Snacking 101 (part 2)

Because between-meal munching often adds up to a substantial portion of young kid's diets, even small changes in what snacks we serve - & when & how we serve them - can make a HUGE difference. In fact, you can alter a child's entire day's nutrients! Try to: serve more fruits & veggies.

Kids don't get near the 2 to 3 cups of fruits & veggies they should. By replacing the calorically dense snacks (like chips & cookies) with fruit & veggies, I decreased the amount of empty calories my daughter took in. And, along with that, replaced them with LOTS of vitamins & minerals...

Kids learn to love fruits & veggies when exposed to them early & often. And whatever you do, don't give up! My daughter consistantly tells her guests/friends that they should try this veggie or that fruit because, "I didn't like it at 1st either, but now I love it!"

You can't buy that publicity, hmmmm?

Snacks 101 (part 1)

This subject is so extensive that I am quite sure it will be part 1 of 2 (maybe 3???). Snacks are so often confused with "special treats" (ie; candy, soda, ice cream, potatoe chips etc, etc,....) that it's enough to want to ban all snacks from my child's menu!

But snacks are essential for children because they have small stomachs. However, whatever snacking my daughter does throughout the day (according to nutritionists) should provide only about 20% of her total calories. Nutritionists recommend that toddlers get 3 snacks a day; preschoolers & school-age kids up to 8, two; kids 9 & older, one.

But even more important than how much she nibbles is what she nibbles on! The 1st step I took was to try to stop thinking of snacks as something prepackaged. That's because, in most cases, a prepackaged snack is sweet or salty-in other words, calorie-packed! In our house we call that a treat.

Do you have a favorite healthy snack your child loves? Please share them with me!!!! Next time we'll talk about how to make small changes in the snacks we serve....

Talk Up Healthy Eating

The more your child knows about nutritious foods, the better choices she'll make. Get her involved in grocery shopping! I have done this since my daughter was a toddler & now do it with a friend's daughter whom I watch.

We will talk about whether this or that food has lot's of sugar in it. Or does it help your eyes or your tummy or your bones etc, etc,... It is a fun way of getting kids to think about what they put in their boddies & how it may or may not benefit them.

Next time you're at the store with your little ones, give it a shot. It can be a lot of fun & it might be a bit of an eye openner when you realize how much they may or may not know!

Bad Habits Start Young!

A survey of the eating habits of more than 3,000 U.S. babies & toddlers by the Gerber Products Company found that:

• Children ages 1-2 years require about 950 calories per day, but the median intake for that age is 1,220 calories, nearly 30% more than they need.
• Up to a third of children under 2 eat no fruits or vegetables, according to the survey. And those who do have vegetables, french fries are the most common selection for children 15 months & older.
• More than 60% of 12 month-olds have desert or candy at least once a day! Thirty to 40% of children 15 months & up have a sugary fruit drink each day, & about 10% have soda!!!

I don't know about you but this makes me think twice about what I serve my little one each day. What do you think?

Saying No To Sweet Drinks.

When I look at my daughter I almost always try to remember that I am helping her form the tastes & habits she'll likely carry with her for life. With childhood obesity rising at it's alarming rate, no one food can be blamed. But many experts believe that the surging consumption of sugar-laden sodas & juices are contributing to the problem. And it starts early! Soda also has a sneaky little substance that contributes to bone loss. (More on that at another time). One smart solution: don't keep sodas in your house.

Although juice is more nutritious than soda, some juice drinks are little more than sugar water. When looking at my daughter's daily menu, I try to add as much "bang for the calorie buck". Juice definately falls into what we call "it's okay sometimes" category. One solution; you can dilute 100% fruit juice with water to cut calories. Better yet, if your child is thirsty, serve milk or water.

If you have an imaginative way that you were able to break the sugary drink habit in your kids, I'd love to hear them!!!

The great American hot dog!!!

Hot dogs are so convenient & loved by millions of American children especially when drenched in Ketchup! But did you know they are also processed with nitrates &/or nitrites? If you don't know what nitrates/nitrites are, I will enlighten you a little bit. But be warned, you may not like what you read!

Consuming water or products with nitrates have been linked to diabetes & significant increased risk of cancer, especially the major childhood cancers (leukemias, lymphomas, and brain cancers).

Here are some eye opening statistics:
1. Children who eat 12 hot dogs per month have nearly 10 times the risk of developing leukemia compared with children who do not eat hot dogs.
2. Children who eat hot dogs once a week double their chances of brain tumors; eating them twice a week triples the risk.
3. Pregnant women who eat 2 servings per day of any cured meat have more than double the risk of bearing children who have brain cancer.
4. Kids that eat the most ham, bacon, and sausage have 3 times the risk of lymphoma.
5. Kids who eat ground meat once a week have twice the risk of acute lymphocytic leukemia compared with those who eat none: eating 2 or more hamburgers weekly triples the risk.

Okay, don't panic! There are a lot of practical solutions if your child can't live without his weekly hot dog fix. Make them at home! If you buy any processed meats make sure they are either organic or nitrate/nitrite free. You can easily find this additive on the ingrediant label.