Stocking Up on Healthy Foods

The last few months I have noticed a down hill spiral of eating habits in our house.  Breakfasts and snacks became a free for all of low nutrient, high fat, high calorie foods.  (Lunches were packed healthy, and dinners became the only really healthy meal that the kids would eat at home) I was guilty of buying too many snacky foods, which became the kids first choice.  This of course led to lots of battles. 

I decided to throw out every snack food that was unhealthy and replace everything with healthy choices.  Not a single unhealthy snack left in our house.  But, I did tell the kids that they can have one day a week where they can choose a treat.

It is going on two weeks now, and the kids have not complained once about their snacks and food options.  I am kind of surprised, as I thought for sure I would hear a lot of whining about nothing “good to eat”.  The best part is that the kids are chowing on all the healthy stuff and loving it.

Kids, especially younger ones, will eat mostly what’s available at home. That’s why it’s important to control the supply lines — the foods that you serve for meals and have on hand for snacks. Kids can’t eat what is not there.

• Work fruits and vegetables into the daily routine, aiming for the goal of at least five servings a day. Be sure you serve fruit or vegetables at every meal.
• Make it easy for kids to choose healthy snacks by keeping fruits and vegetables on hand and ready to eat. Other good snacks include low-fat yogurt, peanut butter and celery, or whole-grain crackers and cheese.
• Serve lean meats and other good sources of protein, such as fish, eggs, beans, and nuts.
• Choose whole-grain breads and cereals so kids get more fiber. Don’t be fooled by kids’ cereal marketing.  Read the ingredients.
• Limit fat intake by avoiding deep-fried foods and choosing healthier cooking methods, such as broiling, grilling, roasting, and steaming. Choose low-fat or nonfat dairy products.
• Limit fast food and low-nutrient snacks, such as chips and candy. But don’t completely ban their favorite snacks. Instead, make them a special treat, so kids don’t feel deprived.
• Limit sugary drinks, such as soda, juice, and fruit-flavored drinks. Serve water and low-fat milk instead.

Of Course It Is About Breakfast

 

Want to know a simple way to help your children do better in school? Feed them a healthy breakfast. The right breakfast will help your child focus in school and maintain energy throughout the day. It may also lead to better eating habits as they grow older. However, figuring out a quick and healthy morning meal and getting your kids to eat it can be a challenge.

As a nutrition fanatic, I know the importance of breakfast, and I always make sure I have a super healthy breakfast. Yet, I am very guilty of giving my kids crap for breakfast to save time and make sure they at least eat something when they are going through a picky stage.  I have allowed them to eat things for breakfast that I would never eat myself. I am not proud of this fact, and I have since made sure that they eat something healthy every single morning.

You know what your kids like and dislike, so you may need to get a little creative and think outside of the box.  Steak or pork chops left over from the night before is my daughter’s favorite breakfast. 

There are also plenty of prepared healthy breakfast foods that can go in the microwave. These can be expensive, but great in a pinch. Just make sure to read the labels. Not all “prepared” meals are healthy. Check the freezer section at your local grocery for pre-made meals like whole-wheat bagels, pancakes, waffles, and frozen turkey sausage. Yogurt and fruit, along with a whole-wheat bagel, is also a quick and easy breakfast for kids.

And, if you’re in a hurry like most families in the morning, grab a banana and Nutrigrain or Kashi bar to eat in the car — it’s still healthy enough, even though it’s on the go!

The HEALTHY CHOICE list:

Fresh fruit

Low-sugar cereal w/ low fat milk

Whole grain bread w/ organic peanut butter (peanuts and salt ONLY)

Peanut butter with apples

Scrambled eggs

Turkey sandwich w/ whole grain bread & low fat cheese

Low fat cottage cheese

Low fat yogurt

Dinner left overs

Applesauce

Cheese and crackers (healthy whole grain crackers)

The DO NOT FEED list:

Sweets: anything sugary will wear off quickly and your kids will get tired easily.

Poptarts

Doughnuts

Popcicles

Candy

Ice Cream

High sugar cereal