Copy:
For the Family: Your Very Best Meal
Let Variety, Balance and Moderation Be Your Guide
Good nutrition can’t wait — your child’s growing brain and body depend on it. With child obesity on the rise and fast-food restaurants on every corner, it is time for families to take a serious look at their health and the foods they eat. With a little planning and patience, you can put your family on the road to good health with meals that are as healthy as they are delicious — all while spending quality time as family.
Did You Know
• 10% of children ages 2-5 are overweight. This is up 7% from just ten years ago. Today, four million children ages 6-11 and 5.3 million youths ages 12-19 are overweight or obese.
• Over half of all 5-10 year olds don’t eat fruit on a daily basis (they should be eating 2 medium-sized fruits daily).
• 3 out of 10 elementary school students eat less than one serving of veggies each day (they should be eating 3 half cup servings of veggies daily).
• 25% of all vegetables eaten by elementary students are French fries.
• You can keep your child from being part of these statistics.
What You Can Do
4 Tips for Healthier Meals
1. Make a shopping list with your children. Your child has been learning about the food groups in school using Healthy Steps for Healthy Lives, an Education Program from Nestlé. Help reinforce what they’re learning by having your child name foods he/she would like to eat from each food group.
2. Remember Variety, Balance and Moderation: Does your list include a variety of food from each food group? Are you buying foods that will make balanced meals? Are you considering moderate kid-sized portions?
3. Shop Smart: Take your child with you when you shop. Have him/her pick out the foods he/she added to your list. And, talk about the other foods you’re buying and the food groups they belong to.
4. Eat Together: The family meal is a time to enjoy your family — and healthy food. Children in families that eat together get better nutrition and develop better social skills because they interact with and learn from their parents. Remember, if you eat well, your child will too.
How to Make a Very Best Meal
Think Variety:
A healthy mind and body need foods from each of the food groups: fruits,
vegetables, grains, meat and beans, dairy, and oil. What’s more, your
child needs a variety of foods from within each food group for good
health everyday. Think beyond the carrot. Enjoy broccoli — even
beets!
Think Balance:
A balanced diet includes a mix of foods at each meal and over a few days. For example, not every meal needs beans or meat, but your child needs protein regularly to build strong muscles. Encourage a child not to skip meals. Healthy meals make healthy kids.
Think Moderation:
Your child has a small stomach and needs kid-sized portions at each meal. Let your kids stop eating when they’re full and teach them self-discipline by helping them limit treats and “sometimes foods” (think one scoop of ice cream instead of two).
Variety, balance and moderation are your keys to good health!
|
|
