Who – Parents Take Charge!
Children, even teens, need guidance and supervision to develop healthful eating habits.
You’re the parent --- Be the Parent! Set an example. Plan your family’s meals. Shop Smart!
What – Wholesome, Natural Home-Cooked Food
in amounts that meet each person’s caloric and nutritional needs.
Click here for websites that provide great information to help you learn about good nutrition.
When – Regular Meal times – No Snacking or Grazing!
School age children should eat 3-4 meals each day – breakfast, lunch, after-school snack, dinner.
Have a regular bedtime so that kids can wake up in time to eat breakfast!.
Drink only water between meals. You’d be amazed at the amount of calories consumed in Gatorade and even fruit juice – let’s not even talk about soda or Kool-Aid!
Remember – you can say “No, you’re not starving. Wait until dinner. Drink some water and go play.”
Where – At Home & at the Dinner Table
Eat at home as much as possible. And eat at the dinner table – not in front of the TV!
Not only for good nutrition but for good family relationships. The biggest factor in helping kids make good decisions about drugs and alcohol is regular family meals.
Why – for a longer, healthier, happier life
Healthy eating habits will help your children look and feel better.
They will sleep better. They will be less susceptible to illness.
They will do better in school. They will handle life’s stresses better.
How – Stop, Look, & Think
What are your family’s current eating habits and activity levels?
What should you change? What can you change?
Choose 1-2 habits to change each week, or every two weeks, or every month – just start making changes! If you change too much, too fast, your family will rebel; so make changes slowly.
It does take time and effort to eat healthfully ! Our fast-paced lives encourage poor eating habits. We “eat on the run”, skip meals, and use convenience foods or fast foods. We eat out way too often and we expect huge servings. We allow our children to help themselves to food in the cupboard rather than prepare them a snack. We seldom have family meals and we tend to eat in front of the TV. Take the time to think about how you can help your family eat and live healthfully.
Remember - The food industry is not interested in your child’s health ! TV ads and food packaging are designed to tempt you to eat. Just because a food package claims it is healthy or nutritious does not mean it truly is.
Learn to read the labels for serving size, calorie content, amount of protein, fat, carbohydrate, and the ingredients . Watch for hidden sugars – corn syrup, corn starch, fructose, sucrose, wheat starch, dextrose, etc. Most “low in fat” foods are high in sugar. A package that says “Made with real fruit juice” does not necessarily mean it is 100% fruit juice! Or one that says “Made with whole grains” does not mean it is high in fiber or made with enough whole grains.
Cook with your child! A great way to familiarize your child with good food choices is to encourage him/her to cook with you. Involve your child with the entire process, from planning the menus to shopping for ingredients to the actual food preparation and its serving. What child does not like to make cookies!! Experiment with more healthy versions – not just sugar or chocolate chip cookies – try peanut butter, oatmeal/raisin, etc.
Learn about good nutrition
- www.MyPyramid.gov Calorie and food group needs by age and activity level - and a whole lot more! When you go to this website, click on MyPyramid Plan on the left side under “Subjects”. It will then ask for your age, gender, weight, height, and activity level. When you submit that, it will not only give you how many calories you need each day, but also how much of each food group you need to eat for a well-balanced diet. Plus, it gives you helpful hints on healthy eating and exercise habits, as well as ways to track how you’re doing.
- www.fitandhealthykids.com - A website by University of Nevada, Reno, that offers resources to help you and your family eat right, get in shape, manage stress, learn parenting skills for How to Parent a Healthy Kid and much more.
- www.bam.gov. Designed for kids 9-13 years old, BAM! Body and Mind gives them the information they need to make healthy lifestyle choices.
- www.fns.usda.gov Eat Smart. Play Hard. Healthy Lifestyle. Information for parents to help you eat better, be more physically active and be a role model for your kids.
- www.aap.org/healthtopics/nutrition.cfm or 866-843-2271 - to order the American Academy of Pediatrics’ book: Guide to Your Child’s Nutrition - The Official, Complete Home Reference
