Tips for Healthy Eating

Breakfast – the most important meal of the day

·        Provide healthy foods that are fast and convenient: yogurt, cottage cheese, fruit, low fat whole grain bars, fresh fruit pieces.

·        Help your child get organized so they have time to eat breakfast.

·        Prepare breakfast the night before.

·        Offer foods on the run if your child is late: fruit, trail mix, whole grain breakfast bar.

More Fruits and Vegetables

·        Keep a variety of fruits and vegetables on hand at home.

·        Have cleaned and cut-up fruit and vegetables available and in sight in the refrigerator for snacking.

·        Purchase only 100% juice products.

·        Serve two or three vegetables with dinner.

·        Serve salads with a variety of vegetables and even fruit pieces.

·        Pack fruit or vegetables cut and ready to eat in your child’s backpack to eat at school.

·        Use plenty of vegetables in soups, casseroles, and sauces.

·        Be a role model for your child: eat more fruits and vegetables yourself.

·        Plant a garden.

Children Need Calcium

·        Serve low-fat or fat-free milk at every meal.

·        Flavor milk with a little strawberry or chocolate if necessary.

·        Cut up cheese cubes or have string cheese for snacking.

·        Keep yogurt or pudding made with low-fat or nonfat milk available.

·        Cook with low-fat dairy products in soups and casseroles.

·        Serve broccoli, collard greens, and turnip greens (all high in calcium).

Eat Healthy Together as a Family

·        Make grocery shopping and food preparation a family activity.

·        When having take-out, choose healthy foods.

·        When eating together, turn the TV off, do not answer the phone and spend time talking about your day.

Help Your Child to be More Active

·        Encourage active, spur-of-the-moment physical activity, such as dancing to music.

·        Limit the time your child watches television and plays computer games.

·        Give your child household chores, such as shoveling snow, raking leaves, or walking the dog.

·        Help your child find physical activities that are fun and not too difficult or embarrassing.

·        Use the stairs instead of taking an elevator, and walk instead of riding in a car whenever daily life allows.

·        Participate in physical activity together.