based programs in the US and Taiwan. The results found both groups of professionals think it is important for children to have appropriate serving utensils for the food being offered, and menu planning is based on a nutritionally sound meal pattern. However, there are a few different perspectives between the US and Taiwan including whether children should be required to eat all the food on their plates and whether children should be quiet during mealtime. A list of recommended practices is provided for ECE professionals who feed young children with diverse backgrounds at mealtimes.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1486760
Database: ERIC
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