Top 7 Worst Foods for Kids

1. Soda!
American children drink more soft drinks today than ever. The average 12-
ounce can of soda supplies almost 10 teaspoons of sugar, which can contribute to obesity and tooth decay. Kids who drink soda instead of milk are also shortchanging their bones of calcium and other nutrients.

2. Chips!
Giving your child a handful of chips with lunch on occasion is fine, but keep in mind that potato chips, corn chips, and cheese puffs are mostly fat, sodium, and empty calories.

3. Doughnuts!
Most are packed with artery-clogging saturated fat and trans-fatty acids. An average doughnut also has 200 to 300 calories and few other nutrients.

4. French Fries!
It's unfortunate that fries are the most popular vegetable dish in the U.S. Kids love them, but they're extremely high in fat and have few vitamins.

5. Fruit Leather!
Most rolled-up dried fruit has a dab of fruit, a teeny bit of fiber, few vitamins except those that have been added, and lots of sugar.

6. Hot Dogs!
Regular dogs are high in fat (13 or more grams per serving), have lots of sodium and don't provide much protein for the calories. They're also a choking hazard for children 3 and under. Serve only occasionally, look for lower-fat brands(try turkey dogs), and cut into very small pieces for young children.

7. Toaster Pastries!
These contain lots of fat and not much fruit. Instead, make a piece of raisin toast for your child, and serve it with jam.


From Leanne Ely, C.N.C. the author of Healthy Foods: An Irreverent Guide to Understanding Nutrition and Feeding Your Family Well

Top 7 Best Foods for Kids

1. Oatmeal! - A fabulous breakfast food, full of B vitamins, iron, zinc and calcium.

2. Eggs! - Eggs are a great source of protein and a host of other nutrients, including the B vitamins, vitamin E and zinc to name a few.

3. Nut Butters! - Nut butters are great fast foods for kids. Kids need the fat (it's a good fat if it doesn't have hydrogenated oils mixed in it) and they need the protein.

4. Yogurt! - Kick your child's milk consumption up a notch and include yogurt on the menu. A great source of calcium, yogurt is easier to digest than regular milk and the cultures are very beneficial to good colon health.

5. Melons! - One of the best choices in the melon department would be cantaloupe.

6. Sweet Potatoes! - Sweet potatoes contain 30mg beta-carotene per cup. It would take 23 cups of broccoli to get that same amount! And with 3 grams of fiber per serving, sweet potatoes deserve a place at the table.

7. Orange Juice! - Orange juice is full of vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, folate and zinc. You can buy calcium-fortified orange juice, too -- it's great stuff in moderation.

Don't forget whole grains, protein, fruits and veggies!

From Leanne Ely, C.N.C. the author of Healthy Foods:

An Irreverent Guide to Understanding Nutrition and Feeding Your Family Well

Focus on Food!

Click here for a fun game focused on food!

10 tips to a great plate!

1. Balance Calories. Find out how many calories YOU need for a day as a first step in managing your weight. Go to www.choosemyplate.gov to find your calorie level. Being physically active also helps you balance calories. 
2. Enjoy your food, but eat less. Take the time to fully enjoy your food as you eat it. Eating too fast as your attention is elsewhere may lead to eating too many calories. Pay attention to hunger and fullness cues before, during, and after meals. Use them to recognize when to eat and when you've had enough. 
3. Avoid oversized portions. Use a smaller plate, bowl, and glass. Portion out foods before you eat. When eating out, choose a smaller size option, share a dish, or take home part of your meal.
4. Foods to eat more often. Eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fat-free or 1% milk and dairy products. These foods have the nutrients you need for health—including potassium, calcium, vitamin D, and fiber. Make them the basis for meals and snacks.
5. Make half your plate fruits and vegetables. Choose red, orange, and dark-green vegetables like
   tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and broccoli, along with other vegetables for your meals. Add fruit to meals as part of main or side dishes or as dessert.
6. Switch to fat free or low fat milk. They have the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk, but fewer calories and less saturated fat.
7. Make half your grains whole grains. To eat more whole grains, substitute a whole-grain product for a refined product, such as eating whole-wheat bread instead of white bread or brown rice instead of white rice. 
8. Foods to eat less often. Cut back on foods high in solid fats, added sugars, and salt. They include cakes, cookies, ice cream, candies, sweetened drinks pizza, and fatty meats like ribs, sausages, bacon, and hot dogs. Use these foods as occasional treats, not everyday foods. 
9. Compare sodium in foods. Use the nutritional facts label to choose lower sodium versions of foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals. Select canned foods labeled "low sodium," "reduced sodium," or "no salt added."
10. Drink water instead of sugary drinks. Cut calories by drinking water or unsweetened beverages. Soda, energy drinks, and sports drinks are a major source of added sugar, and calories, in American diets. 

Source: www.choosemyplate.gov

Seen the new "My Plate?"

Balancing Calories

• Enjoy your food, but eat less.
• Avoid oversized portions.

Foods to Increase

• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
• Make at least half your grains whole grains.
• Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.

Foods to Reduce

• Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals ― and choose the foods with lower numbers.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

Visit: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/!

Smart Start Recipes

Click here for a variety of quick and easy recipes you can use with the Eat Smart. Play Hard.™ Healthy Lifestyle. Try them to save time and add interest to your meal

My Pyramid for Kids

Click here to take a close look at MyPyramid for Kids. MyPyramid for Kids reminds you to be physically active every day, or most days, and to make healthy food choices. Every part of the new symbol has a message for you. Can you figure it out?

Tips for Families: Eat Right & Play Hard!

Eat Right:

1. Make half your grains whole. Choose whole-grain foods, such as whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, brown rice, and lowfat popcorn, more often.
2. Vary your veggies. Go dark green and orange with your vegetables—eat spinach, broccoli, carrots, and sweet potatoes.
3. Focus on fruits. Eat them at meals, and at snack time, too. Choose fresh, frozen, canned, or dried, and go easy on the fruit juice.
4. Get your calcium-rich foods. To build strong bones serve lowfat and fat-free milk and other milk products several times a day.
5. Go lean with protein. Eat lean or lowfat meat, chicken, turkey, and fish. Also, change your tune with more dry beans and peas. Add chick peas, nuts, or seeds to a salad; pinto beans to a burrito; or kidney beans to soup.
6. Change your oil. We all need oil. Get yours from fish, nuts, and liquid oils such as corn, soybean, canola, and olive oil.
7. Don’t sugarcoat it. Choose foods and beverages that do not have sugar and caloric sweeteners as one of the first ingredients.

Exercise:

1. Set a good example. Be active and get your family to join you. Have fun together. Play with the kids or pets. Go for a walk, tumble in the leaves, or play catch.
2. Take the President’s Challenge as a family. Track your individual physical activities together and earn awards for active lifestyles at www.presidentschallenge.org.
3. Establish a routine. Set aside time each day as activity time— walk, jog, skate, cycle, or swim. Adults need at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week; children 60 minutes everyday or most days.
4. Have an activity party. Make the next birthday party centered on physical activity. Try backyard Olympics, or relay races. Have a bowling or skating party.
5. Set up a home gym. Use household items, such as canned foods, as weights. Stairs can substitute for stair machines.
6. Move it! Instead of sitting through TV commercials, get up and move. When you talk on the phone, lift weights or walk around. Remember to limit TV watching and computer time.
7. Give activity gifts. Give gifts that encourage physical activity—active games or sporting equipment.

Source: teamnutrition.usda.gov

Web Resource - Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs

Click here for the Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs

The Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs has all of the current information in one manual. You can print the entire manual, individual sections, or just updated pages to insert into your 2001 print copy. The manual includes an introduction, appendixes, and information on:

• Meat/Meat Alternates
• Vegetables/Fruits
• Grains/Breads
• Milk
• Other Foods

Kids & Food: 10 Tips for Parents

Here are some guidelines that can help encourage kids to eat right and maintain a healthy weight.

Here are 10 rules to live by:

1. Parents supply the control lines.  They control what foods are available in the home and when to serve them. We all know kids normally want the less nutritious foods, but parents are in charge of what is stocked in the home. If a favorite snack is not very nutritious, offer it to your child on occasion. 
2. From the foods you offer, kids get to choose what they will eat or whether to eat at all. Kids need to have some say in the matter. From the selections you offer, let them choose what to eat and how much of it they want. This may seem like a lot of freedom, but if you follow step 1, kids will be choosing only from the foods you buy and serve. 
3. Quit the "clean plate" club. Let kids stop eating when they feel they've had enough. When kids notice and respond to their feelings of fullness, they're less likely to overeat. 
4. Start them young. Food preferences are developed early in life, so offer variety. Likes and dislikes begin forming even when kids are babies. You may need to serve a new food on several different occasions for a child to accept it. Don't force a child to eat, but offer a few bites. With older kids, ask them to try one bite. 
5. Rewrite the kid's menu. Who says kids only want to eat hot dogs, mac and cheese, or pizza? When eating out, let your kids try new foods and they might surprise you with their willingness to experiment. You can start by letting them try a little of whatever you ordered or ordering an appetizer. 
6. Drink calories count. Soda and other sweetened drinks add extra calories and get in the way of nutrition. Water, 100% juice (4 - 6 oz. a day is enough for preschoolers), and milk are the best drinks for kids. 
7. Put sweets in their place. Occasional sweets are fine, but don't turn dessert into the main reason for eating dinner. 
8. Food is not love. Find better ways to say "I love you." When foods are used to reward kids and show affection, they may start using food to cope with stress and other emotions. Offer hugs, praise, and attention instead of food treats. 
9. Kids do as you do. Be a role model and eat healthy yourself. Choose nutritious snacks, eat at the table, and don't skip meals.
10. Limit TV and computer time. When you do, you'll avoid mindless snacking and encourage activity. Research has shown that kids who cut down on TV-watching also reduced their percentage of body fat.

Source: Kidshealth.org

Be A Fit Kid!

Fit Kids feel have lots of energy, and grow up healthy and strong. It's really easy - just 30 minutes a day! Fit Kids are physically active every day. It doesn't matter what you do, you just gotta move! Being a Fit Kid also means eating 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day, so be sure to eat your fruits and vegetables, just like us.

What does physical activity do for my body?

• Gets lots of energy to your brain, so you can think clearly and do your best
• Running, walking, and biking keep your heart strong. A happy, healthy heart pumps blood and oxygen from your head to your toes. 
• Being active also gives your skin a healthy glow. 
• Being active outside and breathing all that fresh air keeps your lungs in perfect shape. 
• Physical activity build strong muscles and bones. It keeps you in shape and at a healthy weight. 

Fun Fitness Activities

• Play outside everyday
• Walking everyday with your families and friends is an easy way to be fit!
• Running and playing games like tag are great ways to get your body moving!
• It's so fun to hike with your friends and family.
• There are a bunch of ways to jump rope.
• Zip around your neighborhood on your bike. 
• Rollerblading is a blast!
• Ice skating is fun to do in the winter!
• Martial arts
• Gymnastics helps your balance, strengthens your muscles, and keeps your body flexible.
• Team sports like softball and baseball are fun to play. 
• The goal of soccer is to get outside and have fun!
• Playing basketball really keeps you moving!
• Ask a friend to hit a few tennis balls around with you.

Remember, it doesn't matter what you choose as long as you're active every day! Just wait until you see how great you'll feel!

Eating 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables each day keeps every part of your body healthy. 

Source: www.dole.com

30 Healthiest Foods

Looking for ideas to make school lunches (or your own lunch) healthier? Real Simple asked the country’s top dietitians and nutritionists which super-powered ingredients people should be incorporating into their diets regularly. Here are their combined top 30 recommendations:

• Mushrooms
• Barley
• Walnuts
• Quinoa
• Whole-grain pasta
• Peanut and almond butters (natural)
• Oatmeal (steel-cut or old-fashioned)
• Skim milk
• Almonds
• Lentils
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
• Nonfat Greek yogurt
• Blueberries
• Bulgur
• Eggs
• Sardines
• Spinach
• Kiwi
• Wild salmon
• Kale
• Avocados
• Kidney beans
• Sweet potatoes
• Chard
• Edamame
• Pumpkin
• Oranges
• Broccoli
• Black beans

Source: www.ccie.org

Active Now, Slim Later

Vigorous Preschool Exercise = 4% Less Fat

If your five-year-old is always jumping, running, rolling about -- that hyperactivity could protect against excess weight many years down the line. Scientists at the University of Iowa measured activity and fat mass for 333 children at ages 5 and 11. Turned out that those most active at age 5 have 4% less fat mass at age 11, compared to the least active kids.

Why? It's possible the early activity prevented kids from growing too many fat cells. It's also possible that the vigorous exercise built up little muscles, which burn more calories than fat tissue. Super-active kids may spend less time in front of the TV, whereas those who watch more than three hours a day are 50% more likely to become obese as adults.

Parents should encourage active play year round. Don't let inclement weather stop you: Use ice/roller rinks and kids' gyms or video games that incorporate exercise. Preventing childhood obesity is important -- especially as it raises kids' risk of earaches, joint disorders, breathing constrictions and emotional distress. Beyond helping avoid unhealthy weight gain, exercise can improve academic performance: Researchers have found that the most physically-fit students tend to do better on state achievement tests. Learn more by visiting www.dolesuperkids.com.

Source: www.dole.com

Food Fact: Bananas

Bananas provide healthful nutrients for every stage of life, such as vitamin B6 for development of neurotransmitters during growth and maintenance of normal brain function.

Calcium and Kids

Milk and other calcium-rich foods have always been a must-have in kids' diets. After all, calcium is a key building block for strong, healthy bones. But more than 85% of girls and 60% of boys ages 9 to 18 fail to get the recommended 1,300 milligrams of calcium per day.

Click here for an article all about calcium and kids. You will find:

• What calcium does
• Good sources of calcium
• Minding your milk
• When kids can't - or won't - eat dairy
• Kicking up the calcium
• Caring about calcium

Why Exercise is Cool!

Kids exercise all the time without even thinking of it. Just being active, like when you run around outside or play kickball at school, is a kind of exercise. What else counts as exercise? Playing sports, dancing, doing push-ups, and even reaching down to touch your toes.

When you exercise, you're helping build a strong body that will be able to move around and do all the stuff you need it to do. Try to be active every day and your body will thank you later!

Exercise Makes Your Heart Happy
You may know that your heart is a muscle. It works hard, pumping blood every day of your life. You can help this important muscle get stronger by doing aerobic (say: air-o-bik) exercise.

When you give your heart this kind of workout on a regular basis, your heart will get even better at its main job — delivering oxygen (in the form of oxygen-carrying blood cells) to all parts of your body.

Some aerobic exercises include swimming, basketball, jogging (or walking quickly), inline skating, soccer, cross-country skiing, or biking. And don't forget that skipping, jumping rope, and playing hopscotch are aerobic activities, too!

Exercise Strengthens Muscles
Another kind of exercise can help make your muscles stronger. Did you ever do a push-up or swing across the monkey bars at the playground? Those are exercises that can build strength. By using your muscles to do powerful things, you can make them stronger. For older teens and adults, this kind of workout can make muscles bigger, too.

Some exercises that strengthen muscles include push ups, pull ups, tug of war, running, skating, biking, and many more.

Exercise Makes You Flexible
Can you touch your toes easily without yelling ouch? Most kids are pretty flexible, which means that they can bend and stretch their bodies without much trouble. This kind of exercise often feels really good, like when you take a big stretch in the morning after waking up. Being flexible is having "full range of motion," which means you can move your arms and legs freely without feeling tightness or pain.

Some exercises to increase flexibility include tumbling and gymnastics, yoga, ballet, martial arts, simple stretches, and many more.

Exercise Makes You Feel Good
It feels good to have a strong, flexible body that can do all the activities you enjoy — like running, jumping, and playing with your friends. It's also fun to be good at something, like scoring a basket, hitting a home run, or perfecting a dive.

But you may not know that exercising can actually put you in a better mood. When you exercise, your brain releases a chemical called endorphins (say: en-dor-funz), which may make you feel happier. It's just another reason why exercise is cool!

Source: kidshealth.org

10 Steps to a Great Lunch

1. Choose fruits and vegetables: It's a good idea to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day, so try to fit in one or two at lunch. A serving isn't a lot.
2. Know the facts about fat: Kids need some fat in their diets to stay healthy — it also helps keep you feeling full — but you don't want to eat too much of it. Fat is found in butter, oils, cheese, nuts, and meats. Some higher-fat lunch foods include french fries, hot dogs, cheeseburgers, macaroni and cheese, and chicken nuggets. Don't worry if you like these foods! No food is bad, but you may want to eat them less often and in smaller portions. Foods that are lower in fat are usually baked or grilled. Some of the best low-fat foods are fruits, vegetables, and skim and low-fat milk.
3. Let whole grains reign: "Grains" include breads, cereals, rice, and pasta.
4. Slurp sensibly: It's not just about what you eat — drinks count, too! Milk has been a favorite lunchtime drink for a long time. If you don't like milk, choose water. Avoid juice drinks and sodas.
5. Balance your lunch: Balanced meals include a mix of food groups: some grains, some fruits, some vegetables, some meat or protein foods, and some dairy foods such as milk and cheese.
6. Steer clear of packaged snacks: Many schools make salty snacks, candy, and soda available in the cafeteria or in vending machines. It's OK to have these foods once in a while, but they shouldn't be on your lunch menu.
7. Mix it up: Do you eat the same lunch every day? If that lunch is a hot dog, it's time to change your routine. Keep your taste buds from getting bored and try something new. Eating lots of different kinds of food gives your body a variety of nutrients.
8. Quit the clean plate club: Because lunch can be a busy time, you might not stop to think whether you're getting full. Try to listen to what your body is telling you. If you feel full, it's OK to stop eating.
9. Use your manners: Cafeterias sometimes look like feeding time at the zoo. Don't be an animal! Follow those simple rules your parents are always reminding you about: Chew with your mouth closed. Don't talk and eat at the same time. Use your utensils. Put your napkin on your lap. Be polite. And don't make fun of what someone else is eating.
10. Don't drink milk and laugh at the same time!: Whatever you do at lunch, don't tell your friends a funny joke when they're drinking milk. Before you know it, they'll be laughing and that milk will be coming out their noses! Gross!

kidshealth.org

Food Fact: Bell Peppers

Red bell peppers are loaded with beta-cryptoxanthin-which may reduce the risk of lung cancer.

Smart Snacking

Snacks can keep younger children from getting so hungry that they become cranky, and they can keep older kids from overeating at larger meals. And for picky eaters of all ages, snacks can be added insurance that they're getting the necessary nutrients.

One key to maintaining a healthy weight in childhood and later in life is a structured meal and snack schedule. You offer the meals and snacks at the same times each day, and your kids can decide what they want to eat and how much.

Snacks and Toddlers
Toddlers may not eat much at a sitting and they often get hungry before the next meal. At this age, kids may need to eat five or six times a day — three meals and two to three snacks.

There are two common "snack pitfalls" to avoid with toddlers because once done, they can be hard to undo:

1. Using sweets to reward good behavior, which sends the message that desserts are somehow better or more valuable than other foods, and can start a pattern of unhealthy eating
2. Pacifying kids with a snack just before a meal, which can decrease their hunger and make them less willing to try new foods at the table

Scheduled snacks served at the same times every day give kids a sense of control and also establish that snacks are available only at certain times. Offer two or three nutritious options and let kids choose. Try:

• low-sugar, whole-grain breakfast cereals
• cut-up fruit (if pieces are small and soft enough to avoid choking)
• graham crackers
• cheese slices cut into fun shapes
• applesauce
• yogurt

Snacks and Preschoolers
Control is still a key issue at this age, so preschoolers also might enjoy the chance to choose their snack from the options you present. The desire for sweets can be quite strong at this age, but you can avoid the struggles. Don't offer candy and cookies at snack time. You can decide not to stock them at all or, if you do, to keep them out of sight

Healthy snacks for preschoolers include:

• cut-up fruit or applesauce
• yogurt
• sliced or chopped veggies
• whole-grain crackers topped with cheese

Snacks and School Age Kids
School-age kids are capable of understanding why it's important to eat healthy, but more than ever they look to the people they love as role models. Make healthy snacking a family affair and your kids will take it to heart.

Here are some snacks that school-age kids might enjoy:

• low-sugar, whole-grain breakfast cereal with low-fat milk
• low-fat string cheese
• fruit smoothies made with low-fat milk or yogurt
• nuts and raisins
• whole-wheat pita slices, cut-up veggies, and hummus
• whole-grain pretzels
• fruit slices dipped in low-fat flavored yogurt

kidshealth.org

Usda.gov: The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s site offers an interactive “food pyramid” where preschoolers and older kids can figure out how many servings of fruits and vegetables they need, based on age, gender, weight, and how much running around they do. They site offers these tips for picky eaters:

- Offer new foods many times. It may take up to a dozen tries for a child to accept a new food.
- Let your kids try small portions of new foods that you enjoy. Give them a small taste at first and be patient with them.
- Be a good role model by trying new foods yourself. Describe its taste, texture and smell.
- Offer new foods first, at the beginning of a meal, when your child is the most hungry.
- Serve food plain if that is important to your preschoolers. Instead of macaroni casserole, try meatballs, pasta, and a vegetable. Try plates with sections to keep foods separate.

Here are a few more sites to check out:

Fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov: This site from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention not only discusses the health benefits of a diet with fruits and vegetables but also offers produce rich recipes.
Healthychildren.org: This site of the American Academy of Pediatrics offers advice, from portion control to tips on how to please fussy eaters. One of those tips: If your child hates green vegetables, try orange or yellow ones.
Letsmove.gov: First lady Michelle Obama has made fighting childhood obesity a cause. The site provides nutritional information, fun recipes, and tips on how to cut the grocery bill.