KTK-Nutrition

Snacks – should kids have snacks?   Do snacks ruin a kid’s appetite?   Are snacks healthy?   So often I hear that kids shouldn’t have snacks.   So untrue.   All kids not only should have snacks but actually need snacks.   Kids, especially younger kids, have very small stomachs.   They can’t eat large amounts of food at meals so they get hungry between meals.   USDA sets a meal pattern for child care centers and this meal plan has a morning snack and an afternoon snack.   School-age kids should have an after-school or afternoon snack every day.   But this snack shouldn’t be gorging on junk food.   What are some guidelines for healthy snacks and what are some snacks kids can make for themselves? And, how can you use making snacks to teach some math, colors, shapes? What are some guidelines for healthy snacks for kids? Fruits and vegetables – a great way to get your kids to eat more fruits and veggies is to serve them at snack ...

Almost everyone is interested in healthy habits but then seem confused by nutrition myths as to what is healthy.   So many people are “watching their carbs” or avoiding starches, avoiding bread.   But none of these are really healthy habits.   Adopting good, healthy eating habits and making even small changes in daily habits can result in good things for your health.   The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition has Eight Healthy Eating Goals .    We will review 4 this week and 4 goals next week.   They recommend making small changes each week towards a healthier diet and a healthier you. Goal 1:    Make half your plate fruits and vegetables :     Eating more fruits and vegetables is so very important to good health.   The easiest way to do this is 5 A Day – aiming for eating at least 5 fruits and vegetables a day.   Have a serving of fruit at breakfast, a fruit and vegetable serving at lunch and then 2 veg...

So many people now are into juicing and others love to make a smoothie.   Some make a smoothie for breakfast as a fast, take it with you meal.   So which is healthier for you, smoothies or juicing?   Both have advantages. Juicing Pros 5 A Day -   for those who aren’t into many veggies and fruits, this is a way to help you get your “Five A Day”, five servings of fruits and veggies every day. Variety – eating a variety of fruits and veggies is a key to good health.   Juicing makes it easy to vary your fruits and vegetables.   Cons Pulp and fiber – Depending on how you juice, you could be leaving behind the pulp, and along with it fiber and nutrients. Limit juicing to 8-12 ounces a day – about a cup or cup and a half.   Why?   To save space for fresh fruit and veggies and all the nutrients fresh produce and fruit provide Smoothies   Pros healthier than juicing as smoothies are usually blended which preserves the pulp, fiber ...

In the health class I teach, it is a challenge to get parents to serve fruit and veggies to kids.   Then when they do, they say the kids won’t eat the fruits and veggies.   Some of my students work in day care centers and the center tries to serve healthy fresh fruit and vegetables only to have the kids turn up their noses.   So how can parents, day care centers and others who work with kids, get the kids to eat more fruits and veggies?   For good health kids should eat a minimum of 5 A DAY – five fruits and veggies a day.   Many eat none.   So here are some tips from the Centers for Disease Control: 10 Ways to Help Kids Eat More Fruits and Veggies 1.     Keep a bowl of fresh fruits on the counter.   Keep cut up fruits and veggies in the fridge in small bags to easy snacks.                           ...