Company Named a Finalist for Partnership for a Healthier America ‘Partner of the Year’ Award

PORTLAND, Ore. – May 19, 2016 – KinderCare Education knows that growth starts from the inside out. That’s why, as the nation’s leader in early childhood education, KinderCare has made the decision to remove juice and fried foods from the menus of more than 2,000 centers and sites across the country. KinderCare made this change in favor of emphasizing fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains.

“Our approach to nutrition is about more than simply feeding children – we aim to introduce children to a variety of foods, textures and delicious flavors, and to develop healthy eating habits for life,” said KinderCare Nutritionist Courtney Hines. “The changes we’ve made to our menus have the potential to positively impact the more than 160,000 children we serve across the country.”

These changes are part of KinderCare’s commitment to help children thrive academically, socially, emotionally and physically. As part of that commitment, KinderCare joined the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) nearly two years ago. Since joining PHA, KinderCare leaders decided to go above and beyond their commitments to PHA.

“Our goal is to help children develop healthy eating habits for life – it’s the right thing to do and, most importantly, it’s what parents want,” said Dr. Elanna Yalow, KinderCare Education Chief Academic Officer. “That’s why we work to continually improve the meal and snack options for the children in our centers. We even have a team of teachers and children in select centers who try new meals and provide us with feedback on a regular basis. Their input helps us develop more nutritious, tasty recipes and updates to our menus.”

KinderCare isn’t just leading by example when it comes to healthy eating. The company’s centers also serve meals and snacks family-style and emphasize physical activity. Teachers and staff at centers engage parents in meaningful conversations about the importance of nutrition and what their children learn each month. The curriculum also includes a section dedicated to healthy eating and physical activity.

“KinderCare is helping the next generation of kids get off on the right foot,” said PHA President Lawrence A. Soler. “Changes like these are vital to ensure all children are at a healthy weight, and we applaud KinderCare for their dedication. We’re also pleased to recognize KinderCare as one of the finalists for PHA’s inaugural Partner of the Year Award.”

At the PHA Summit, PHA will announce its first-ever Partner of the Year award. The award is presented to a partner who exemplifies positive change in the childhood obesity movement and is helping to make the healthy choice the easy choice.

About KinderCare Education®
At KinderCare Education, we believe that education creates brighter futures. We are passionate about creating a world of learning, joy, and adventure for more than 160,000 children every day. Our devoted family of education providers leads the nation in accreditation and includes KinderCare® Learning Centers, KinderCare Education at Work™, Champions® Before- and After-School Programs, Cambridge Schools™, Knowledge Beginnings® and The Grove School®. To learn more, visit us online at http://kc-education.com/.