Healthy Families
Although adults usually decide
what kids eat, we all know that kids eat what is available. Therefore,
surrounding them with healthier options leaves them no choice but to eat better
food.
Set the Family Up for Success
Small changes in five key areas
can make a huge difference and add up to real results: eat more fruits and
vegetables, consume less sugar and fat, eat healthier snacks, watch portion
size, and eat together as a family. For more details go to the Parish Nurse
Blog on oslc.com under “links and resources”
Fruits & Vegetables
·
Kids
should eat five fruits and vegetables a day
·
Serve
fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables; they all count
·
Provide
fruit or carrot sticks as great snacks
·
Offer
100% juice, with no added sugar
·
Mix
vegetables into dishes, like adding peas to rice, or cucumbers to a sandwich
Healthy Choices to Reduce Fat and Sugar
·
Switch to
low or non-fat milk, yogurt and cheese
·
Choose
lean cuts of meat like skinless chicken or extra lean ground beef for
hamburgers or pasta sauces
·
Bake or
grill instead of fry
·
Substitute
olive or vegetable oil for butter
·
Substitute
water or low-fat milk for sodas or sweetened beverages
·
Drink
less soda or sugar-sweetened drinks
·
Switch to
lower sugar breakfast cereals
·
Switch
desserts like ice cream and cake for fruit based desserts
Snacks
·
Reduce
the number of snacks served each day
·
Leave a
bowl of fruit or carrot sticks on the kitchen table
·
Differentiate
between snacks that require permission (cookies), versus snacks that kids can
take freely (fresh or dried fruit)
·
Have kids
drink water at snack time
·
Save
"treats" for special occasions
Portion Size
·
Kids are
smaller than adults and should eat smaller portions
·
Use
smaller plates for kids
·
Don't
force kids to clean their plates if they are full
·
Portions
should be about the size of the back of a fist—a child’s fist for a child’s
portion
·
Start
with a small portion. Children can have seconds if they are still hungry
Eat Together
·
Family
meals focus on eating and enjoying food and each other
·
Eating
together is a chance to model good behavior
·
Regularly
scheduled meal and snack times help kids learn structure for eating
*This information was provided
from letsmove.gov
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