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Healthy Food Choices |
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After-School Snacks Round Out Nutrition When your kids run in the door after a day at school, a snack usually is the first thing on their minds. Be sure to encourage and offer your children healthy snack foods, which should include some carbohydrates and a little protein. For the greatest variety of nutrients, try to incorporate whole grains, fruits, vegetables or beans into your kids’ snack-eating plan. Some ideas include:
For more healthful children’s snack ideas as well as the most-reliable food and nutrition information, contact a dietetics professional.
Source: American Dietetic Association |
Breakfast Fuels Your Body Start your day off right with carbohydrates for energy and protein for sustained energy. Consider the following breakfast ideas:
Stay hydrated during the day by drinking a total of two cups of water, juice, coffee or tea at breakfast. Take a bottle of water along with you. Carry peanut butter crackers, dried fruit, or a cereal bar to nibble on in-between meals.
For lunch, refuel with more carbohydrates and protein and again, plenty of water. With a plan for fuel and hydration, you’ll be prepared for a good day of shopping.
Source: American Dietetic Association |
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Eat Healthy! Should you eat nothing but fruits and vegetables? No! Eat a variety of different foods, but stay away from the foods that are bad for you! Which are those? 1. Super-high sugar drinks (juices, non-diet sodas, sports drinks, and anything with sugar mixed in) 2. Super-high fat foods (chips and fries, chocolate, mayo and butter, any greasy stuff) These are the foods at the top of the food pyramid, which means: "Hardly ever eat these foods!" Source: www.Health-bytes.com |
The New Food Pyramid
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Kids Can Make Healthy Food, Too! Here is a website with great kids recipes, that are all dietitian approved!
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Family Mealtime Creates Healthier ChildrenSitting down to dinner is a concept that many families can’t seem to relate to anymore. Yet a new study says healthy adolescents may be the outcome of finding time for that evening meal. A recent report from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health found that teenagers consume more nutritious meals if they eat an evening meal with their parents. In addition, adolescents who eat more than three evening meals per week are significantly less likely to skip breakfast than those who eat fewer family meals. Those who eat six or seven family meals have a better intake of dairy foods and fruits and vegetables than those who eat three or fewer family evening meals. The report points to the positive effect of parents as role models for healthy eating. Finding time to enjoy a family meal, no matter how simple it might be, can help all families eat well and stay healthy. |
Food Choices for Kids: Not What They Use to Be……What They Should Be As the eating habits of adults continue to include high-calorie and high-fat foods, a new study says those same habits are the food choices of young children too. The study, funded by the Gerber Company, found that a significant number of infants and toddlers, ages 4 months to 2 years old, are eating pizza, French fries, candy and soda. The results of the survey may be a predictor of health problems for future generations. Other key findings from the study include:
The study points to the need for parents to add nutritious foods to your child’s eating plan—and your own—to help build healthy bodies and healthy eating habits. |
Nutrition Tips for ParentsIt is well known that obesity or being overweight is a growing epidemic among children, leading to increases in diabetes and other serious health effects. It is also well known what you have to do to lose weight, by eating less and exercising more. The problem is that it is hard to stay motivated to do these things. And if it is hard for adults, you can expect that it is even harder for kids, who don't necessarily understand the negative health effects of being overweight. Losing Weight Being a good role model is also important, starting when your kids are young. This can help the whole family to be healthy. If your child is already overweight, you will likely have to make some changes to his diet. But this isn't as hard as you think. It doesn't have to involve counting every calorie that he eats and drinks, which can be especially hard when your kids are eating at school. Instead, keep in mind that a pound is equal to about 3500 calories. So if your child is gaining an extra pound a week, he needs to cut his diet back by 3500 calories a week or 500 calories a day so that he doesn't gain any more weight. Fortunately, most kids don't need to make such drastic changes to their diet. Your overweight teen is likely just gaining an extra 10-15 pounds a year, which would be equal to just 100 to 150 calories a day, about equal to a can of non-diet soda. |
Diet AnalysisYou do need to understand your child's diet to help him lose weight. Some good questions to answer include:
After you look closely at your child's diet for a few days or a week, you should be able to see patterns of where the extra calories come from. Cutting back on calories might be as easy as eliminating a bedtime snack, changing to sugar-free drinks or skim milk, or not super-sizing his portions. ExerciseMore exercise and being more active is another good way to stop gaining and losing weight. Instead of thinking about how to diet to decrease the number of calories your child is taking in, you could also think about how much exercise he needs to do to burn those calories.
How can children burn 50 calories a day exercising?
Your children should be able to burn 50-100 calories a day in 30-60 minutes of regular activities that children enjoy, such as walking, roller blading, bicycling, or playing baseball, basketball or soccer.
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