Nutrition Definitions:
Carbohydrates- the major source of energy for your body, two kinds simple (also called simple sugars) and complex (also known as starches). Good sources include: whole-grain cereals, brown rice, whole-grain breads and muffins, fruits, vegetables, wheat pasta.
Protein- builds up, maintains, and replaces the tissues that make up your muscles, your organs and your immune system. Good sources include: low-fat or nonfat dairy products, lean meats, eggs, nuts (including nut butters), seeds, and cooked dried beans. Fiber- helps move food through the digestive system and also helps provide a feeling of fullness and thus discourage overeating. Good sources: whole-grain breads, waffles, and cereals; brown rice, bran, and other grains; fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts. Calcium- the key building block for healthy bones, during childhood and adolescence, the body uses the mineral calcium to build strong bones. Good sources include: milk, calcium fortified foods such as orange juice, soy products and bread, cheese, yogurt, etc.
Iron- helps transport oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. Good sources include: red meat, tuna, eggs, tofu, leafy green vegetables, iron-fortified breakfast cereals.
Vitamins- are found in the foods we eat and are essential for healthy body growth and development
- Vitamin A- important for eyesight, helps us see colors and at night.
- Vitamin B- important for metabolic activity, it helps us make and expend energy, also involved in making red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout your body.
- Vitamin C- helps your body resist infection.
Fun & Games From Around the Internet
- Dining Decisions from BAM.gov
- Build a Healthy Kid from Diabetes.org
- Build a Healthy Plate from Diabetes.org
- Food Fight from Diabetes.org
- Food Safari from Diabetes.org
- Mission Nutrition from KidsHealth.org (click here to visit their Game Closet)
- MyPyramid Blast Off Game from the USDA
- Healthy Foods Crossword Puzzle from the USDA
- Calcium Word Search from GirlPower.gov
- Food Safety Quiz from the FDA
- Monster Nutrition from NutritionExplorations.org (click here to see their other activities)
Books to Share With Your Kids
- Good Enough to Eat: A Kid’s Guide to Food and Nutrition By: Lizzy Rockwell
- The Edible Pyramid: Good Eating Everyday By: Loreen Leedy
- Little Critter: Good for Me and You By: Mercer Mayer
- Kid’s Fun and Healthy Cookbook By: DK Publishing
- Grover’s Guide to Good Eating By: Naomi Kleinberg
- Why Should I Eat Well? By: Mike Gordon
- Nutrition Explorations - Interactive computer games about nutrition
- Make an Edible "Work of Art"
Not only do fruits taste good, they are also pretty to look at. Encourage your children (at home or in groups) to design a beautiful fruit plate, suitable for parties, special occasions or just for fun!
Instructions:
- Decide which fruits you want to use on your fruit plate. Some examples include sliced bananas, melon balls or wedges, pineapple tidbits, blueberries, grapes, apple slices, orange wedges, kiwi slices, apricot halves, sliced strawberries, papaya chunks and slices of pears. HINT: For fruits that brown quickly such as apples, bananas and pears, soak 5-10 minutes in pineapple juice.
- Draw a circle that represents a plate. Make a diagram of how you will arrange your fruit on the plate. Experiment with different patterns, design a face or create a picture.
- Gather the ingredients you need. Wash and prepare. Make your fruit plate.
- Smile and say "thanks" when everyone says "WOW!"
- 1 cup applesauce
- 1 cup low-fat strawberry yogurt
- Slices of your favorite fruits such as strawberries, apples, bananas, pears, kiwi, pineapple, or grapes.
The Food Pyramid:
The Food Guide Pyramid is a picture that shows one way for people to understand how to eat healthy. Each color of the vertical stripes on the pyramid represents the five food groups plus fats and oils. Here's what the colors stand for:
- orange — grains
- green — vegetables
- red — fruits
- yellow — fats and oils
- blue — milk and dairy products
- purple — meat, beans, fish, and nuts
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) created a special Food Pyramid for kids to show them how to eat and live healthy. Notice the girl climbing the staircase up the side of the pyramid? That's a way of showing kids how important it is to exercise and be active every day. The steps that the girl is running up are a way to show kids how important it is to stay active and exercise everyday. If you take one “step” at a time to follow the pyramid, you’ll be healthier! Get it? Let's look at some of the other messages this new symbol is trying to send:
Eat a variety of foods.
A balanced diet is one that includes all the food groups. In other words, have foods from every color, every day.
Eat less of some foods, and more of others
You can see that the strips for meat and protein (purple) and oils (yellow) are skinnier than the others. That's because you need less of those kinds of foods than you do of fruits, vegetables, grains, and dairy foods.
Fill your plate with color
Colorful foods are mostly fruits and vegetables, which is what your body needs to stay healthy. What do these food groups mean?
Sometimes it’s hard to remember what a healthy grain or protein is to eat. Here are some examples of healthful foods in each category of the Food Pyramid:
Grains
Grains, such as bread, rice, and oatmeal are important for your body. Try make at least half of your grain servings whole grains, such as 100% whole-wheat bread, brown rice, and oatmeal.
Vegetables
All vegetables are healthy for you. They range from a variety of colors such as red, green, and orange. Try to aim for 2 cups of veggies each day such as broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Remember to wash your veggies before you eat them!
Fruits are also very colorful. There are blueberries, strawberries, oranges, and apples which range in all sorts of colors. Remember to rinse them with water before eating them, and know that they are sweet and don’t be afraid to eat them as a healthy dessert! Try to eat 1-2 cups of fruits every day.
Milk and Other Calcium-Rich Foods Calcium builds strong bones to last a lifetime, so you need these foods in your diet. Here are some examples of foods with calcium: Try to aim for 2 cups of milk or calcium-foods every day.
Meats, Beans, Fish, and Nuts These foods contain protein, iron,and lots of other important nutrients. Here are some examples of protein foods: Try to eat 4-5 servings of proteins each day. Fats and Oils
These foods are marked in yellow and are the smallest stripe on the pyramid. That means you should eat these foods the LEAST amount. Foods with a lot of butter or sugar, such as candy, are examples of Fats and Oils that should be eaten sparingly.
That’s a lot of information. The good news is that your mom, dad, and the other grown-ups in your life will help you eat what you need to stay healthy. But remember, you don't have to become a perfect eater overnight. Just remember to approach eating healthfully and exercising one step at a time!
School Lunches:
More than at other meals, kids have a lot of control over what they eat for lunch at school. When choosing what to eat for lunch, making a healthy choice is really important. Eating foods from the food groups on the Food Guide Pyramid will help to give you more energy throughout the day and will help you concentrate on school work. Controlling the amount of fats and oils you eat, such as cookies and ice-cream sandwiches, will help you to not become over-weight.
If you want to pack your lunch, you'll need some help from your parents. Talk to them about what you like to eat in your lunch and tell them your favorite healthy fruits and vegetables. It is nice if your parents want to make your lunch, but you can show them how you are good at making healthful decisions by making it yourself!
If you’ve ever heard the saying, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”, it really is true! Breakfast gives you the fuel you need to start your day- it’s like putting gas in the car to make it go.
What Should You Eat?
Any breakfast is better than no breakfast at all, but try not to have doughnuts, muffins, or other pastries all the time. They're high in calories, sugar, and fat, and don’t contain the nutrients a kid needs.
Try to eat a variety of foods, including: Here are some breakfast ideas: Remember, skipping breakfast is NOT going to help you in any way. It doesn’t help people to maintain a healthy weight or to lose weight. In fact, someone who skips breakfast tends to eat more calories throughout the day.
If you find yourself skipping breakfast because you're too rushed, try these quick breakfasts that you can take on-the-go: Did you know?
Kids who eat breakfast do better in school and are more likely to participate and learn better. So tomorrow morning, don't run out the door on an empty stomach. Fuel up with a healthy breakfast!
Eating a healthy breakfast, eating a variety of healthy foods, and staying active are all ways to help you to keep your body healthy and help you maintain a healthy weight. Image Source: Stock.Xchng
Fruits
Eat Breakfast:
