Health-e-Weight for Women

Healthy Eating, Healthy Kids

Natalie Egan, M.S., R.D, L.D.N., Brigham and Women's Hospital
Previously published on Intelihealth.com, April, 2002.
Revised March 2009
Click here for a printable version.

"My kid's favorite food is ______________."

Does this food contribute positively to your child's health or weight? While any food can fit into a healthy lifestyle, not all foods contribute positively to health.

Today's fast-paced society leaves little time for preparing meals and snacks. Busy parents are buying more processed and convenience foods that are high in calories, low in nutrients and easy for children to prepare (or open). Thirty percent of meals are eaten outside the home frequently consist of fast foods made with bad fats and few vegetables.

Restrictive diets seem like an obvious solution but are more likely to fail and encourage unhealthy lifelong eating behaviors. A better solution for all is the combination of healthy eating and physical activity. These basics include:

• Choosing the right fat. Fat is one of the most misunderstood nutrients. Choosing the right fat is crucial - think healthy fat (not low fat) for growing kids.
• Eat regular meals and snacks
• Eat more vegetables
• Eat more fiber
• Choose fewer processed foods and beverages loaded with sugar

Following is a quick guide to help improve your family's eating behaviors with the goal of lifelong health and a decreased risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes. To improve eating behaviors, start by improving the environment.

Shop Smart:

Read labels and be aware of hidden "extras".

• Find acceptable products with healthy fat listed in the ingredients such as canola, olive or other vegetable oil instead of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
• Watch out for snacks with excessive sugar, such as drinkable yogurts, juice boxes, fruit roll-ups and sweetened dry cereal. Try whole or dried fruit for nature's sweetness.
• Bring home fewer high calorie snacks to decrease the temptation.
• Shop with your child and let them make their own healthy choices.

Make it Healthy!

• Use extra virgin olive oil or canola oil when cooking, trans-fat free tub spreads for baking
• Decrease the saturated fat in recipes with some healthier substitutions, such as:
  • Evaporated skim milk instead of heavy cream
  • Non-fat instead of regular sour cream
  • Nuts instead of coconut
  • 1/2 cup of egg substitute instead of 2 whole eggs
• Serve smaller amounts of high fat foods instead of cutting them out completely

Too Fast for Breakfast?

Breakfast should be a non-negotiable meal. Children do better in school well nourished, and skipping breakfast can lead to excessive hunger and overeating at the next meal.

• Try non-traditional foods for breakfast, like leftovers from dinner
• Try oatmeal or other high fiber cereal in the morning instead of a sweetened dry cereal
• Blend a smoothie for an "on the run" breakfast (1 cup of non fat vanilla yogurt, 1 cup of fresh fruit, 1/4 cup of skim or soy milk)
• Make sure breakfast includes some protein - egg, milk, plain yogurt, peanut butter, lean meat

More Vegetables, Fruits and Fiber!

Whole vegetables, fruits and grains provide more vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and fiber than their processed counterparts (products found in boxes, or pre-prepared and frozen). Eating fiber gives a feeling of fullness after eating and has been associated with decreased risk of several chronic diseases.

• Cut up fruits and vegetables for snacks with natural peanut butter or olive/canola oil-based salad dressing
• Try serving a variety of fruits and vegetables throughout the day, different colors equal different vitamins and minerals
• Add vegetables to an omelet
• Choose whole fruits instead of juices (juices provide lots of sugar and no fiber)
• Non-sulfur treated dried fruit, nuts and whole-grain cereal is a healthy snack.
• Oat bran or 100% whole wheat bread or a whole-wheat pizza crust.
• Whole wheat pasta is now widely available in supermarkets; try a pasta-vegetable salad
• Add beans or nuts to a salad; choose soups with dried beans, peas or lentils

Mix and Match a Healthy Snack!

Try this easy recipe with your child:

Apple Smiles
Slice an apple
Spread with natural peanut butter between two slices of apple
Put some pieces of puffed rice between the two "lips" for teeth

Think About the Drink!

It's easy to limit sodas and give the green light to juice because it's "healthier", but juice can be a "fraud". Few juices are good sources of vitamin C and many have some form of sugar added.
Try:

• Drinking low fat milk or water with meals
• Dilute 2-3 ounces of juice with sparkling or mineral water for a "juice fizz"
• Add a twist of lemon or lime to water

Bag and Build It Healthy!

The best way to help your child eat healthy is to bring healthy foods from home. Pack or choose a healthy school lunch with your child - they are more likely to try something new that they have helped prepare.

Move Toward Healthier Weighs

Our children are becoming more and more sedentary. Exercise helps avoid excessive weight gain and contributes to a strong, healthy heart. Sometimes it's easier to change exercise habits than eating.

• Start with easy exercise such as walking, biking and swimming; team activities can also provide exercise while feeling more fun to kids who would rather be in a group.
• Exercise as a family! If children see adults exercise, they will too!
• Rather than watching television, take a family walk after dinner.
• Exercise can help displace snacking due to boredom.

Parents: Rate Your Own Plate!

The best way for your child to develop healthy eating habits is to have a role model.

• Don't single your child out! Have the whole family make heart healthy changes.
• Respect your child's appetite; they don't need to finish every meal.
• Do not provide food as a source of comfort or reward.
• Consider home baked treats made with healthy fats.
• Introduce new foods with some old favorites, but serve the new food at the beginning of the meal when everyone is hungrier.
• Use positive feedback for trying a new food; refusing to eat may be attention getting.
• Keep healthy snacks on hand and available throughout the day, to meet hunger needs.

Healthy habits started in childhood are more likely to be followed throughout life. 

Copyright 2002 Brigham and Women's Hospital