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CHILD HEALTHY DIET A child's diet is important to their physical and mental growth. The diet of a child also affects their behavior, emotions, and sleeping patterns. Here are some guidelines for a child healthy diet: Fruit - Children should eat 2 or 3 pieces of fruit every day. Only 1 of these fruits should come from juice. Vegetables - Vegetables are typically more difficult to get a child to eat, especially as they get older. Try these tips to get your child to eat 2 to 3 servings of vegetables per day. Provide a vegetable dip such as peanut butter, ranch dressing, lowfat sour cream, yogurt, or a cheese sauce for the child to dip their raw vegetables into. Offer frozen peas for a crunchy vegetable snack. Melt American or cheddar cheese over vegetables or sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Provide a salad with the meal. Top with cut up tomatoes, fresh broccoli, or cucumber. Make a vegetable soup for dinner. Offer a glass of vegetable juice with a meal. Whole Grains and Fiber - Buy or make whole grain breads, rolls, pasta, cereal, and crackers. Dairy - Children should eat 4 servings of dairy each day. This includes dairy from milk, yogurt, cheeses, and ice cream. Blend a fruit smoothie with plain or flavored yogurt then add the fruit of your choice. Strain and drink through a straw. 3 Rules for a Great Smile 1. Limit your sweet snacks to 1 per day 2. Brush your teeth at least 2 times per day. The best times to brush are after breakfast and before bedtime 3. Visit your dentist at least 2 times per year. Healthy Travel Snacks Preparing a healthy snack when the family is traveling will help keep everyone happy and feeling well. Whether you are planning a trip to the doctor's office or a long car ride to spend the holidays with family, plan ahead and pack a healthy snack. Kids begin to feel hungry when they are bored or have periods of time with inactivity. There are a few tips to preparing a snack that provides your family healthy and happy. Stay away from foods that will easily spoil. Foods from the refrigerator should be kept cold in a cooler or with an ice pack. If this is not possible the food should be eaten within 2 to 4 hours of being taken out. Pick fruits and vegetables that can be cut up into bit size pieces to avoid a choking hazard. Suggested fruits and veggies are watermelon, honeydew, apples, oranges, celery, and carrots. Popcorn (unbuttered and unsalted) and mini pretzels can be packaged into individual serving sizes and distributed to the kids easily in the car or on a plane. Avoid prepackaged snacks such as fruit snacks, cookies, or the variety of little cracker snacks that are available in the convenience aisles. These are an expensive snack alternative and high in sugar and fat content. Offer a snack dip such as a yogurt or low-fat dressing to make the fruit or vegetable more appealing to the particular child.Finally, remember to bring plenty of water to keep the kids hydrated. Be prepared for multiply bathroom stops on a long trip, but the health benefit of teaching your child to choose healthy snacks and drinks will be worth taking a few extra minutes at the rest stop along your travel route. Remember to disinfect often used items in the home. When someone has a cold or flu in the house, the following should be disinfected one to two times per day: light switches, phones, doorknobs, remote controls, kitchen appliance handles (the fridge and microwave) and lids to garbage containers. Do not share straws, glasses, utentils, or soda cans especially when someone in the family has a cold. Wash hands frequently with warm water and soap. I have often heard that teaching your children to sing the Happy Birthday song through twice while washing is the perfect amount of time to get rid of germs (approximately 30 seconds). Get the Family Moving Take a bicycle ride or a hike Walk the dog together as a family Walk to the park Play a game in the backyard (soccer, badminton, croquet, or football) Take the stairs Walk to and from school Walk to visit a friend Wash the dog outside together on a nice day Wash the car together Rake leaves in the fall Jump rope, hula hoop, or dance to music together as a family or have a competition Use a pedometer to count the steps in a walk or hike Limit T.V. viewing time especially right after school while it is still light outside. Choose programs that the family wants to watch at the beginning of each week and stick to that viewing ONLY Play a board game indoors Play a game such as Dance, Dance Revolution or Guitar Hero together as a family Enroll your child in an organized sport such as soccer, baseball, or tennis. Invite a friend to come over a play a game outside with the family or your child Plan a banana split or fruit smoothie treat after a day outside together as a family. The contents of this site are intended for parents, grandparents, and other family members who want to spend more time with their children and make memories that last a lifetime. Starting a family fun night and other traditions is simple. It just takes a little organization, ingenuity, and a heart willing to have fun!
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