Judy Dodd, MS, RD, LDN, Giant Eagle^® Corporate Nutritionist

Ideas for Parents and Caregivers from the Registered Dietitians at Giant Eagle^®.

Health–Smart Ways to Start 2012:

• Put a breakfast focus first on your “to do” list – Organize a breakfast area in your kitchen with a variety of  whole grain choices like boxed cereals, small bagels, English muffins or bread. In the refrigerator have juice, milk or frozen toaster waffles. Add some fruit like bananas, oranges, berries, or canned peaches, and of course some bowls, spoons, napkins and cups in an easy to reach area.  Using My Plate as your guideline, cereal and bread items fit the grains, juice or fruit help meet the vitamin C fruit choices, and milk, or a calcium fortified alternative like soy or rice beverage, fills the dairy component. For a twist, add some hot chocolate mix. For a protein boost, have some nut butter (peanut, soy or sunflower seed spread) available or hard–cooked eggs in the refrigerator.  
  
  Why?  Breaking the fast with a meal to start a day is beneficial for thinking power, energy and weight control! And making it easy takes away one excuse for not eating!

• Make cooking, shopping and eating a family affair and a commitment. Bus, work and school schedules tend to interfere with any regularity in mealtimes. The end result can be mealtime chaos or grazing rather than eating health–smart. Divide up simple tasks like cutting coupons, helping with basic preparation, setting the table, and clean up. Plan meals, shop and cook together with adults and allow older children to take the lead. Make eating together a habit rather than an occasion.
  
  Why? Like the research on breakfast, studies show there are health and nutrition benefits for family meals. Involving children in the planning, shopping and cooking is a way to introduce them to new foods and life skills.

• Put exercise into your time schedule. Like cooking and eating together, activity requires some coordination. Skating, skiing or making a family snowman are great outdoor winter activities. Indoors it can be as easy as a hula hoop contest, jumping rope or dancing to favorite music...just get moving. 
  
  Why? Exercise or activity should come easy for children but computer and screen time sometimes takes over. The health goal is a minimum of 1 hour a day for children and 30 minutes for adults to balance calories, build muscle, and support a healthy heart.

• Find ways to help children explore food. Part of health–smart eating is variety, choice and trying new foods. Let children choose a new–to–them–food each week by helping with recipes or browsing the aisles of Giant Eagle^® (anyone for a Jicama?). Give them the assignment of locating facts about the food (the nutrition available, where it is grown or produced, the ingredients, ways to prepare or serve it).
  
  Why? Children (and adults too) are more likely to try a food that is familiar or that excites their curiosity.

January 2012