Healthy Foods and Snacking for Your Kids
By Denise Nero from http://www.fitnessandkids.com
So, it’s time to feed the kids, but what do you do? That drive-through is so easy, but it’s not the healthiest, is it?
What about ordering a pizza? It’s so easy to just pick up the phone, but picking that phone up over and over can blow a hole in your bank account and produce some really unhealthy children. Instead of the quick, unhealthy options, try to encourage your children to eat healthy whenever possible. In the long run, it will be better for them. Here are some ideas for each meal of the day.
Breakfast
We’ve all heard the saying “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” Well, it is for adults and children alike. That morning meal provides the energy to get going for the day. Letting a child skip breakfast is one of the biggest nutritional mistakes a parent can make.
When children skip breakfast, they miss a lot of vitamins and minerals essential for healthy living. They will have a harder time concentrating in school, which could lead to poor grades. In fact, numerous studies show that children who do not eat breakfast do not do as well in school as those that do. The will get very tired early in the day and tend to be irritable. They lack energy as opposed to children who eat a healthy, balanced breakfast. If your child plays any after school sports, they will probably not have the energy to perform well without a healthy breakfast. Skipping breakfast will lead to overeating later on.
Eating things like pop tarts, donuts or sugary breakfast cereals will make children less alert during the day and will make them sleepier after the sugar wears off. With the abundance of the products available, the choice seems limited, but it’s not. Try offering your child some type of fruit or vegetable at every meal. Children should eat 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, but many do not. Orange juice can be counted as a fruit at breakfast. Instead of the empty sugars, children need protein in the morning. Protein will provide the fuel to get the kids off to a good start, and a great way to get this is to offer scrambled eggs or peanut butter. An idea for the scrambled eggs is to throw in a little cheese, some bacon pieces and some cumin or other spices. Add some hash browns and a tortilla, and you have yourself a breakfast burrito.
Lunch
Now, your child has probably gone to school, and we know school lunches tend to be unhealthy for our children. Instead of the school menu, try to pack your child’s lunch as often as you can, especially if they have a weight problem. You will be in control of what they eat by doing so. When packing lunches, avoid the prepackaged “lunchables:” they are no good! Snack cakes and juices are all loaded with extra sugar our kids do not need and can lead to serious health problems as the child grows up. Low-fat chocolate milk is more nutritious than juices with extra sugar, and it provides the ever-important calcium to you, growing bodies.
For a variety, try using different types of breads, like pita bread, tortillas and wheat bread. You can spread peanut butter on tortillas and rice cakes to give the child the extra boost from the protein. Remembering 4-5 servings of fruit, try freezing bananas, grapes and other fruits to keep them cold and fresh. You can even throw in a banana or an apple in the lunch bag. Instead of including bagged chips, make your own snack mix using cereals, tiny pretzels, raisins, graham crackers or animal crackers. It is generally a good idea to try to avoid packaged snack cakes, gummy bears, cookies, etc.
After-school snacks
I know my children are very hungry when they come home from school. Since they usually have homework and need some extra energy before dinner, I offer them a quick snack. After-school snacks are good, as long as you make it a small, healthy snack. Offer your child some fruit (4-5 servings, remember?), pretzels, yogurt, air-popped popcorn, or veggies and dip. Be sure to limit how much they eat. You don’t want to spoil dinner! If you do allow them to eat chips, pretzels or popcorn, make sure you pre-portion them to baggie sized snack bags.
Dinner
Busy schedules make the idea of fast food more appealing, but it is much easier if we plan our meals for the week. You can even prepare a few meals ahead of time and freeze them for the week ahead. Chicken is one of our favorites and can be prepared fairly quickly. Add a little spaghetti sauce and noodles and you have a great meal. Always choose lean cuts of meats and avoid deep frying your foods. Serve a fruit and a vegetable at every meal. If you child is picky about vegetables just keep trying different ones and prepare them many different ways. Try not to give them sodas, since the caffeine is bad for the systems and are loaded with sugar. Offer milk or water or the occasional juice.
Bedtime snacks
Bedtime snacks are okay for children, as long as you limit what and how much you give them. Make sure you keep it on the smaller side to help avoid indigestion. A light snack, such as some cheese, grapes, or yogurt work well for kids before bed.
Want to help your child on their road to fitness? Check out Fitness and Kids e-book, exercise videos and more at http://www.fitnessandkids.com
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Healthy Foods and Snacking for Your KidsThursday, 08 January 2009 Healthy Foods and Snacking for Your Kids By Denise Nero from http://www.fitnessandkids.com So, it’s time to feed the kids, but what do...
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