Ledge Light Health District

Encouraging Healthful Eating: What’s a Parent to Do?

(Consult with a physician or registered dietitian about specific nutritional concerns.)

With physical activity levels decreasing and intake of food increasing, children are packing on the pounds. Foods filled with sugar, fat, and refined grains line supermarket shelves. Fast food menus are loaded with saturated fat and calories. And some schools provide vending machines that tempt students with non-nutritious foods.

What can parents do to help their children make healthier food choices? The American Dietetic Association offers these helpful tips:

Be a good role model. When children see you enjoying healthy foods, they are more likely to try them as well.
Serve fruits and vegetables daily. Add a variety that they might never have tried: papaya, kiwi, and mango for example. Add vegetables to casseroles and sauces.
Schedule snack times in order to space out snacks through the day (see “Super Snacks for Kids” below).
Children enjoy eating foods that they help to prepare so involve them in meal preparation.
Do not eat while seated in front of the television.
Try new foods.
Let children stop eating when they say they are full; this helps them recognize hunger and fullness cues and learn to not overeat.
Enjoy mealtimes together. Avoid arguing and complaining at the table. Keep meal time as stress free as possible so that everyone enjoys what they are eating.

Portion Distortion: More is Not Always Better

Another reason for expanding waistlines is portion distortion. Twenty years ago, portion sizes were much smaller than they are today. For a startling view into just how large portions have become, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute’s website shows the difference in size and calories between common foods available 20 years ago and those served today (http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/portion/index.htm).

To stay at a healthy weight, carefully watch your portion sizes especially when eating out at restaurants, which often serve extra large portions of food. The American Diabetes Association has some tips to help you and your children understand portion sizes.

A ½ cup serving of vegetables, canned fruits or potatoes is the size of half a tennis ball.
A serving of meat, chicken or fish is about the size of a pack of playing cards or is the size of the palm of your hand.
One-ounce serving of cheese equals the size of your thumb.
One-cup serving of milk, yogurt or greens is the size of your fist.
A teaspoon of oil is about the size of your thumb tip.

Super Snacks for Kids

Here are some healthful suggestions for in-between meals and after school snacks:

Mix cereal, dried fruits, and nuts.
Spread peanut butter on apple slices.
Put cubes of low-fat cheese and grapes on pretzel sticks.
Eat fruit – fresh, frozen, canned, or dried.
Dip a peeled banana in yogurt, roll in crushed cereal, and freeze.
Top celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins.
Dip graham crackers in applesauce.
Try pita chips with hummus.
Sprinkle parmesan cheese on hot popcorn.
Top a whole grain waffle with low-fat yogurt and sliced fruit.
Make a smoothie with low-fat milk, frozen strawberries, and banana.
Mix peanut butter and cornflakes in a bowl, form into balls, and roll in crushed graham crackers.
Dip baked tortilla chips in low-fat bean dip.
Toast a whole-grain English muffin, top with pizza sauce and low-fat cheese.
Stuff a whole grain pita pocket with low-fat ricotta cheese and sliced apples.
Dip bread sticks in salsa.
Drink water instead of fruit juices.

Helpful Resources

For more nutrition information, please refer to the following websites.

(Inclusion of any website link or resource accessed through a link does not imply endorsement by Ledge Light Health District. Seek the advice of a health care provider before you act or rely on any information from these resources.)

Healthy Living

Helpful Resources