Healthy ways to bring up your child !!!

Tweet

Why is healthy eating important for a child? Many children are being diagnosed with high cholesterol, or as overweight or obese. These conditions can cause many health problems for your child, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. These conditions can affect your child now and later as an adult. By helping your child establish a healthy diet and regular exercise, you can reduce his or her risk of experiencing these health problems. How can I help the child eat right? Set an example for your child. If you prepare nutritious foods for your family and eat healthy foods yourself, your child will eat healthier, too. Make sure to provide a variety of foods, so your family gets all the vitamins and minerals their bodies need to function properly. What are some examples of healthy meals? Breakfast: The first meal of the day is a good time to give your child foods that are high in fiber. Whole-grain breads, cereals, fruit, low-fat or nonfat cheeses and yogurt are also good breakfast foods. Use skim or low-fat milk.  Fruit juice is usually high in calories and sugars and has fewer nutrients than whole fruit (fresh or canned). Lunch: Use whole-grain breads and rolls to make a healthier lunch. Whole grains increase the total fiber in your child's diet and are less processed than enriched white bread. Give your child whole-grain crackers with soups, chili and stew, and always serve fresh fruit (with the skin) with meals in place of chips or other high-calorie, low-nutrient options. What snacks are good for the child? Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low- or nonfat dairy also make good nutritious snacks for children. Here are some ideas for ways to serve these foods to your kids: Fruits: Small pieces of fruit stirred into nonfat yogurt Strawberries Raisins Grapes Pineapple chunks Orange or grapefruit sections Bananas cooked lightly in apple juice Apple slices with all natural peanut butter Dried fruit mixes Vegetables: Carrot sticks Celery sticks with all natural butter Raw broccoli and cauliflower florets with a low-fat dip or salsa Cherry tomatoes Protein: 1% fat or fat-free cottage cheese or ricotta cheese Water-packed tuna mixed with fat-free mayonnaise on top of celery sticks or whole-grain crackers Fat-free yogurt topped with sunflower seeds, chopped dried fruit or a spoonful of oat bran Unsalted almonds mixed with dried cranberries Whole grains: Cereals or cereal bars that are low in sugar and fat, and high in fiber and protein Whole-grain crackers, breads or bagels Sweets and desserts: Fat-free frozen yogurt Juice bars Sherbet and sorbet Please spare a minute to provide us your feedback!!!

Why is healthy eating important for a child?

Many children are being diagnosed with high cholesterol, or as overweight or obese. These conditions can cause many health problems for your child, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. These conditions can affect your child now and later as an adult.

By helping your child establish a healthy diet and regular exercise, you can reduce his or her risk of experiencing these health problems.

How can I help the child eat right?

Set an example for your child. If you prepare nutritious foods for your family and eat healthy foods yourself, your child will eat healthier, too.

Make sure to provide a variety of foods, so your family gets all the vitamins and minerals their bodies need to function properly.

What are some examples of healthy meals?

Breakfast: The first meal of the day is a good time to give your child foods that are high in fiber. Whole-grain breads, cereals, fruit, low-fat or nonfat cheeses and yogurt are also good breakfast foods. Use skim or low-fat milk. 

Fruit juice is usually high in calories and sugars and has fewer nutrients than whole fruit (fresh or canned).

Lunch: Use whole-grain breads and rolls to make a healthier lunch. Whole grains increase the total fiber in your child's diet and are less processed than enriched white bread. Give your child whole-grain crackers with soups, chili and stew, and always serve fresh fruit (with the skin) with meals in place of chips or other high-calorie, low-nutrient options.

What snacks are good for the child?

Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low- or nonfat dairy also make good nutritious snacks for children. Here are some ideas for ways to serve these foods to your kids:

Fruits:

• Small pieces of fruit stirred into nonfat yogurt
• Strawberries
• Raisins
• Grapes
• Pineapple chunks
• Orange or grapefruit sections
• Bananas cooked lightly in apple juice
• Apple slices with all natural peanut butter
• Dried fruit mixes

Vegetables:

• Carrot sticks
• Celery sticks with all natural butter
• Raw broccoli and cauliflower florets with a low-fat dip or salsa
• Cherry tomatoes

Protein:

• 1% fat or fat-free cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
• Water-packed tuna mixed with fat-free mayonnaise on top of celery sticks or whole-grain crackers
• Fat-free yogurt topped with sunflower seeds, chopped dried fruit or a spoonful of oat bran
• Unsalted almonds mixed with dried cranberries

Whole grains:

• Cereals or cereal bars that are low in sugar and fat, and high in fiber and protein
• Whole-grain crackers, breads or bagels

Sweets and desserts:

• Fat-free frozen yogurt
• Juice bars
• Sherbet and sorbet

Please spare a minute to provide us your feedback!!!